The Management Authority of Urban Railways (MAUR) has announced that the Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Metro Line 1 is expected to commence passenger service by the end of 2023. Work on the line is currently 91 per cent complete.
Construction work on the line started in 2012 but has faced multiple delays since then. The elevated section from Ba Son to Binh Duong province is complete. The underground section between Opera House and Ba Son is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.
A fleet of 17 trains supplied by Hitachi will operate on the line.
Line 1 will span 20 km and cover 14 stations, out of which three are located underground. Trial operations on the line are expected to commence by the end of 2022. The mass rapid transit (MRT) project is being partially funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which will provide 83 per cent of the total project cost. The remaining cost will be provided by the Government of HCMC.
