Training of personnel who will operate and manage Ho Chi Minh City’s metro line No 1 has begun, according to the HCM City Urban Railway Company Ltd No 1 (HURC 1).

Trainees visit a construction site on the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro line No. 1 in HCM City.
(Photo: nhandan.com.vn)

 Construction of the city’s first metro route between Ben Thanh Market in district 1 and Suoi Tien Theme Park in district 9 is expected to be finished in the next few months.

 In April, HURC 1 recruited 58 candidates to operate the trains, calling for candidates aged 21-35 who have at least graduated from high school, with priority given to graduates of train driving and operation, railway signal information and engineering schools.

 The training is free and trainees’ board and lodging expenses are covered.

 The 19-month course organised by the HCM City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) began in mid-July, with lecturers from the College of Railways and Japanese experts providing both theoretical and practical training.

 The 10 best trainees would be sent to Japan for a further two-week training course, MAUR said.

 Pham Thi Thu Thao, the only woman out of the 58 trainees, said everyone is eager to complete theoretical training by the middle of next year and go to Hanoi for hands-on training on the Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway.

 Le Minh Triet, Director of HURC 1, said in July a trip was organised for the trainees to the Suoi Tien station and train maintenance workshop and dispatch centre at the Long Binh Depot in district 9.

 The 10 most outstanding trainees will be selected to become office managers or trainers after commercial operations begin.

 This month HURC 1 had announced the recruitment of 19 technicians and 300 station staff.

 The formers will be trained for more than one year and the latters for 22 months.

 Hoang Ngoc Tuan of MAUR said the city needs thousands of staff to operate and manage its other metro lines in future. Line No. 1 is expected to begin operations by the end of next year.

 It will have 14 stations, three of them underground. There will be 17 trains with three coaches each. They will run at a maximum speed of 110km above ground and 80km underground. 

 Each train can carry around 930 passengers, including 783 standees. The trains will be extended to six coaches if there is enough demand.

 The first train is expected to arrive in the city from Japan next month.