Ho Chi Minh City is set to begin construction of its second metro line, the Ben Thanh – Tham Luong route, in December. The city's Department of Transport has submitted a draft plan, with technical designs and feasibility studies expected to be completed by mid-year. This follows the approval of Resolution 188 by the National Assembly, which allows the city to implement special mechanisms to speed up the project. The Ben Thanh – Tham Luong metro line will cover 11 kilometers, with 9.2 kilometers underground and the remaining sections elevated. It will link the city center to the northwest gateway, passing through six districts, including District 1 and District 12. The project has a budget of nearly VND47.9 trillion (approximately US$2 billion) and is expected to be the city’s second metro line after the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien line, which opened last year.

The Ben Thanh – Tham Luong line will help expand the city’s metro network as part of a broader goal to reach 335 kilometers of metro lines by 2035, with an eventual network of 510 kilometers by 2045. The construction of the new metro line will be supported by new mechanisms to streamline the process and reduce costs, including expanding underground sections to minimize compensation expenses.

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