Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro put into commercial operation

The Ministry of Transport on November 6 hands over the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line project to Hanoi for commercial operation. The line, which runs from Cat Linh in Ba Dinh district to Ha Dong district, is the first urban railway put into operation in the country. The quality assessment results of the metro line were approved by the State Council for Acceptance of Construction Projects on October 29. It was the final step for the project to begin commercial operation. With total investment of approximately 886 million USD, funded by China's ODA, the elevated line is more than 13km long and has 12 stations and 13 trains. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The State Council for Acceptance of Construction Projects at a meeting on October 29 approved the quality assessment results of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line in Hanoi, setting the stage for commercial operations of the long-delayed project. The council members reportedly spent time in the field inspecting the preparatory works for real-life operations as well as trial runs at the Cat Linh-Ha Dong project, the first metro in Hanoi financed mostly by China’s ODA, but one that have been besotted by cost overruns, behind-schedule issues, and challenges in third-party acceptance. They inspected the project' depots, operations control centre, different function rooms of some stations and equipment at stations. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

All nine members of the council voted in favour of the conditional acceptance results from the project’s owner – the Ministry of Transport – to allow the project to start the initial phase of operations. During the operation, the Hanoi Railway One-Member Co Ltd (Metro Hanoi) will be operating the project in accordance with the approved operating procedures and approved rail planning, improve the proficiency of operators, provide sufficient instructions and guidance for the public in the initial stage of operations, given the new transport method, to ensure the effectiveness and safety of the project. In a meeting held earlier last week, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has asked the transport ministry to hand over the project to Hanoi before November 10. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

With total investment of approximately 886 million USD, funded by China's ODA, the elevated line is more than 13km long and has 12 stations and 13 trains. Each train, whose designed speed is 80 km per hour, has four carriages capable of carrying over 900 passengers. The municipal People’s Committee has announced the price of the tickets for the metro, with the lowest one being 8,000 VND (0.35 USD) for a trip and 30,000 VND for a day pass. A monthly pass for a passenger is priced at 200,000 VND. The capital city is offering free travel for all passengers during the first 15 days after the line is put into operation. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The customer service centre of the metro line. From the second week of operation, Hanoi Metro will increase the departure frequency from every 15 minutes to every 10 minutes. The change is meant to gradually catch up to the planned schedule while reducing waiting time for passengers. The metro line, the first of its kind in Vietnam, would help increase the number of public transport users, and together with the nine other routes planned, form a key transport network to help reduce traffic congestion, according to Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Duong Duc Tuan. A full trip on the 13-kilometer elevated track will take 23 minutes after stopping at all 12 stations. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

In the first week, the service is from 5.30 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day with a train every 15 minutes. The frequency will be increased from the second week with a train leaving every 10 minutes. After six months, the service will be extended to 10.30 p.m., and there will be a train every six minutes during rush hour. Built by the China Railway Sixth Group Co Ltd, the project took 10 years to complete with hurdles and conflicts delaying the work several times. Its cost increased by 57 percent from the original estimate to 18 trillion VND (868 million USD), with 77 percent of it coming from official development assistance loans from China. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Passengers can recharge to get tickets at the metro station. The municipal People’s Committee has announced the price of the tickets for the metro, with the lowest one being 8,000 VND (0.35 USD) for a trip and 30,000 VND for a day pass. A monthly pass for a passenger is priced at 200,000 VND. The capital city is offering free travel for all passengers during the first 15 days after the line is put into operation. The metro line is expected to help increase the number of public transport users, and together with the nine other routes planned, form a key transport network to help reduce traffic congestion. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Passengers receive manual guiding them how to use train services. Earlier, members of the State Council for Acceptance of Construction Projects spent time in the field inspecting the preparatory works for real-life operations as well as trial runs at the Cat Linh-Ha Dong project, the first metro in Hanoi financed mostly by China’s ODA, but one that have been besotted by cost overruns, behind-schedule issues, and challenges in third-party acceptance. They also inspected the depots, the operations control centre of the project, different function rooms of some stations, the equipment at stations, and readiness issues (instructions for passengers, the ticketing system, and the signalling system). (Photo: VietnamPlus)

