Ho Chi Minh City should relocate railway station, convert rail corridor into elevated metro line: opinion

07/07/2025 12:41

In the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, a 14-kilometer rail line has become an enduring source of traffic congestion, so an expert has proposed relocating the railway station and converting the inner-city rail corridor into an elevated metro line to solve this problem.

The opinion was submitted to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper by Nguyen Huu Nguyen, from the Urban Planning and Development Association of Ho Chi Minh City. 

This rail line, which starts at Saigon Station and runs northward, intersects with 24 major roadways.

Each passing train causes a temporary disruption at these crossings.

Once suitable for a less populated and less motorized city, but the transport infrastructure is now clashing with a modern metropolis of millions of residents and vehicles.

With every train crossing, traffic grinds to a halt on either side of the gates.

Even after the gates reopen, the traffic jams can take considerable time to clear, compounding the city’s long-standing congestion issues.

As such, Dr. Nguyen hinted at relocating Saigon Station and other key railway infrastructure outside the city center entirely.

This would open the possibility of repurposing the existing rail corridor into an elevated metro line to eliminate the need for level crossings altogether, easing traffic pressure on already overburdened city streets.

A new metro line running along the former railway could connect the old Saigon Station area with the North-South high-speed railway line.

Such a project would not only address traffic woes, but could also reshape the city’s transportation landscape by promoting mass transit over private vehicles.

Besides, the expert also put forward another proposal involving modernizing the current railway gates with automated systems to enhance safety.

He, however, said that though automation might reduce risks, it would not address the fundamental issue of traffic disruption, especially within the congested inner city.

The idea of transforming the railway corridor into the metro system in Ho Chi Minh City has gained traction among readers.

“Better late than never – relocating the station to the suburbs makes sense,” reader Henry commented.

Another reader, Nhat, proposed relocating the station to the Thu Thiem area and converting the current Saigon Station into an underground metro hub.

“This idea sounds reasonable and I strongly support it,” another reader wrote.

“I throw my support behind a good solution for public transportation. Developing a metro line running along the existing railway and passing through many wards would encourage people to use public means of transport, reduce traffic congestion, and cut down on pollution,” wrote reader Thanh Chung.

Tuoi Tre News

Link nội dung: https://news.tuoitre.vn/ho-chi-minh-city-should-relocate-railway-station-convert-rail-corridor-into-elevated-metro-line-opinion-103250707110622562.htm