HCMC finds new consultant for 2nd metro line, construction imminent

After several years HCMC’s metro line No. 2 between Ben Thanh and Tham Luong has got a new contractor for its consultancy package, meaning construction can start soon.

The Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR), which manages all metro projects in the city, has approved a bid by a consortium comprising Guangzhou Metro Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. (China), Southern Transport Design Consultancy JSC, Port & Seafield Engineering Design Consulting JSC, and ARTELIA SAS worth VND175 billion (US$6.6 million).

The contractor has to prepare the adjusted feasibility report, updating technical designs to fit current requirements, and supporting the tendering process to select construction contractors.

This is a key package that will determine the trajectory of the construction work.

The earlier consultancy contract with a consortium of three German companies, a Swiss company and a Vietnamese company was suspended in 2018 and rescinded four years later, and with it work to extend existing loans and secure new financing and tenders for major packages stalled after a dispute over fees.

After converting the funding model to public investment, MAUR floated a new tender to select a consultant.

The Ben Thanh – Tham Luong metro route will run 11 km with nine underground stations and one above-ground.

It will pass through roads like Truong Chinh and Cach Mang Thang Tam, ending at the underground Ben Thanh station in the downtown area.

HCMC’s first metro line from Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien became operational last December.

The Ben Thanh – Tham Luong line is expected to cost over VND47.8 trillion. Initially scheduled for completion in 2026, it has been delayed until 2030.

The central government approved in July a city proposal not to depend on official development assistance loans and instead use domestic funds to avoid further delays.

By Giang Anh – VnExpress.net – September 9, 2025