France ready to share metro expertise with Ho Chi Minh City: French ambassador

In a recent interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Brochet noted that the metro system in Paris continues to expand after more than a century of operation, offering key lessons in long-term planning, connectivity, and sustainable investment.

Brochet noted that Vietnam’s two largest cities, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, are laying the foundations for urban rail systems, with initial metro lines expected to serve as the backbone for future expansion.

France, he said, is willing to support authorities in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as those in Hanoi, by sharing technical expertise and operational experience accumulated over decades.

Speaking about the Paris Metro, the ambassador said the system has been operating for 125 years and is still being expanded to serve around 12 million people in the wider metropolitan region.

He pointed to the ongoing Grand Paris Express as a landmark project that will significantly enhance regional mobility, with a planned network of around 200 kilometers, making it one of the largest metro systems in Europe.

Brochet stressed that Paris’ experience highlights the importance of maintaining a long-term vision in urban transport planning while remaining flexible enough to adapt to changing mobility needs and public expectations.

Metro development, he said, is not only about building new lines but also ensuring seamless integration across different modes of transport to create a fully connected network.

Another key lesson, he added, is that metro investment must be assessed not only in terms of construction costs but also long-term operation and affordability for users, ensuring both financial sustainability and public accessibility.

On airport connectivity, the ambassador drew comparisons with Paris when discussing the challenge of linking Long Thanh International Airport in southern Dong Nai Province with central Ho Chi Minh City.

In Paris, the region operates two major international airports: Orly Airport, located about 15 kilometers from the city center, and Charles de Gaulle Airport, about 35 kilometers away.

Both airports are integrated into a dense multimodal transport network, including highways, buses, metro lines, the RER (a metro system linking central Paris with suburban areas), and high-speed rail services such as the TGV, which also serves Charles de Gaulle Airport.

A direct rail connection between central Paris and Charles de Gaulle Airport is under development and expected to be completed in 2027, while Metro Line 14 already provides a direct link between the city center and Orly Airport.

For Vietnam’s Long Thanh Airport, Brochet said the most urgent priority is ensuring strong connectivity with central Ho Chi Minh City.

While expressway projects are already underway, he suggested that metro links should also be considered, including connections from Long Thanh Airport to both the city center and Tan Son Nhat International Airport to support transit demand.

He added that the success of Long Thanh Airport will depend heavily on accessibility, noting that efforts to encourage airlines to shift operations from Tan Son Nhat Airport will hinge not on capacity but on how well it is connected to the urban transport network.

Brochet also highlighted transit-oriented development (TOD) as a core principle in French urban planning.

In Paris, each new metro station is designed not only as a transport stop but also as a catalyst for surrounding urban development, forming the core of new urban areas and helping to shape more balanced growth across the wider Île-de-France region.

However, he cautioned that metro projects often drive up land values around stations, creating significant added value, and authorities must carefully manage the risk of speculation while ensuring this value is effectively captured and reinvested for public benefit.

Sharing France’s experience with Ho Chi Minh City, Brochet said it is essential to fully leverage the value that metro lines bring to surrounding communities.

He also emphasized the need to base development on real demand rather than short-term, property-driven expectations to avoid the emergence of underused urban areas.