Dong Nai considers underground metro connection to Ho Chi Minh City

At a meeting on Monday, provincial leaders requested the consulting unit to study both underground and elevated options, with a preference for the underground approach.

According to the South Transport Engineering Design Joint Stock Incorporated (TEDI South), the proposed metro line linking HCMC with Dong Nai will span nearly 21 km, featuring 13 stations and a depot covering more than 23 hectares.

The line will start behind Suoi Tien Station, part of HCMC's Metro Line No.1, and end at a depot in Dong Nai's Trang Bom District. The connecting station in Dong Nai, designated as S0 or Binh Thang Station, will serve as the interchange.

Under the current plan, the section from S0 Station to the depot in Trang Bom will extend nearly 19 km, with both elevated and underground options under consideration.

The total estimated investment for this section is approximately VND30 trillion (US$1.17 billion), sourced from state budgets and loans, including official development assistance (ODA) or local government bonds. However, it remains unclear whether the 1.8 km section linking Suoi Tien Station to S0 Station will be built underground or elevated.

In addition to Dong Nai, HCMC's Metro Line No.1 will also extend to Binh Duong Province, which will lead this extension with an estimated investment of over VND51.7 trillion.