The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee has submitted a proposal to the Party Committee Standing Board for investment approval of the Ben Thanh–Can Gio railway project, based on the plan developed by Vinspeed High-Speed Railway Investment and Development JSC (Vinspeed).

Previously, the investor proposed that the metro line be extended into central Ho Chi Minh City, starting at the front of Ben Thanh Market instead of the Tan Thuan area.

However, the Department of Culture and Sports raised concerns that running the metro through the city center would negatively impact significant historical sites such as Ben Thanh Market, the former Hỏa Xa headquarters, and the Museum of Fine Arts. The department insisted that investors implement comprehensive safety measures and assume full responsibility for any potential damage to these sites.

To fully address preservation concerns, Vinspeed revised the metro alignment, moving the starting point to 23/9 Park instead of the Ben Thanh Market area.

The new route would run along the park area parallel to Le Lai Street, then turn onto Ky Con Street and cross the Ben Nghe Canal. After crossing the canal, the line would veer northeast along Hoang Dieu Street, then follow the corridor along Doan Nhu Hai Street, pass the Nha Rong Port area, and reach the Tan Thuan 2 Bridge.

From there, the line would head southeast onto Nguyen Van Linh Street, pass through the Nguyen Thi Thap intersection into Tan My Ward, and maintain the current alignment until reaching the depot.

The HCMC People’s Committee is urging the Party Committee to approve the investment plan soon in order to expedite the project. A thorough evaluation and appraisal of the revised route will be conducted before a final decision is made.

The Ben Thanh–Can Gio metro line is expected to cost approximately 85.65 trillion VND (around USD 3.3 billion). The line will span nearly 53 kilometers, using a standard gauge of 1,435 mm and designed to operate at a maximum speed of 350 km/h, except in densely populated urban areas.

The initial phase will include two main stations: Ben Thanh and Can Gio, with a depot located in Can Gio Commune. In later stages, additional stations will be added at Tan Thuan, Tan My, Nha Be, and Binh Khanh. The project is scheduled to begin construction in December and be completed by 2028.

Tuan Kiet