Hanoi’s first metro line has begun a 20-day commercial trial run with all Vietnamese staff to prepare for official operation. 

The test run begun on Monday to inspect all aspects of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong Metro Line, including functioning stations with staff on duty in operation rooms and at ticket booths.

Even though no passengers have been allowed in, automatic ticket gates and lighting are turned on for inspection.

Safety features such as fire systems have all been checked.

All 13 trains will participate in the trial run, with six to nine operating each day, running the complete route.

Signs have been installed in Vietnamese and English to assist commuters, along with a loud speaker system.

The 20-day trial is a mandatory step in the inspection process before the Chinese contractor can hand over the project to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The depot for train maintenance is almost completed.

A representative of the Chinese contractor, China China Railway Sixth Group Co Ltd, said the metro was supposed to be handed over earlier this year, with the delay costing it on average $2 million a month.

The metro underwent its first trial run in September last year, supervised by Chinese experts from the Shenzhen Metro Company.

The Cat Linh-Ha Dong Metro Line, the first of its kind in the country, runs 13 kilometers from Cat Linh Station in downtown Dong Da District to Yen Nghia Station in southwestern Ha Dong District.