A downpour accompanied by strong winds affected central HCMC and surrounding areas, including Thu Duc City and Binh Thanh District at around 5:00 p.m. Shortly afterward, some metro trains stopped operating.
According to a representative from the HCMC Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR), heavy rain and strong winds caused certain signal components of the platform screen door system—located at the boarding area—to misalign with operational procedures and technical guidelines.
For safety reasons, affected trains were taken out of service for inspection. During the suspension, station loudspeakers announced delays due to weather conditions, while digital displays showed messages such as "train service interrupted."
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Passengers wait on a train that was stopped due to a disruption in its journey, on the afternoon of Jan. 14, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Ha Giang |
After thorough system checks, the metro resumed operations around 6:00 p.m.
This is not the first time the Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien metro line has faced disruptions. On Dec. 27, 2024, the metro experienced a similar suspension during heavy rain, just one week after it officially began service. A signaling error briefly disrupted operations two days earlier.
MAUR emphasized that as HCMC's first passenger rail system, the metro is still in its initial phase of operation. All incidents are being carefully evaluated, with passenger safety remaining the top priority.
The Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien metro line was launched on Dec. 22, 2024 after 12 years of construction, and is currently offering free rides until Jan. 20.
Passenger numbers have been high, with over 275,000 people using the service on peak days. The metro operates nine trains daily, making an average of 200 trips between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Each journey between the Eastern Bus Station in Thu Duc City and Ben Thanh Station in District 1 takes approximately 30 minutes.