The European Union (EU) has committed to fund €10 million ($10.8 million) for technical assistance project to carry out a feasibility study for extending Metro Line 3 in Hanoi.

A technical assistance agreement to this project was signed recently between leaders of the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the French Development Agency (AFD) in Vietnam to enhance Hanoi's sustainable urban transport system, with a focus on extending the Metro Line 3 in the capital city.

The extension of Metro line 3 aims to tackle infrastructure, transport and environmental challenges in the capital city, resulting from its rapid urbanization.

As  the first step, the technical assistance project will fund a feasibility study for extending Metro Line 3 from Hanoi Railway Station to the outlying district of Hoang Mai. It will also update Hanoi's urban transport master plan and management capabilities. 

The initial Metro Line 3, which has been under construction, runs from Nhon to Hanoi Railway Station, with a total length of 12.5 km, including 4 km underground route.

The extended section of the line will have a length of nearly 8.8km, with an underground route of 8.13km and seven stations, and total investment capital estimated at over VND40.57 trillion ($1.59 billion).

Upon completion, the Metro Line 3 will have a total length of more than 21km, including more than 12 km underground route, linking  Nhon - Hanoi Railway Station - Hoang Mai outlying district. 

The extended project will be sourced from ODA loans by the Asian Development Bank, AFD and KfW Development Bank of Germany and the counterpart capital of the Vietnamese government which is estimated at VND6.28 trillion ($247 million).