On the evening of November 13th, Mr. Phan Công Bằng, Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board, led a working group to inspect the site and review the progress of relocating technical infrastructure for Metro Line 2 (Bến Thành – Tham Lương) at Ga Bảy Hiền station, a critical construction site of the project.
Mr. Phan Công Bằng, Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board, shares insights during the inspection.
Metro Line 2 Infrastructure Relocation Reaches 70%
Metro Line 2 spans over 11 km, starting at the intersection of Tôn Đức Thắng and Hàm Nghi (Bến Thành Ward) and ending at Tham Lương Depot (Đông Hưng Thuận Ward). It includes a 9 km underground section, a nearly 1 km elevated section, and a 0.9 km depot branch. The line features 10 stations (9 underground, 1 elevated) with a total investment of over 47.8 trillion VND.
Construction progresses in densely populated urban areas, particularly along Cách Mạng Tháng Tám and Trường Chinh streets, where vehicle density is high.
According to the Urban Railway Management Board, the relocation and reinstatement of technical infrastructure include electricity, water supply, drainage, telecommunications, lighting, greenery, and traffic signal systems along the entire route. This is a mandatory “preliminary step” before commencing underground construction.
Construction is challenging due to the dense urban environment, especially along Cách Mạng Tháng Tám and Trường Chinh streets, where vehicle traffic is heavy. Multiple infrastructure components managed by different entities complicate coordination, while underground structures, pipelines, and tangled electrical cables prolong on-site handling and technical agreements.
To date, cumulative construction progress has reached approximately 70%, with some stations fully completed. The management board reports that major obstacles have been resolved, and infrastructure relocation is expected to finish by late 2025, paving the way for underground construction to begin in early 2026.
2030 Inter-Regional Metro Network
Mr. Phan Công Bằng stated that the board is expediting documentation and procedures to start Metro Line 2 construction about a year ahead of schedule. “Following the Prime Minister and city leadership’s directive to ‘accelerate Metro Line 2 before the National Party Congress,’ we recognize this as both a significant pressure and a motivation to speed up efforts,” he shared.
To date, cumulative infrastructure relocation progress has reached approximately 70%, with some stations fully completed.
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has submitted technology approval and standard framework documents, with project investment approval expected by December 15th to select the EPC contractor. Main line construction is slated to begin on January 15th, 2026.
Metro Line 2’s construction conditions are complex due to its predominantly underground route through densely populated residential areas. Most infrastructure relocation packages are executed at night, from 11 PM to 4 AM, and are affected by weather and traffic. If all goes well, major packages will commence in early 2026, with a projected 57-month construction period.
Multiple infrastructure components managed by different entities complicate coordination, while underground structures, pipelines, and tangled electrical cables prolong on-site handling and technical agreements.
Upon completion, Metro Line 2 will significantly reduce traffic congestion along the Cách Mạng Tháng 8 – Trường Chinh axis, connecting the city center to the northwest region. It will also integrate with Metro Line 1 (Bến Thành – Suối Tiên), forming an expanded regional metro network.
Regarding funding, Mr. Phan Công Bằng noted that from 2026 to 2030, the central budget plans to allocate 209 trillion VND for urban railway system development, with Metro Line 2 requiring approximately 10 trillion VND annually to ensure timely progress.
Metro Line 2’s construction conditions are complex due to its predominantly underground route through densely populated residential areas.
Concurrently, Ho Chi Minh City is preparing to launch Metro Line 6, connecting Tan Son Nhat Airport, Pham Van Dong, Ring Road 2, and Long Thanh, to enhance regional connectivity and alleviate traffic in the northeastern area.
According to the Urban Railway Management Board, other metro lines such as Line 3 (An Hạ – Hiệp Bình Phước) and extensions to Hiệp Bình Phước – Thu Duc and Suoi Tien Bus Station – Binh Duong New City are also planned for the upcoming phase, aiming to establish a synchronized inter-regional metro network by the 2030s.
