HCM City (VNA) – The Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien metro line (Metro Line No.1) in Ho Chi Minh City was officially inaugurated at a ceremony on March 9 after more than two months of commercial operations.
The line, which connects Ben Thanh Market in District 1 and Suoi Tien Theme Park in Thu Duc city, began operations on December 22, 2024 after years of delays.
Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Van Duoc, Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee, highlighted the significance of the project for the southern metropolis’s socio-economic development, saying that it is a prioritised economic cooperation project between Vietnam and Japan.
The metro line is also a result of perseverance, determination, and collective efforts after over 10 years, creating new opportunities for the city's sustainable development and significantly contributing to the Vietnam – Japan friendship and cooperation, he stressed.
It represents a significant leap in the journey toward modern urban transportation, he said.
Addressing the event, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu highly valued the close cooperation between relevant agencies of Vietnam and Japan to overcome numerous difficulties and put this key project into operation, saying that this demonstrates their strong commitment to shared interests.
Crowds of people take the train on the official inauguration day of the Metro Line No.1 in HCM City. (Photo: VNA)
He hoped that the project will become a source of inspiration for new opportunities for the two countries to expand cooperation in large-scale and high-quality infrastructure projects in the future, thus meeting Vietnam's growing infrastructure development demand.
According to Japanese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Miyaji Takuma, Metro Line No. 1 is Vietnam's first subway line and the largest ODA-funded project of Japan in the Southeast Asian nation. It is expected to help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in HCM City.
He hoped that his monumental project, a symbol of Japan – Vietnam cooperation, will help generate more opportunities for exchanges between their people.
Meanwhile, Furukawa Yasushi, Japanese Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, said the metro line symbolises the close railway cooperation between Vietnam and Japan. He affirmed that the Japanese side will continue its support in operating and managing the line by sharing expertise and experiences.
Spanning 19.7 kilometers and featuring 14 stations (three underground and 11 elevated stations), the Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien metro line is designed to ease traffic congestion while offering a convenient and eco-friendly way to explore the city. Each train has a maximum capacity of 930 passengers. The line currently operates 177 trips transporting over 76,140 passengers each day.
It links the city's central areas with its eastern parts, connecting tourists to many key attractions with minimal travel time. It also opens up unique travel experiences for both locals and visitors./.
