Metro Line No. 1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien) begins commercial operations today (December 22).
On the morning of December 22, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee held a ceremony to announce the official operation of Metro Line No. 1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien). Starting at 10:00 AM, all 14 stations along the route will open to passengers.
For the first 30 days, passengers can ride Metro Line No. 1 free of charge.
According to Ms. Vu Minh Huyen – Deputy Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR), during the first 10 days from December 22 to December 31, passengers using EMV (chip-based bank cards) issued by Mastercard or obtaining cards directly at the stations will be able to ride.
In the following 9 days from January 1 to January 9, 2025, citizens can use their chip-based national ID cards to scan at gate readers at the stations to board the trains.
From January 10 to January 20, 2025, passengers can use bank cards, EMV cards issued by domestic and international organizations, register for virtual cards to experience metro services via Apple Pay/Samsung Pay, or register an account through the HCMC Metro app on their phones to receive a QR Code for train use.
During this time, the HCMC Metro mobile app will be completed and made available, along with the additional feature of account registration for metro usage and the purchase of monthly passes.
From January 21, 2025, Metro Line No. 1 will begin charging ticket fares ranging from VND 6,000 to VND 20,000 per trip.
Monthly passes for regular passengers are priced at VND 300,000, while students enjoy a reduced rate of VND 150,000.
Unlimited ride tickets for one day or three days are priced at VND 40,000 and VND 90,000, respectively.
The journey from Suoi Tien Station to Ben Thanh Station takes 29 minutes. Photo: Anh Tu
Metro Line No. 1 will operate from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily, with nine trains running continuously for a total of 200 trips per day.
The interval between trains will range from 8 to 12 minutes, with each train having a maximum capacity of 930 passengers, including 147 seats and 783 standing spots.
At a maximum speed of 110 km/h on elevated sections and 80 km/h in underground segments, the journey from Ben Thanh Station to Suoi Tien Bus Station takes approximately 29 minutes.
There are 61 bus routes connected to Metro Line No. 1 to serve metro passengers, including 44 existing bus routes and 17 newly introduced electric bus routes (numbered 153 to 169).
To attract public use and facilitate access to Metro Line No. 1 stations, passengers traveling on the 17 electric bus routes will also receive free rides during the first month.
Approved in 2007 and beginning construction in 2012, Metro Line No. 1 spans nearly 20 kilometers, connecting the city center to the eastern gateway. The entire route includes 11 elevated stations, three underground stations, and a total investment of over VND 43.7 trillion.
