The event is not only a major transportation milestone but also has political significance, towards celebrating the 12th Ho Chi Minh City Party Congress for the term 2025-2030, the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the 50th anniversary of Southern Liberation and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025) and the eighth Ho Chi Minh City Patriotic Emulation Congress for the term 2025-2030.
Additionally, this event marks ten years of the Vietnam-Japan Festival, highlighting the strong friendship between the two nations.
According to Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railway Phan Cong Bang, the inauguration ceremony will take place at the area above Ben Thanh Metro Station under September 23 Park in District 1.
It is expected that 500 - 700 delegates will attend the notable event. Among them will be leaders of the Vietnamese Government and Japanese officials, as Japan is the main financial sponsor of the project.
Metro Line No.1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) officially began operations on December 22, 2024, helping transform the face of Ho Chi Minh City's transportation infrastructure.
During the ten peak days of the Lunar New Year holiday (from January 24 to February 2, 2025), 1,768 train trips operated on Metro Line No. 1, serving 761,416 passengers and earning over VND11.7 billion (US$457,930) in revenue.
With a total length of 19.7 kilometers and 14 stations, including three underground and 11 elevated sections, this metro line is expected to significantly improve the public transportation system, reduce traffic congestion and mitigate environmental pollution.
The metro line not only makes travel more convenient for residents but also creates opportunities for socio-economic development, and connects areas in the city center with the eastern gateway of the city.
