City. HCM runs a test on the entire Metro line No. 1, special guests are 12 civil servants who participated in the Dien Bien Phu campaign

On the morning of April 26, on the occasion of the 49th anniversary of the liberation of the South and unification of the country, Ho Chi Minh City organized a test run of the entire Metro line No. 1 (Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien) and visited the central station. The test session was attended by 12 veterans who participated in the Dien Bien Phu battlefield in the past.

Happiness and excitement are the common mood of veterans in the face of change in Ho Chi Minh City in particular and the country in general.

Present on the ship were a veteran couple, Ms. Tran Thi Minh Chau and Mr. Duong Chi Ky. Having had the opportunity to experience metros in many countries around the world, Ms. Chau shared: “The City’s metro trains are very beautiful and modern, better than those in other countries I have been to.”

Mr. Duong Chi Ky confided: “We veterans are very excited to be given priority to experience before Metro Line No. 1. Seeing the country develop is the happiness of all of us. Hopefully so.” The young generation will continue to make efforts to build the homeland.”

Colonel Tran Quang Trieu, 90 years old, former Deputy Commander of the 4th Army Corps, a soldier participating from the beginning of the Dien Bien Phu campaign shared: “Compared to the old days, Ho Chi Minh City now has not only trains, cars, airplanes… but also metros. We are very happy and hope that the city and the country will develop more.”

Mr. Hoang Mai Tung, Director of Project Management Board 1 (Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien), under the Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR), said that currently Metro Line 1 has reached 98% of project progress. Testing and safety assessment of trains on metro line No. 1 has been conducted from 2023 to present.

Today, Metro Line 1 operates automatically and without a driver for the first time. Accordingly, the train is being operated in the same way as the commercial operation of Metro train No. 1.

In parallel with the testing process, practical training of staff is also being carried out. After completing practical training and proficient operation and maintenance staff, Metro No. 1 project will move to a trial operation phase for about 2 months before putting the project into official operation. .

Metro Line 1 is 19.7 km long, including 2.6 km underground and 17.1 km elevated; The route passes through districts: 1, Binh Thanh, City. Thu Duc (HCMC) and Di An (Binh Duong). Total project investment after adjustment is 43,700 billion VND.

Metro Line No. 1 has 3 underground stations: Ben Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City Theater, Ba Son; 11 elevated stations include: Van Thanh, Tan Cang, Thao Dien, An Phu, Rach Chiec, Phuoc Long, Binh Thai, Thu Duc, High-Tech Park, Ho Chi Minh City National University, Suoi Tien Bus Station.

It is expected that, if favorable, Metro No. 1 project will operate free tickets from July 2024. In the fourth quarter of 2024, Metro line No. 1 officially goes into commercial operation to serve the people.