HCM City's Metro Line 1 transports 279,000 passengers in first three days

Crowds line up to board trains at Ben Thanh Station on December 22. (Photo: VNA)

HCM City – In its first three days of operation starting on December 22, Ho Chi Minh City’s long-awaited first metro line served nearly 279,000 passengers, far surpassing the expected figure of 105,000.

According to its operator – the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railways No. 1 Company Limited (HURC 1), approximately 150,000 passengers used the service on the first day, with more than 38,000 passengers recorded on December 23. On December 24, nine metro trains ran 220 trips, carrying over 90,000 passengers, exceeding the planned 200 trips and approximately 39,000 passengers per day.

According to Van Thi Huu Tam, Deputy Director of HURC1, the company received approval from the municipal Department of Transport to extend operating hours to accommodate increased demand of passengers. On the evening of December 24, the service was extended until 10:30 pm, instead of the previously scheduled 10:00 pm.

The Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien line comprises 17 trains, each consisting of three carriages, with a total capacity of 930 passengers (147 seated and 783 standing). In its initial operational phase, an average of nine trains will run daily from 5am to 10pm, facilitating some 200 trips.

The interval between trains will range from 8-12 minutes, with an estimated journey time of around 30 minutes from the terminal station, the Suoi Tien Theme Park in Thu Duc city, to Ben Thanh Market in district 1. Each train will stop for approximately 30 seconds at each station.

During the first month of operation, passengers will have free access to the metro, alongside 17 electric bus routes that connect with it. After the introductory phase, various ticket options will be available, including single-ride, one-day, three-day and monthly passes.