The HCM City People’s Committee said on January 26 it had authorised Truong Hai Group Joint Stock Company, known as Thaco, to conduct the study and compile a feasibility report for the project. Thaco will bear all research costs and will not be reimbursed if the report is not approved, exceeds deadlines or if the city changes the investment model.
The city has asked Thaco to work closely with relevant departments to ensure the study meets planning requirements and technical standards for the citywide metro network. Once completed, the study will be handed over to the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board.
The Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem section of metro line 2 is about 6 km long. It starts at Ben Thanh Station, runs underground along Ham Nghi Street, crosses the Saigon River to the Thu Thiem new urban area, continues along Mai Chi Tho Avenue and ends at Thu Thiem Station. It is a component of Ho Chi Minh City’s metro line 2.
Earlier, the Ben Thanh-Tham Luong section of line 2, stretching 11.3 km, was launched on January 15 after 16 years of planning. The project has a total investment of more than VND 55 trillion (about USD 2.24 billion), and includes 10 underground stations and one elevated station, linking Ben Thanh Station with the Tham Luong Depot and passing through 14 wards.
According to the city’s planning orientation, prioritising connections to Tan Son Nhat Airport and Long Thanh Airport via metro line 2 and the Thu Thiem-Long Thanh railway is considered the most feasible option.
The Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem section is currently one of the city’s key infrastructure projects, with procedures being accelerated ahead of a planned groundbreaking ceremony on February 9.
