Ho Chi Minh City is preparing for a simultaneous groundbreaking of nine projected metro lines in 2027, with a preliminary total investment capital estimated at approximately $44 billion.

This simultaneous groundbreaking plan aims to realize the goal of  completing a 355 km urban railway network in the southern city by 2035.

Ho Chi Minh City's current population is nearly 10 million people, along with about 3 million daily commuters and transient workers from other cities and provinces, creating immense pressure on the already overloaded transport infrastructure. The reliance on personal motorbikes, accounting for over 80% of trips, has led to prolonged traffic jams, pollution, and traffic accidents.

For many years, the city has clearly identified the pressure on transport infrastructure due to rapid population growth and dense personal vehicles, causing prolonged congestion and increasingly serious pollution. The city government has repeatedly affirmed that metro development is the key to solving the root of the problem; in which, the metro is identified as a strategic solution, gradually replacing dependence on motorbikes and private cars.

In the 2027 phase, the city expects to simultaneously start construction on 9 projected metro lines with a total length of approximately 355 km.

These include Line 1 (Ben Thanh - An Ha, extended to Binh Duong), Line 2 (Ben Thanh - Tham Luong - Cu Chi, extended to Thu Dau Mot), Line 3 (Hiep Binh Phuoc - An Ha), Line 4 (Dong Thanh - Tan Son Nhat - Ben Thanh - Hiep Phuoc), Line 5 (Long Truong - Ha Noi Highway - Saigon Bridge - Bay Hien Intersection - Da Phuoc Depot), Line 6 (Inner Ring Road), Line 7 (Tan Kien - Thu Thiem - Vinhomes Grand Park), along with extensions of Line 1 and Line 2.

The current Line 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien), with a length of more than 19.6km, was put into official operation on December 22, 2024. It will be extended to An Ha Depot and to the former province of Binh Duong, which is now part of Ho Chi Minh City,  with a total length of more than 40 km.  

Additionally, there is a proposal for a new line connecting downtown HCMC with Can Gio district, which is attracting significant corporate interest.