According to the scheduled timeline, Metro Line 1 will commence commercial operations on December 22. City residents are eagerly anticipating this inaugural modern public transportation experience. The 19.7-kilometer Metro Line 1 stretches from Ben Thanh Station (District 1) to Suoi Tien Station (Thu Duc City), comprising 3 underground and 11 elevated stations.
The underground Ben Thanh Station, situated in the city's central location, is expected to accommodate substantial passenger volumes, thus rendering connection infrastructure and personal vehicle parking arrangements critically important.
Deputy Director Pham Vuong Bao of the Public Transportation Management Center informed that existing bus routes currently encircle Ben Thanh Station, enabling commuters to access the station, with multiple personal vehicle parking facilities available for passengers.
September 23 Park features a 24/7 underground parking facility approximately 200 meters from Ben Thanh Metro Station, with hourly rates.
During daytime hours (6:00 a.m. to 9:59 p.m.):
- Motorcycle and electric motorcycle parking costs VND8,000 (US$0.32) for the first three hours, with subsequent hours charged at VND1,000 ($0.04) per hour;
- Automobile parking rates are VND50,000 ($1.97) for the initial three hours, with additional hours charged at VND20,000 ($0.79) per hour.
Nighttime parking fees (10:00 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) are marginally higher:
- Motorcycle and electric motorcycle rates are VND10,000 ($0.39) for the first three hours, with subsequent hours charged at VND1,000 per hour;
- Automobile rates are VND100,000 ($3.9) for the initial three hours, with additional hours charged at VND20,000 per hour.
A commuter parking a motorcycle and utilizing Metro Line 1 for an eight-hour workday would incur approximately VND13,000 ($0.51) in daily parking expenses.
Stations including Thao Dien, Van Thanh, Rach Chiec, Phuoc Long, and Binh Thai are in the final stages of constructing personal parking facilities. These parking areas will enable residents to seamlessly integrate personal and public transportation modalities according to individual schedules. Final construction elements such as administrative building painting, electrical and sanitation equipment installation, and partition construction are being expedited.
The Van Thanh Station area is completing a 770m² personal parking facility beneath an adjacent overpass, near bus and taxi passenger pickup / drop-off zones. Thao Dien Station features a 1,000m² parking area on Hanoi Highway, now roofed and nearing completion.
Rach Chiec Station’s 1,500m² parking area situated beneath a pedestrian bridge is also preparing for roof installation. The parking areas of Phuoc Long and Binh Thai stations, spanning 1,000m², are undergoing final construction processes.
Beyond investing in transfer stations and personal vehicle parking facilities at these five stations, with a total surface area of nearly 5,500m², the Public Transportation Management Center is additionally installing 23 new waiting shelters connected to stations along Vo Nguyen Giap Street and Hanoi Highway, together with 230 new bus stops.
As of now, the HCMC bus system has completed all preparatory steps and stands ready to establish operational connectivity with Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien), facilitating citizen mobility.
The HCMC Transport Department has implemented the “Enhanced Accessibility and Bus Line Connectivity with Metro Line 1 Stations” project, aiming at recalibrating bus network routes along the Hanoi Highway corridor, effectively aligning with Metro Line 1’s trajectory, thereby interconnecting these two public transportation modalities in accordance with the city’s transportation network development strategy.
To fulfill that goal, the Public Transportation Management Center has modified 44 existing bus routes to connect with 11 elevated stations along Vo Nguyen Giap Street and Hanoi Highway.
Notably, 17 new electric bus routes have been established to complement Metro Line 1, including routes like 153 (Binh An Boat Terminal – Lien Phuong Road), 156 (Saigon Bus Station – Hoa Hung Train Station), and 161 (Van Thanh Bus Station – Nga Tu Ga Bus Station). Over 170 buses operating across these 17 new routes will run daily from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with intervals ranging from 10-20 minutes depending on the specific route, providing approximately 1,100 daily passenger services.
Head Ngo Hai Duong of the Transportation Management Division (under the municipal Transport Department) emphasized that long-term bus route integration with metro stations will yield substantial socioeconomic benefits.
Recalibrating bus networks along the Hanoi Highway corridor and constructing supporting technical infrastructure will facilitate safe, convenient passenger access to Metro Line 1 stations, and thus optimizing operational efficiency of the city’s inaugural metro line.
The seamless, convenient interconnection of public transportation modalities, specifically metro and bus systems, will additionally encourage residents to transition from personal vehicles to public transportation, establishing a foundational framework for reimagining urban transportation infrastructure towards a more sophisticated, modernized, and sustainable approach.
