HCM City (VNS/VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City plans to start construction on its Metro Line 2 in January 2026, officials said on November 13, as Vietnam’s largest city pushes to ease chronic congestion by accelerating long-delayed upgrades to its strained urban transport network.
The Ben Thanh–Tham Luong line, estimated to cost 47.8 trillion VND (1.8 billion USD), is expected to take nearly five years to build and enter service around 2030.
The project will be financed by both the central government and the city, which plans to spend about 10 trillion VND (380 million USD) a year on the line.
Phan Cong Bang, Director of the city’s Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR), said contractors aim to secure municipal approval next month and break ground on January 15, 2026.
The timeline has been brought forward after the National Assembly earlier this year approved special rules allowing HCM City to bypass certain investment-approval steps and use direct contractor appointments.
Contractors estimate construction will take roughly 57 months for the 11km line, including 9km underground.
Before tunnelling can begin, the city must clear and relocate a dense network of utilities – sewer lines, power cables and water pipes – along major arteries such as Cach Mang Thang Tam and Truong Chinh.
MAUR began utility relocation in April and said more than 70% of the work is completed. Some station sites have been fully cleared, though others remain held up by overlapping responsibilities among utility operators and by limits on night-time construction.
Crews can only access work sites after 11pm and must restore traffic flow by 4am, slowing progress. Heavy rains in recent months have added delays.
City officials said they intend to finish all clearance and utility relocation by the end of 2025 to keep the project on schedule.
Once completed, Metro Line 2 is expected to ease pressure on some of the city’s busiest corridors, linking the central Ben Thanh area with the northwest and connecting with Line 1 toward Suoi Tien.
MAUR has submitted technical and regulatory documents to the city government, which is expected to forward them to the Ministry of Construction this week.
Remaining procedures, including the feasibility study, environmental assessment and technical design, are slated to finish between November and December 2025./.
Government issues plan to roll out special mechanisms, fast-tracking metro networks in Hanoi, HCM City
Hanoi and HCM City must work closely with ministries and sectors to review and adjust planning around railway stations and depots, implement compensation and resettlement projects, and auction land to finance urban development linked to the railway systems in accordance with current regulations.
