Ho Chi Minh City, Oct. 23 -- Ho Chi Minh City is accelerating preparations for urban railway projects, with three publicly funded metro lines expected to break ground by the end of 2026 to improve connectivity with major transport hubs and expand urban development space.

The city plans to build 28 urban railway lines with a combined length of around 1,500 km by 2050, when public transport is expected to meet 55-60% of travel demand. It aims to complete about 255 km of urban railways by 2030 and more than 500 km by 2035.

Tran Quang Lam, Director of the municipal Department of Construction, said metro development was essential for a megacity like Ho Chi Minh City, as expanding roads alone could not fundamentally resolve traffic congestion...