Ho Chi Minh City has proposed that the Central Government allocate an additional VND220 trillion ($8.4 billion) for its metro system, as current local resources cover only 40% of the total VND345-trillion (over $13 billion) requirement.
Speaking at a meeting of the Steering Committee for key national railway projects on March 3, Vice Chairman of the Municipal People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong stated that the city plans to allocate approximately VND345 trillion to focus on the implementation of 10 urban railway lines. This includes priority projects and transitional lines scheduled for completion between 2030 and 2035.
However, the city's current budget balancing capacity stands at only VND125 trillion (nearly $4.8 billion), meeting just 40% of the total capital demand.
According to the official, HCMC aims to complete six interconnected metro lines by 2030. Among these, the link between Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Long Thanh International Airport has been identified as a top priority.
Regarding specific progress, construction on the Tham Luong – Ben Thanh section of Metro Line 2 commenced in mid-January, including components related to the Tan Son Nhat airport connection. The city is finalizing procedures to break ground on the Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem section in April 2026 and aims to begin the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh line by June 2026.
In parallel, HCMC is coordinating with the Vietnam Railway Authority to research and propose a dedicated set of standards for the city's urban railway system, aiming to gradually establish a domestic railway industry.
According to a report from the HCMC Department of Construction sent to the Ministry of Construction, several major corporations have expressed interest in investing in metro lines via Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) or direct investment, including Vingroup, Becamex, Sovico, THACO, and Masterise.
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