To put the project into operation, the Hanoi Railway One-Member Co Ltd (Metro Hanoi) has worked to ensure the quality of personnel and granted licences to 36 people who underwent training in China and at home. The quality assessment results of the metro line were approved by the State Council for Acceptance of Construction Projects on October 29, after much controversy and resulting delays over unresolved issues stated in quality assessment reports of the metro by a third-party consultant in France, even after the project was essentially completed. The council’s approval set the stage for the project to commence operations. The acceptance of the project marks a new milestone in the project. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Inside the Cat Linh station. With total investment of approximately 868 million USD (up 315 million USD compared to initial estimates) and funded by China's ODA, the elevated line is more than 13km long and has 12 stations and 13 trains. Each train, whose designed speed is 80km per hour, has four carriages capable of carrying more than 900 passengers. The service would help increase the number of public transport users, and together with the nine other routes planned, form a key transport network to help reduce traffic congestion. The capital city of 8.3 million people is plagued by traffic congestion during rush hour due to the large number of motorbikes and cars. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

To put the project into operation, the Hanoi Railway One-Member Co Ltd (Metro Hanoi) has worked to ensure the quality of personnel and granted licences to 36 people who underwent training in China and at home. The initial commercial routes of the project are divided into two phases. In Phase 1, lasting six months, including the first 15 days of free travels for all passengers, four to six trains run from 5:30am to 10pm, at 10 to 15 minute intervals. In Phase 2, also six months, there will be a total of nine trains running from 5:30am to 10:30pm, with 10-minute intervals reduced to six minutes during peak times. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

To board, people go up to the second floor of any of the 12 stations along the line, obtain a ticket (magnet stripped) from the automatic ticket machines with cash or buy directly from ticket kiosks, and get through the ticket barriers. Metro Hanoi, the managing unit of the project, has prepared more than 200,000 tickets to issue for passengers in the first 15 days free-of-charge. At the end of each ride, passengers will return these tickets to a station’s staffer at the exit doors. The municipal People’s Committee has announced the price of the tickets for the metro, with the lowest one being 8,000 VND (0.35 USD) for a trip and 30,000 VND for a day pass. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

A worker at the metro station. A urban rail system is always a focus priority for the Government and Hanoi authority as this is a modern method of mass transit that helps reduce traffic jams and pollution, according to Vu Hong Phuong, Director of Railway Projects Management Unit under the Ministry of Transport. Among the eight metro projects that have been approved to connect the urban cores of Hanoi with satellite urban centres, the Cat Linh-Ha Dong was selected as a ‘pilot’ for early investment, to timely alleviate the rising traffic in the western area of the capital city. The capital city of 8.3 million people is plagued by traffic congestion during rush hour due to the large number of motorbikes and cars. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

A worker at the Cat Linh station. The Cat Linh-Ha Dong project is expected to be a game changer for public transportation in a crowded city with millions of personal vehicles. It would help the city’s mass transit network meet up to 45 percent of demand. The metro line is connected with 55 public bus routes since last year and the number will rise to 59 in the future. It has an elevated line of more than 13 km with 12 stations and a rolling stock of 13 trains. Each train, whose designed speed is 80 km/h, has four carriages capable of carrying over 900 passengers. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Construction on the railway, built by China Railway Sixth Group, began in October 2011 and was initially scheduled for completion in 2013. However, several hurdles have stalled it for years. In January 2021, the French consultant ACT issued a test certificate along with the report, which includes 16 recommendations on risk prevention in the operation of the route, according to the Ministry of Transport. The French consultant’s recommendations that have been met so far this year, include certification from the Firefighting Police Agency and the consultant’s step-2 safety assessment of the signal system. The State Council for Acceptance of Construction Projects on October 29 approved the quality assessment results of the metro line, the final step for the project to begin commercial operation. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Inside a metro station. After being free for the first 15 days, a trip will cost 8,000 - 15,000 VND (0.35 - 0.66 USD) for a ticket. Commuters can enjoy unlimited rides in a single day if they purchase a day pass or monthly pass. In the first week, the service is from 5:30 am to 8:00 pm every day with a frequency of 15 minutes which will be increased from the second week with interval between trains of 10 minutes. After six months, the service will be extended to 10:30 pm, and there will be a train every six minutes during rush hour. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Inside a metro station. To board, people go up to the second floor of any of the 12 stations along the line, obtain a ticket (magnet stripped) from the automatic ticket machines with cash or buy directly from ticket kiosks, and get through the ticket barriers. Metro Hanoi, the managing unit of the project, has prepared more than 200,000 tickets to issue for passengers in the first 15 days free-of-charge. At the end of each ride, passengers will return these tickets to a station’s staffer at the exit doors. People who are eligible for waiving of bus fares are also eligible for free rides on the metro, i.e. children under six years old, people with disabilities and the elderly. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

