On April 29, Ho Chi Minh City authorities officially broke ground on the Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem section of Metro Line 2, also known as the Thu Thiem Metro.
Following the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien and Ben Thanh-Tham Luong lines, this is the third urban railway project to begin construction in the city.
It is also the first fully underground metro project in Vietnam, featuring a tunnel section running beneath the riverbed of the Saigon River.
According to research by the GMDI-TEDIS-PCC consulting consortium, the Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem section will have a total length of 5.99 kilometres.
The line will start at Ben Thanh Station and end at Thu Thiem Station.
The planned site of the Children's Palace underground station at the Mai Chi Tho - Nguyen Co Thach junction (Photo: Bao Quyen).
The metro will use a fully automated operating system and is designed to meet durability standards with a minimum structural lifespan of 100 years.
To cross beneath the Saigon River, the tunnel will be constructed at maximum depth below the riverbed to ensure safety and technical feasibility.
Thu Thiem Station, the final stop, is expected to become a strategic transport hub connecting the Thu Thiem-Long Thanh metro line and the North-South high-speed railway.
Planned TOD land-use scheme at Thu Thiem station (Source: consultancy consortium).
Speaking to Dantri/Dtinews, a representative of Dai Quang Minh, the project’s investor, said the Ben Thanh-Tham Luong, Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem and Thu Thiem-Long Thanh metro lines would share compatible technology standards.
This would allow a single train to travel directly from the area near Tan Son Nhat Airport to Long Thanh Airport using the tracks of all three metro projects without requiring passengers to transfer between platforms.