First artist's impressions of Ho Chi Minh City's $2bn metro line No. 2 unveiled to the public

The Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) has released artist’s impressions of the city’s second metro line project, which will connect Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to Tham Luong Depot in District 12. The 11.3-kilometer metro line, costing VND47 trillion (US$2 billion), will feature 11 stations, including a 9.3-kilometer underground section and a two-kilometer elevated section.

To make room for the project, MAUR is relocating technical infrastructure facilities such as water and power supply, wastewater drainage, and telecom systems in two phases, which will take 20 months to complete. The metro line is expected to play a crucial role in the city’s urban railway network and will feature diversified technology and a transit-oriented development model.

Contractors plan to work mainly at night to avoid disrupting traffic and the daily lives of local residents. Although the metro line was initially expected to be operational in 2016, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has pushed back the completion deadline to 2030. The city plans to construct eight metro lines with a combined length of over 220 kilometers in the future.