Ho Chi Minh City’s first metro line opens after years of delays: ‘finally, we made it!’
US$1.7 billion metro line opens in Vietnam’s commercial capital – but it took 17 years to reach this point
After years of funding shortages, ballooning costs and bureaucratic foot-dragging, Ho Chi Minh City is opening the first metro line to serve its 10 million residents.
On Sunday, huge queues spilled out of every station along the US$1.7 billion line that runs almost 20km (12 miles) from the city centre – with women in traditional “ao dai” dress, soldiers in uniform and couples clutching young children waiting excitedly to board.
“I know it [the project] is late, but I still feel so very honoured and proud to be among the first on this metro,” said office worker Nguyen Nhu Huyen after snatching a selfie in her jam-packed train car.
“Our city is now on par with the other big cities of the world,” she said.
The metro line runs from the historic Ben Thanh Market in the city’s District 1 centre to the suburban Thu Duc City and Suoi Tien Amusement Park in District 9. Individual trip fares range from 6,000 dong to 20,000 dong. Rides are free for the first 30 days of official operation that began Sunday. The line will operate 200 trips a day.
