Vietnam’s largest city now has its first Metro, after years of stop-and-start construction that began in 2012. It’s the first of six more planned lines to serve the city’s 10 million residents.
The line includes both subway and elevated sections along its 19.7 km route. Construction was delayed by funding issues and what the Bangkok Post calls “bureaucratic footdragging.” As a result, Hanoi’s Metro beat it to the post as Vietnam’s first.
The need for the system has grown as the city, formerly Saigon, has become increasingly choked by road traffic including commuters and freight.
The delays also had other effects: the brand-new ticket machines at stations are partly obsolete; they are set to accept coins that are no longer in circulation. However, fares can be paid with credit cards or cash.
