Ho Chi Minh City plans 1,000 km metro network after regional merger

Ho Chi Minh City is accelerating investment in an expanded metro system expected to reach nearly 1,000 km, following plans to merge with neighboring provinces in the southeastern region, city officials said.

The city’s chairman, Nguyen Van Duoc, said the new integrated system would extend metro lines across the expanded Ho Chi Minh City area, including Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provinces, reaching Dong Nai and Tay Ninh Provinces.

The announcement was made during the inaugural meeting of the steering committee on urban rail development.

Current metro planning across Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces includes 12 lines in the city covering 510km, 12 lines in Binh Duong spanning 305km, and three lines in Ba Ria-Vung Tau totaling 125km.

After Ho Chi Minh City merges with Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Binh Duong in August, the region is expected to operate nearly 1,000km of urban rail, not including national rail lines under central government oversight.

The expansion is supported by recent resolutions from Vietnam’s Politburo, including Resolution 188, which grants special mechanisms for urban rail development, and Resolution 68, promoting private sector investment.

These frameworks allow the city to bypass some investment approvals, enabling faster project starts.

The city plans to begin constructing metro line No. 2 by the end of 2025, with six additional lines expected to break ground from 2027.

Other routes under preparation include lines connecting the Thu Thiem area in Thu Duc City with the under-construction Long Thanh Airport in Dong Nai Province and Ho Chi Minh City’s center with Can Gio Island District.

Officials in Binh Duong have prioritized extending operational metro line No. 1 to Binh Duong New City from Suoi Tien Coach Station in Thu Duc City, with the project currently under national-level investment appraisal.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province is also planning metro line No. 3, potentially linking Vung Tau City to Long Thanh Airport.

Experts say the expanded network will support regional mobility, reduce congestion, and catalyze transit-oriented development (TOD).

“A unified system with consistent technology will reduce costs, simplify maintenance, and support the growth of Vietnam’s railway industry,” said Dr. Pham Viet Thuan, head of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Economics Environmental and Resources.

He noted that a large-scale metro network will require significant capital and human resources, underlining the need for private sector participation.

“The foundations are in place — mechanisms, political will, and public support — but quick and effective action is now essential,” he said.

Architects and urban planners emphasized the role of metro systems in shaping urban growth.

“The TOD model allows urban development to follow metro expansion, generating stable revenue for reinvestment,” said architect Ngo Viet Nam Son.

Architect Khuong Van Muoi, former chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Architects Association, said the metro network offers a long-term solution to traffic congestion in a future mega-city.

“What’s needed now is a region-wide redesign of the metro system to reflect new realities and long-term development goals,” he said.

By Bao Anh & Duc Phu & Thu Dung – Tuoi Tre News – June 9, 2025