'For Ben Thanh' signage reflects Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien metro line's unique charm

I am a Vietnamese expatriate who has lived and worked in the U.K. for most of my life.

Recently, I have been closely following the debate among Vietnamese people about whether the signage for HCMC's first metro line should be "To Ben Thanh" or "For Ben Thanh."

An aerial view of Thu Duc metro station and nearby apartment buildings. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tung

I happen to know a friend with a PhD in Computational Linguistics in the U.K. Curious about this debate, I asked them which phrase is correct: "To Ben Thanh" or "For Ben Thanh"?

They gave me the following answer:

"While 'For Ben Thanh' might feel unconventional compared to more standard phrasing like 'To Ben Thanh,' it is grammatically correct in the context of metro signage, where it implies direction or service. That said, its slightly old-fashioned tone adds charm to the station, reflecting the unique cultural blend of a globalized yet distinctly local city like Ho Chi Minh."

I hope this serves as a reasonable answer to the question of whether "to" or "for" is more appropriate for the Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien metro station signage.