Metro Line 1 Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien is ready to officially run on December 22
Thursday, December 19, 2024 16:15
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Economy
After 12 years of construction with many difficulties and obstacles, the project to build Ho Chi Minh City's urban railway line No. 1 (Metro Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) has reached the finish line.
Metro Line 1 will contribute to improving people's quality of life.
Adjusting investment policy of Metro Nam Thang Long - Tran Hung Dao
Ho Chi Minh City: Close-up of 9 pedestrian bridges connecting the elevated stations of metro line 1
Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien Metro increases train frequency and running time
Photo caption
Train running on the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro line. Photo: Quoc Khanh/VNA
By December 19, all four main packages of the project had been signed and handed over by the investor and contractor. Metro Line 1 is expected to be put into commercial operation from December 22 and preparations for the project to officially come into operation are now ready.
Finished after 12 years
The Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien Metro Project was approved by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee in April 2007 with a total investment of VND 17,387 billion and was adjusted to VND 47,325 billion in 2011, partly due to the adjustment of the route extension and the update of construction and site clearance unit prices. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2018.
However, due to many problems with the site, technical design as well as issues related to the conclusion of the State Audit, the project could not be completed as planned. In 2019, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee continued to decide to adjust the total investment of the project from VND 47,325 billion to VND 43,757 billion. The project implementation and completion time had to be extended many times and was "finalized" to be completed in 2024.
The Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien Metro Line is 19.7 km long (2.6 km underground and 17.1 km above ground) through District 1, Binh Thanh, Thu Duc City of Ho Chi Minh City and Di An City of Binh Duong Province. The project has 14 stations, including 3 underground stations (Ben Thanh, City Theater, Ba Son), 11 above ground stations (Van Thanh, Tan Cang, Thao Dien, An Phu, Rach Chiec, Phuoc Long, Binh Thai, Thu Duc, High-Tech Park, National University, Suoi Tien Bus Station) and Long Binh depot.
In February 2008, the Urban Railway Management Board started construction of Long Binh depot in Thu Duc city. This is one of 10 depots built to serve the exploitation and operation of urban railway lines.
CP2 package (construction of elevated section and depot), one of the four main packages of Metro Line 1 project, officially started construction in August 2012, marking the beginning of the construction process. After 8 years of construction, in February 2020, the investor and contractors held a ceremony to connect the entire 19.7 km long Metro Line 1 from Long Binh depot to Ben Thanh central station.
Photo caption
The train stops to pick up and drop off passengers at a floating station on the route. Photo: Quoc Khanh/VNA
During the period from 2017 to 2022, the project encountered many difficulties and problems with investment procedures, technical design, and was especially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic hindered the import of equipment and the entry of experts and engineers from Japan into Vietnam; the construction site was difficult.
During this time, the investor, together with central ministries, city departments and contractors, made efforts to resolve the issue and bring the first train from Japan to Khanh Hoi port in October 2020. However, it was not until May 2022 that the last two trains (No. 16 and 17) were brought to Long Binh depot, marking the milestone of the transition to the trial operation phase of the entire project.
On December 21, 2022, Metro Train No. 1 conducted its first test run through 5 elevated stations (Suoi Tien Bus Station, National University, High-Tech Park, Thu Duc, Binh Thai) with a journey of nearly 9 km. This event marked the project's transition from the construction completion phase to the testing phase. In August 2023, the metro train successfully conducted a test run along the entire route, from Suoi Tien Bus Station to Ben Thanh.
On December 18-19, 2024, the Urban Railway Management Board and the contractor organized the signing of the conditional handover certificate (TOC) for the two bidding packages CP1a and CP2. Previously, the two bidding packages CP1b and CP3 were also signed for handover. Thus, all four main bidding packages of the project have been handed over for official operation.
Everything is ready
Photo caption
Tourists experience at Ben Thanh station. Photo: Quoc Khanh/VNA
Exactly 2 years after the first test run of the train, on December 22, 2024, the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien Metro project will officially enter commercial operation. This will be a memorable event, marking the first urban railway line in Ho Chi Minh City to be put into operation; expected to open a new era for investment in developing the city's urban railway system.
In recent days, the investor and Urban Railway One Member Co., Ltd. No. 1 (HURC1, the unit operating and exploiting the route) and the departments and branches of Ho Chi Minh City have actively coordinated to carry out tasks to effectively operate and exploit metro line No. 1.
Tomorrow (December 20), the Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Management Center will open and put into operation 17 feeder bus routes, equivalent to 150 vehicles to connect to the stations of metro line 1. The center has also completed the construction of private parking lots at the stations of Thao Dien, Van Thanh, Rach Chiec, Phuoc Long, Binh Thai...
According to Mr. Ngo Hai Duong, Head of the Road Transport Management Department (Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport), 17 feeder bus routes using electric vehicles will help connect metro stations with residential areas, bus stations, high-tech zones, commercial centers and universities. In addition, the units also rearranged 45 public bicycle stations in District 1, arranged around underground metro stations and equipped with more electric bicycles to increase convenience for passengers.
