The Ben Thanh-Tham Luong line has a total length of nearly 11.3 km, starting at Ben Thanh Station and ending at the Tham Luong Depot. More than 9 km of the route will run underground, with 10 underground stations, one elevated station and one depot.
The line passes through 14 wards, running along major corridors including Pham Hong Thai, Cach Mang Thang Tam and Truong Chinh streets.
Approved in 2010 and initially financed by official development assistance loans with a total investment of USD 1.3 billion, the project was originally scheduled for completion in 2016. However, prolonged difficulties led to repeated delays.
In 2019, the project’s total investment was revised to USD 2.1 billion, with a new completion target set for 2026. This deadline was also missed due to funding constraints, administrative procedures and site clearance issues. Following further adjustments, the project has now shifted from ODA financing to Ho Chi Minh City’s budget.
Phan Cong Bang, head of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Authority, said the funding shift would not only shorten procedures but also give the investor greater autonomy in selecting contractors, technologies and implementation methods aligned with the long-term development of the entire network.
The line has been upgraded to GoA4 automation, the highest level currently available, allowing fully driverless and staff-free operations. In emergencies or special operating conditions, staff at the operations control centre can intervene remotely to ensure passenger safety and maintain stable operations across the line. The technology has been designed to integrate seamlessly with the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro and other future urban rail lines.
Ho Chi Minh City aims to complete the Ben Thanh-Tham Luong metro by 2030. In the initial phase, the line will operate three-car trains with maximum speeds of 80 to 110 km per hour, carrying more than 14,400 passengers per hour per direction during peak periods. The line will connect directly with the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro at Ben Thanh Station, as well as future projects including metro line 4 and the Ben Thanh-Can Gio rail link.
According to Bui Xuan Cuong, vice-chair of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, the Ben Thanh-Tham Luong metro will serve as a pioneering project in a new phase of development, setting the direction for the city’s entire urban railway system. It is the first project to apply enhanced policy mechanisms and to lead the city’s transit-oriented development approach.
The Ben Thanh-Tham Luong section forms part of metro line 2. Another section linking Ben Thanh with Thu Thiem is being prioritised for investment to connect with the Thu Thiem-Long Thanh railway, creating a high-capacity passenger corridor towards Long Thanh Airport.
Alongside the Ben Thanh-Tham Luong line, Ho Chi Minh City aims to complete several other projects by 2030, bringing the total length of its urban rail network to 187 km. Priority projects include the Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem section of metro line 2, extensions of metro line 1 from Suoi Tien to the new Binh Duong City, metro line 6 from Tan Son Nhat to Phu Huu, and the Thu Thiem- Long Thanh and Ben Thanh-Can Gio railways.
Between 2030 and 2035, the city plans to complete a further eight metro lines spanning 275 km, increasing the total network length to 462 km. Over the following decade, five additional lines totalling 239 km are planned, expanding the metro network to about 700 km and strengthening regional connectivity.
