The first level below the ground sprawls over 45,000 square meters, and will have waiting halls and ticket counters, a shopping mall spread over 18,100 sq.m and an underground corridor and plaza covering 21,500 sq.m.
The station is predominantly white and has 174 aluminum-clad concrete columns. Signs, directional lights, metro route indicators, and others are fully installed.
Ticket vending machines and automatic fare gates have been installed and covered with yellow foam padding to ensure safety until official operations begin.
The ticket control area has two entrances divided into 16 lanes, including four wide ones for disabled people. Adjacent to this area are counters where staff will sell tickets directly or fix technical issues related to the tickets.
The second level is where the train stops to pick up and drop off passengers.
Signboards for train routes are mounted on the outer walls along with space for billboards. The photo shows a train at Ben Thanh station while on a trial run of the entire route in August 2023.
Rooms for staff are also completed and awaiting official operations.
The two lowest of the four floors are designated for other metro lines.
There are six entrances to the underground station around Ben Thanh Market and nearby September 23 Park.
An aerial view of the underground station with its circular skylight.
The city is planning to rebuild the square in front of the market that was demolished for the construction of the station.
The stations of the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro line, which cost over VND43.7 trillion to build.
Work began in 2012, but was delayed multiple times.
Spanning nearly 20 km, the city’s first metro route runs from Ben Thanh to Long Binh depot in Thu Duc City with three underground stations and 11 above ground.
Under the latest plans announced last month seven of the 17 trains to operate on the route will enter service in July and the rest, later.