For 4-wheel electric vehicles with engines, the Public Transport Management Center has also completed a plan to connect with 3 underground stations of Metro Line 1 and Tan Son Nhat Airport. In addition, the Department of Transport is also planning to build a plan to connect the river bus route to the Ba Son and Tan Cang stations.
The city's public transport system, including metro line 1, buses, river buses and open-top double-decker buses, has been integrated into the Gobus app, making it easy for passengers to look up information and choose convenient routes, said Mr. Ngo Hai Duong.
In recent days, many people in Ho Chi Minh City have experienced the city's first metro line. Ms. Nguyen Phuong Thanh (residing in Go Vap district) said: When I saw the information for people to experience the metro, I registered to participate. This is the first time I have taken the metro, so I am quite interested in this type of service. Although my house is not near the line, I will bring my relatives to continue experiencing it when the project is commercially exploited.
Metro Line 1 has a total of 17 trains, each train can carry 930 passengers, including 147 seated passengers and 783 standing passengers. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has issued ticket prices ranging from 6,000 - 20,000 VND/trip. A 1-day ticket is 40,000 VND/person; a 3-day ticket is 90,000 VND/person. A monthly ticket for general passengers is 300,000 VND/month and for students is 150,000 VND/month.
At the recent meeting, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council passed a resolution to support fares for users of public passenger transport services by bus and train. Within 30 days from the date the train begins commercial operation, passengers traveling on the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien Metro will be exempted from 100% of the fare. Passengers traveling on 17 bus routes connecting the metro line will also be exempted from fares during this time.
Photo caption
The metro line preparing to enter Rach Chiec station runs parallel to Hanoi highway. Photo: Quoc Khanh/VNA
Metro Line 1 officially opened for commercial operation on December 22, marking 12 years since the completion of the first urban railway line in Ho Chi Minh City. This is one of 8 lines in the urban railway planning system of Ho Chi Minh City. The city is currently submitting a "super project" to develop the urban railway system, in which it proposes the goal of completing 7 lines (from lines 1 to 7) with a length of about 355 km by 2035, with a preliminary total investment of about 40.21 billion USD.
Overcoming many difficulties and obstacles, Metro Line 1 Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien will officially come into operation on December 22. Everything is ready with the expectation of a new means of public passenger transport, helping the environment become greener and the city more modern. The experience in building Metro Line 1 will be an important foundation for Ho Chi Minh City to continue to build other lines in the future.
Construction of Nam Thăng Long Trần Hưng Đạo metro to begin next year
December 19, 2024 - 07:50
The total investment for the Hà Nội project has grown by more than 80 per cent compared to the original estimate.
The depot of metro Nam Thang Long - Trần Hưng Đạo will be located in the Xuân Đỉnh area of Bắc Từ Liêm District. Photo vietnamnet.vn
HÀ NỘI The Government has approved the adjustment of the investment policy for the Nam Thăng Long Trần Hưng Đạo metro line, according to a representative of the Hà Nội Metropolitan Railway Management Board (MRB).
Under the decision signed by Deputy Prime Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn, Hà Nộis Metro Line 2 has a total investment of VNĐ35.588 trillion (US$1.4 billion) and construction is set to begin next year.
The total investment for the project has increased by more than 80 per cent compared to the original estimate, of which ODA funding from the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) under the Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP) will amount to JPY167.079 billion (about US$1.2 billion) and the remaining $237 million will be sourced from Hà Nộis own budget. The project timeline spans until 2031.
The total route length is 11.5km, comprising 8.9km underground and 2.6km elevated, with seven underground stations and three elevated stations.
The transport system will include ten four-car trains operating on a double-track railway with a gauge of 1,435mm and a depot spanning 17.5ha which will be located in Xuân Đỉnh, Bắc Từ Liêm District.
"After the adjusted investment policy is approved, the project will proceed with mobilising a general consultant to revise the project for the Hà Nội Peoples Committees approval, with construction expected to commence in 2025," said an MRB representative.
Metro Line 2 will serve as a vital transport backbone, connecting the inner city, Nội Bài International Airport, and the northern urban areas of Hà Nội.
The line is made up of three segments: Nam Thăng Long Trần Hưng Đạo (Line 2.1), Trần Hưng Đạo Thượng Đình (Line 2.2), and Nội Bài Nam Thăng Long (Line 2.3).
"In addition to delivering transportation and environmental benefits, this metro line will play a significant role in tourism development and urban architecture for the capital city," MRB representative said.
The planning of Line 2, combining radial and ring routes, is designed to enhance connectivity while reducing passenger congestion in the city centre, shortening travel times and optimising the efficiency of the entire metro system.
This is a key transportation project, contributing to the development of a modern and sustainable public transport system for the capital.
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