The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has released the environmental impact assessment for the proposed 52.9-km Ben Thanh–Can Gio rail line in Ho Chi Minh City. The project, estimated at VND85,650 billion (USD3.4 billion), will require approximately 317 hectares of land and is planned for commissioning in the first quarter of 2028. The investor has proposed a double-track, standard-gauge (1,435 mm) alignment with a design speed of 350 km/hr.
In Phase 1, the line will include two stations—Ben Thanh and Can Gio—followed by Phase 2 additions at Tan Thuan, Tan My, Nha Be and Binh Khanh, along with a depot and operations control centre (OCC) in Can Gio. Each trainset will comprise eight carriages with a capacity of 600 passengers, with four trainsets required for initial operations.
The rail line is intended to improve connectivity between central Ho Chi Minh City and Can Gio, where current access relies on the Rung Sac road through the Can Gio biosphere reserve. Demand for improved transport links is expected to rise as the Can Gio coastal urban area and the planned international trans-shipment port are developed.
