Typically, Metro Line No. 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) uses ODA capital from Japan; Metro Line No. 2 (Ben Thanh - Tham Luong) previously borrowed from many European financial institutions.
Each source of capital comes with a different system of standards. This leads to differences from electricity supply methods, signal systems, tunnel sizes, trains to ticket collection...
A positive sign, notably, is that from 2025, Ho Chi Minh City's metro development thinking has changed. The conversion of Metro Line 2 to using the budget, along with specific mechanisms approved by the National Assembly, has given the city the right to proactively choose technology and technical standards.
No longer completely dependent on the binding conditions of the sponsor, Ho Chi Minh City can build a "standard framework" for the entire system. And Metro Line 2 is identified as a pioneering line in the new phase.
The selection of the 1,500V one-way elevated power supply method, applying European standards, upgrading the automatic interconnected ticketing system and moving towards GoA4 automation shows a clear direction: Synchronous, modern and ready for long-term connection. More importantly, Metro Line 2's standards will become a common platform for the next routes.
The story of Ho Chi Minh City is even more meaningful if placed in a broader context. In Hanoi, three urban railway lines are operating or preparing to operate using three different technologies, according to three standards. This poses a significant challenge in system integration, human resource training, maintenance and operational connection in the future.
Metro is expected to be the backbone of public transport, but if each route is a technology "oasis", the ability to connect the entire network will be limited.
Therefore, the requirement is to have a national standardized thinking for urban railways. A unified set of framework standards, sufficiently flexible but ensuring technological compatibility, will help major cities avoid repeating the cycle of each project having one standard.
Further, standardization also opens up opportunities for the development of domestic urban railway industry. When standards are unified, domestic enterprises can participate more deeply in the supply chain, from manufacturing components and equipment to research and technology transfer. Metro at that time is not only a transportation project, but also a driving force for forming a new industry.
Reducing congestion, reducing pollution, improving the quality of urban life - these goals depend greatly on the ability to develop large-scale public transport. But for the metro to truly become the backbone, the lines must speak the same "language" of technology.
Today's standardization is the condition for connecting tomorrow, so that each kilometer of urban railway is no longer a single project, but a link in a synchronous and sustainable network.
