The city's People’s Committee has officially approved the investment policy for a new high-speed metro line connecting Ben Thanh in District 1 to Can Gio, with a total preliminary investment of over 102 trillion VND (approximately 4.2 billion USD), excluding land clearance costs.

The Ben Thanh–Can Gio metro project, also known as the Ben Thanh–Can Gio urban rail line, will be developed by Vinspeed High-Speed Railway Investment and Development Joint Stock Company (Vinspeed), which has been appointed as the investor.

The 54-kilometer line will be a double-track railway with a standard gauge of 1,435mm and fully electrified. Designed for speeds up to 350 km/h, it will be among the fastest urban transit lines in Southeast Asia.

In phase one, two main stations will be constructed: Ben Thanh Station at 23/9 Park (District 1) and Can Gio Station, located on a 39-hectare site adjacent to the Can Gio Seaside Urban Tourism Development Area.

Four additional stations - Tan Thuan, Tan My, Nha Be, and Binh Khanh - will be added in phase two, subject to future demand. The project also includes a depot and Operations Control Center (OCC) in Can Gio.

The metro will operate from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM daily with six active train sets and one reserve, totaling 56 carriages. Trains are expected to depart every 20 minutes.

The total preliminary investment is 102.43 trillion VND (4.2 billion USD), with an additional 12.78 trillion VND (520 million USD) allocated for land clearance - funded entirely by the State.

Of the investment capital, Vinspeed will contribute 15.36 trillion VND (625 million USD), with the remaining 85% sourced from financial institutions and other legal funding channels.

Construction is expected to begin in Q4 of 2025 with land clearance, followed by 30 months of development. The metro line is projected to be operational by 2028.

The project will operate under a 70-year term from the date of investment approval. During this period, Vinspeed will be responsible for securing its own investment capital and ensuring compliance with the approved schedule and technical standards.

The State will provide full funding for land compensation, resettlement, and land clearance, ensuring ready-to-build sites for the investor.

To support the project, the government is offering a wide range of incentives, including:

Land-use fee exemptions for areas used for rail infrastructure.
Reductions or exemptions on land rental for rail-related land.
Corporate income tax and import duty incentives.
Accelerated depreciation allowances.
Preferential loans from the State's investment credit fund or government-guaranteed loans.

During implementation, the investor must demonstrate sufficient financial capacity and take full responsibility for securing the total project investment in line with legal requirements.

Tuan Kiet