HCM City’s Department of Construction has released its October report on the progress of urban railway investment projects across the city.
A key feature of the city’s metro expansion plans is the active involvement of major private-sector groups and companies. They have either proposed studying investments directly or been tasked with preparing feasibility study reports.
The urban railway network is being prioritised for investment by Ho Chi Minh City, with completion targeted by 2035 (Photo: Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee).
Sovico Group JSC has proposed investing in Metro Line 5, covering the section from Long Truong to Da Phuoc Depot. The route would be about 54km long, with a preliminary total investment of more than VND 157 trillion (approximately USD 6.04 billion).
A consortium comprising KITA Group, VRCC and Trung Chinh has also proposed investing in Metro Line 7, from Tan Kien to Vinhomes Grand Park. For Metro Line 3, which is planned to run from An Ha to Hiep Binh Phuoc, Masterise Group JSC has proposed investing in the An Ha-Tao Dan section.
For interregional rail links, Becamex Group is studying an investment plan for the national railway connecting Chon Thanh, Bau Bang, An Binh and Cai Mep.
Earlier, HCM City authorities assigned several other priority projects for the 2026-2030 period to companies, requiring them to fund the preparation of feasibility study reports themselves.
Dai Quang Minh Real Estate JSC was assigned to study the Thu Thiem-Long Thanh urban railway project, which is intended to connect the city centre with Long Thanh International Airport, with completion targeted for 2030.
For Metro Line 2, covering the section from Tham Luong through An Ha to the Northwest Urban Area, Viet Him Lam Co Ltd was tasked with preparing a feasibility study under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The project aims to begin construction in the first quarter of 2027 and finish in the fourth quarter of 2030.
Sovico Group is also conducting surveys and preparing a PPP feasibility study for Metro Line 4, from Dong Thanh to Hiep Phuoc, with construction expected to start in the second quarter of 2027.
Among projects already under construction, private-sector funding is being channelled into the Ben Thanh-Can Gio railway and the Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem metro line.
The Ben Thanh-Can Gio railway has a total investment of VND 102.43 trillion (approximately USD 3.94 billion), excluding land clearance costs, and is being financed entirely by Vinspeed using its own funds. Construction is being accelerated on Ben Thanh Station, the underground section and bridge structures, with completion targeted for the end of 2028.
For Metro Line 2’s Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem section, the investor under a build-transfer (BT) arrangement held a groundbreaking ceremony on April 29. It is now urgently preparing detailed construction drawings and cost estimates, aiming to finalise the formal contract by the end of this year.
As it receives investment proposals from businesses, HCM City is also reviewing the entire urban railway network following its administrative merger. The proposed network extends to 1,555km and is to be incorporated into the city’s master plan with a 100-year vision.