The above information was shared by Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hien - Deputy Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR) - at the online seminar "Completing infrastructure, connecting integrated and seamless transportation - Sustainable green development solution" organized by Hanoi Moi Newspaper on the afternoon of December 9 in Ho Chi Minh City.
Mr. Hien said that Metro No. 2 will start construction on January 15, 2026, then enter the construction and equipment installation phase from 2026 to 2030. The metro line is expected to be put into operation in December 2030.
MAUR leaders said that from Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) which took more than 12 years to complete nearly 20 km, Ho Chi Minh City has drawn many important lessons to apply to Metro Line 2 and subsequent metro lines.
Regarding legal procedures, Mr. Hien said that the National Assembly and the Government have issued many new mechanisms, including Resolution 188, allowing stronger authorization for Ho Chi Minh City and investors, helping to shorten the process and implement the project earlier.
Regarding the site clearance work that caused many difficulties for Metro Line 1, Ho Chi Minh City has learned from experience by separating this part into a separate package and implementing it many years ago. Up to now, site clearance and relocation of technical infrastructure for Metro Line 2 have been basically completed.
Another important change is the Ministry of Finance, the Government and Ho Chi Minh City agreeing to convert the project from ODA capital to public investment capital, helping the city proactively source capital and speed up progress.
With the new mechanism, new funding sources and new approaches, we believe Metro Line 2 will be completed on schedule by 2030 - Mr. Hien emphasized.
Metro Line 2 was first approved by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee in October 2010 with a total investment of more than VND 26,116 billion (equivalent to USD 1.374 billion at that time).
By November 2019, the project was adjusted to nearly VND47,891 billion (about 2.093 billion USD at that time), mainly using ODA loans.
According to the adjustment report, Metro No. 2 plans to adjust its total capital to more than VND52,000 billion due to additional construction scale, technology updates and price fluctuations.
The project has a total length of 11.269 km, an increase of more than 200 m compared to before; including 9.255 km underground, the rest is the elevated section and the depot access road. The line has 10 underground stations (including Ben Thanh station), one elevated station and one depot.
Dr. Phan Huu Duy Quoc - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Construction Corporation No. 1 (CC1) - commented that the current way of making urban railways in Ho Chi Minh City has changed significantly.
Previously, projects using ODA capital had to follow the design standards of each sponsor. Now the city has agreed on a common set of standards, creating a foundation for metro lines to operate interconnectively.
Mr. Quoc said that in the process of reviewing Metro No. 2, the units set a design goal so that it can be applied to the following routes, from tunnel excavators to tunnel lining components, to ensure consistency and connectivity.
According to Dr. Quoc, the city is demonstrating new thinking and new ways of doing things, which need to be strongly promoted. If determined, Ho Chi Minh City can start construction of 1 - 2 metro lines in early 2026, then continue to start construction of many metro lines simultaneously in 2027 to aim to complete 6 lines by 2030. He emphasized that Metro Line 1 currently serves nearly 60,000 passengers per day. When Metro Line 2 and other lines come into operation, the overall efficiency of the urban railway network in Ho Chi Minh City will be clearly promoted.
