The Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien urban railway line No 1 in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Ha Khanh)

Last December, Ho Chi Minh City’s first urban railway line, Metro Line 1, began commercial operations, a historic milestone in the city's journey toward modern urban transportation.

Bui Xuan Cuong, Deputy Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, said at the launch ceremony, "We’re beginning a new chapter in our city’s development. Each resident and visitor who uses this urban railway helps maintain and maximize its effectiveness so that the metro becomes, not just a mode of transportation, but a cultural symbol and a bridge connecting people. Metro Line 1 will evolve into a modern public space, an integral part of the municipal urban culture."

The modern, gleaming metro train entering its station carry the joy, excitement, and pride of the city’s residents and overseas Vietnamese returning to their homeland after many years. Metro Line 1 is just the beginning. The journey toward a modern, sustainable transportation system in HCMC is ongoing.

Officially opened to passengers on April 19, domestic passenger terminal T3 at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the most advanced airport terminal in Vietnam, is a testament to Ho Chi Minh City's aspiration to reach new heights half a century after reunification.

(Photo: Luong Y/VTC News)
It took just 20 months for the Terminal T3 project, personally overseen by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, to be completed, three months ahead of schedule. This was thanks to the efforts of thousands of workers and engineers who overcame harsh weather and other obstacles to turn the dream into reality.

Their work has improved everyone’s quality of life and made HCMC a more livable city, said Tran Ngoc Long, Deputy Director of the project management board. "Now that the terminal is in operation, everyone is incredibly proud. I'm happy to have contributed, even in a small way, to such a large and meaningful project," said Long.

Other transportation projects are taking shape, giving Ho Chi Minh City a fresh look.

Covering 2,000 km2 and 10 million people, HCMC is the biggest economic center in Vietnam. (Photo: Kim Cuong/VNP)
Nguyen Thanh Binh, Deputy Director of the city’s Urban Planning Institute, elaborated, "For half a century Ho Chi Minh City has been growing in population and area. Industrial zones have been set up in all four directions. In the southern part of the city, new urban areas have taken shape, with Phu My Hung at the center. Radial roads and ring roads have improved connectivity and are driving the city's dynamic and successful development."

On July 1, Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau province will merge into Ho Chi Minh City, to allow the city to expand and become a metropolis and a center of economic innovation in Vietnam and the region.