Ho Chi Minh City Mass Rapid Transit Line 1 Opens as Vietnam’s First Subway

The first subway arrives in a congested city

Ho Chi Minh City Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line 1, in which Nippon Koei is engaging as General Consultant, started service since the end of 2024.
Ho Chi Minh City MRT Line 1 is designed to address the rapid population growth in the city, which has precipitated an increase in motorcycles and automobiles. This has led to severe traffic congestion, a surge in traffic accidents, and worsening air pollution. MRT Line 1 is positioned as a top priority line to resolve these social issues and has been under developed since 2008 as a yen loan project of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
This is the third urban railway line in Vietnam, following two lines in the capital city of Hanoi, but this Line 1 in Ho Chi Minh City is the first metro line with the underground section in the country. This is also the first large-scale project marking Nippon Koei's full-scale entry into the urban railway engineering. The line features three underground stations and 11 elevated stations, connecting Ben Thanh Station in the center of Ho Chi Minh City to Suoi Tien Station in the northeast of the city, a distance of 19.7km, in about 30 minutes.

As a lead member of the General Consultant, Nippon Koei has provided consulting services for the entire project (civil and architectural works, electrical works, track, signaling, communications, and rolling stock) since the start of the project in 2008, covering from basic design, detailed design (one station), tender assistance, construction supervision, to pre-opening training.

Top lights at Ben Thanh Station. Natural light from outside is brought into the underground station to brighten the interior. The design motif is based on the lotus blossom, Vietnam's national flower.

Suoi Tien Station. Platform screen doors have been installed at all stations to prevent falls onto the tracks, and barrier-free features have also been incorporated.

Ba Son Station. Another highlight is that entry/exit of each station in the underground section has been designed to match its surrounding cityscape.

A grand opening ceremony was held in Ho Chi Minh City in March 2025. Senior officials from the central and local governments of Vietnam attended the ceremony and expressed their gratitude for the support provided by the Japanese government and companies.
In addition, Ho Chi Minh City MRT Line 1 was selected as one of the "World's Greatest Places 2025" by TIME magazine. The features highly evaluated by the magazine included easing traffic congestion, enhancing transportation infrastructure, and facilitating access to tourist spots.

Tape-cutting ceremony

Contributing to the development of public transportation in the future

Nippon Koei is currently providing operation and maintenance advisory services to operating company Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway No. 1 Company Limited (HURC1) to support the enhancement of staff skills and the maintenance of safe and sound operations, an arrangement that is expected to continue until 2029. Going forward, Nippon Koei will continue contributing to the advancement of public transportation systems in Vietnam and other countries worldwide by leveraging the experience it has gained through this project.

Click here to see an interview with the person in charge.