A urban rail system is always a focus priority for the Government and Hanoi authority as this is a modern method of mass transit that helps reduce traffic jams and pollution. Among the eight metro projects that have been approved to connect the urban cores of Hanoi with satellite urban centres, the Cat Linh-Ha Dong was selected as a ‘pilot’ for early investment, to timely alleviate the rising traffic in the western area of the capital city. Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Duong Duc Tuan said with current progress, it would take 8 to 10 years to finish one urban rail line project, so other than continuing to call for ODA, there should be more ‘breakthrough measures’ to expedite the progress. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The service, Vietnam’s first, would help increase the number of public transport users, and together with the nine other routes planned, form a key transport network to help reduce traffic congestion. However, existing problems in the city can affect the metro experience, such as occupied sidewalks, long distances from the parking lots to the stations, and the fact that only one single metro line is currently operational. According to Dr Nguyen Xuan Thuy, former Director of the Transport Publishing House, developing a public transport system that reduces individual vehicles still faces many challenges. He emphasised the need to establish parking lots to facilitate people’s access to the Cat Linh – Ha Dong metro line. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

In the long term, it is necessary to design a system of taxis, buses, and express buses to support passengers travelling by the elevated urban rail lines and subways. Hanoi's Department of Transport recently issued an official document to Dong Da, Thanh Xuan, Nam Tu Liem, Ha Dong, the four districts which the Cat Linh – Ha Dong metro line runs through, to establish temporary parking lots at the metro stations. Experts also advised that to encourage people to use public transport and form the habit of walking in the city, Hanoi authorities need to address the issue of occupied sidewalks and respond to the demand for parking lots near Cat Linh – Ha Dong metro stations. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

A full trip on the 13km elevated track will take 23 minutes after stopping at all 12 stations. After being free for the first 15 days, it will cost 8,000–15,000 VND (0.35–0.66 USD) for a ticket. There will also be monthly tickets for 100,000-200,000 VND. In the first week, the service is from 5.30 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day with a train every 15 minutes. The frequency will be increased from the second week with a train leaving every 10 minutes. After six months, the service will be extended to 10.30 p.m., and there will be a train every six minutes during rush hour. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Passengers aboard a train. The Hanoi People's Committee has issued a plan for the expansion of the city’s mass transit network in the period 2021-2030. According to the plan, the city’s public transport infrastructure will be expanded by 80 percent to 90 percent to ensure the accessibility of the network by 2030, and meets the criteria that people anywhere in the city could hop on a bus in a radius of 500 metres. In order to improve the quality of mass transportation services, Hanoi will draw up more regulations to create a healthy competitive environment, subsidize interest rates on loans of public transport companies to expand the bus fleet. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Passengers aboard a train. In the time ahead, the Hanoi People's Committee will strengthen information technology application in traffic management in order to maximise the capacity of existing transport infrastructure, ensure traffic safety and order, and contribute to limiting traffic accidents. The city also aims to soon complete two schemes namely "Collecting toll on vehicles in some urban areas at risk of traffic congestion and environmental pollution" and "Zoning to curb motorbikes in accordance with infrastructure and service capacity of public transport system to ban motorbikes in the districts in 2030". Besides, the city will build more interchange infrastructure, organise traffic in the direction of giving priority to the public transport and encourage people to use public transport services instead of private vehicles. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

At a station of the metro line. Hanoi will request the government to prioritise ODA loans for purchasing modern public transport vehicles, with emission levels meeting EURO 5 standards, using clean energy and environmental-friendly engine. According to a report from the municipal Department of Transport, the capital currently has 124 bus routes, covering 30 districts and towns, 453 out of 584 communes, representing a coverage ratio of 78 percent of the city’s territory. The report also showed that public passenger transport continues to grow. The city's public transport provided some 948.5 million rides in 2019. Of the number, 510.5 million were transported by bus, meeting about 17.03 percent of the people’s commuting demand, an increase of 3.2 percentage points compared to 2017. (Photo: VietnamPlus)