Initial test run held on metro line in Ho Chi Minh City

The test run was conducted on the metro train’s 9 km long elevated section which connects Suoi Tien station to Binh Thai station.

The elevated section has been designed specifically for trains to run at a maximum speed of 110 km per hour, although the trial saw the train only operate at below 40 km per hour. During the course of the journey, the train stopped to pick up and drop off passengers.  

Nguyen Quoc Hien, deputy head of the Management Board of HCMC Urban Railways (MAUR), has committed to working alongside the contractor to speed up the project implementation and put the train into operation next year soon in order to mark the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations. 

Ha Ngoc Truong, vice chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Port and Bridge Association, emphasised that the event is a historic milestone of the southern city’s transport industry and demonstrates the success of the metro rail sector.

Bui Xuan Cuong, vice chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, underscored the importance of the metro line No. 1  in accelerating the implementation of other urban railway projects, such as metro No. 2 which runs from Ben Thanh to Tham Luong, and metro No. 5 in the future.

These are part of the great efforts made by Vietnamese and Japanese engineers and workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuong noted, adding that the safe trial run will facilitate the commercial operation of the project as swiftly as possible.

Metro line No. 1 is expected to cost over VND43.7 trillion and is funded by Japanese overseas development assistance and Vietnamese counterpart funds.  

The 19.7km metro line consists of 14 stations, three underground and 11 elevated, and runs through District 1, Binh Thanh District, Thu Duc City and the neighbouring province Binh Duong, connecting Ben Thanh Market in District 1 and Suoi Tien Theme Park.