At the moment, it is one of the youngest metro systems – Ho Chi Minh City opened the subway on December 22, 2024. And I managed to ride it already.
Ho Chi Minh City metro lines
Of the many planned lines, only one has been laid so far – the blue line running from the center to the northeast.
It connects Ho Chi Minh City’s central Ben Thanh Market and the new bus terminal in the northeastern part of the city, which is called New Eastern Bus Station (Ben Xe Mien Dong Moi).
Ho Chi Minh City metro scheme
At the moment on the Ho Chi Minh City subway map there is only one active line, but all planned subway lines are also marked and there are quite a lot of them.
Ho Chi Minh metro map is available both at the stations and in the trains, while moving light indication shows the current position of the train and it is easy to understand when you need to get off.
Duplication in English
The main navigation elements are duplicated in English. But there is a great lack of translation directly in the car. However, it is not difficult to understand what station you need.
Note that the word combination Nhà Ga always comes before the station name and means “train station”, so if, for example, you need the station “Khu Công Nghệ Cao”, don’t be surprised that it will be called “Nhà Ga Khu Công Nghệ Cao”.
Announcements on the train are also duplicated in English.
Ho Chi Minh City metro stations
The Ho Chi Minh City Metro Blue Line has a total of 14 stations as of its opening. Here’s a list of them, starting with the central one near Ben Thanh Market. I have removed the phrase Nhà Ga in front of the station names.
- Bến Thành (Ben Thanh Market)
- Nhà Hát Thành Phố (Opera House)
- Ba Son
- Công viên Văn Thánh (Van Thanh Park)
- Tân Cảng
- Thảo Điền
- An Phú
- Rạch Chiếc
- Phước Long
- Bình Thái
- Thủ Đức
- Khu Công Nghệ Cao (High Tech Park)
- Đại Học Quốc Gia (National University)
- Bến Xe Suối Tiên (New Eastern Bus Terminal)
Underground and Aboveground
The Ho Chi Minh City metro in the central part of the city is underground, then after Nhà Ga Ngầm Ba Son station the line comes to the surface, trains cross the Saigon River via the subway bridge and then to the terminus Ben Xe Mien Dong Moi trains go above ground.
Thus, the first three stations are underground, These are Nhà Ga Ngầm Bến Thành, Nhà Ga Ngầm Nhà Hát Thành Phố and Nhà Ga Ngầm Ba Son.
Ho Chi Minh City metro stations in the center
Everything west of the Saigon River can be considered the central area. But the most popular places for tourists where the Ho Chi Minh City subway line runs are probably just the Opera House and Ben Thanh Market, two neighboring stations.
Other interesting stations for tourists
Besides the central stations by the Opera House and the market, tourists will also be interested in the stations:
- Ba Son (full name Nhà Ga Ngầm Ba Son) – the Ho Chi Minh City Geological Museum and the Ho Chi Minh City Zoo are nearby;
- Tân Cảng (full name Nhà Ga Tân Cảng) – within walking distance of the station is the tallest skyscraper in Vietnam, the second tallest in Southeast Asia and one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, Landmark 81;
- An Phú (full name Nhà Ga An Phú) across the Saigon River – near this station you will find Ho Chi Minh City’s large and popular Vincom Mega Mall.
Ho Chi Minh City metro fare
As of early 2025, no tolls have been charged due to the recent opening of the subway and testing of the entire system. However, you need to download an app in your phone to get a free fare:
If it is possible to link a bank card to the app, after the testing period, payment will also be made using the app.
Regular tickets will also be sold, with ticket offices and purchase machines already installed at stations, but empty as of early 2025.
Frequent questions about the Ho Chi Minh City metro
How many kilometers is the metro line in Ho Chi Minh City?
Opened to date often is almost 20 kilometers. To be precise, 19.7 kilometers of subway has already been built and launched.
What kind of trains are used in the Ho Chi Minh City metro?
The rolling stock is Hitachi trains. One train consists of three cars and can be passed through.
What is the speed of the Ho Chi Minh City subway?
On the open section above ground, the train reaches a maximum speed of 110 kilometers per hour. Underground, the speed is lower – a maximum of 85 kilometers per hour.
Is there a toilet in the stations?
Yes, all the stations equipped by the toilets, as you can see on the pictures below.
This is such a gift to tourists and residents of Saigon (the city is still most often called that) on New Year’s Eve!