Many residents arrived there to get aboard for the must-explore experiences on Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1’s trains during the final test runs before its official commercial operations on December 22.
As observed by the reporter of the Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper, in the early morning of December 15, many families were present at Ben Thanh Station to enjoy free rides on Metro Line 1.
Metro Line 1 has three underground stations, named Ben Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City Opera House and Ba Son, and 11 elevated stations. The line carries a total of 17 trains, each capable of carrying 930 passengers, including 147 seated and 783 standing passengers. The maximum design speed is 110 kilometers per hour for elevated sections and 80 kilometers per hour for underground sections.
The 19.7-kilometer route passes through attractions of the city such as Landmark 81, Suoi Tien Theme Park, Saigon Bridge and modern urban areas.
On the first time for sightseeing Ho Chi Minh City from above, Nguyen Thi Kim Hanh, a resident of Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City was excited with the completion of Metro Line 1 marking a significant advancement in Ho Chi Minh City's public transportation system.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Company No. 1 (HURC1), this is the final test run to comprehensively check the technical system, train and component operations before the official run on December 22.
As planned, nine trains will operate daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., with peak hour intervals between trains being eight minutes and off-peak intervals of 12 minutes.
Passengers will ride for free during the first 30 days of operation. Additionally, passengers on bus routes connecting to Metro Line 1 will have free tickets from January 1, 2025 until the end of the free metro ride period.
Previously, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee officially approved ticket prices for Metro Line 1, offering single fares ranging from VND7,000 (US$0.27) to VND20,000 (US$0.8) and non-cash payments ranging from VND6,000 (US$0.23) to VND19,000 (US$0.7) depending on the route distance.
The daily ticket price is VND40,000 (US$1.6) per person, allowing unlimited rides for the day. A three-day ticket costs VND90,000 (US$3.5) per person for unlimited rides within three days. Monthly tickets are priced at VND300,000 (US$11.8) for a passenger and VND150,000 (US$5.9) for students.
