Hanoi Metro Line 3 carries millions: Partners support cleaner travel across the city

A commemorative plaque unveiled at Cau Giay station brought together Hanoi authorities, France and international lenders to recognise the partnership behind the project.

Hanoi's Metro Line 3 has carried 6.4 million passengers in its first year, giving residents another way to reach work, university and everyday services in a city of more than eight million people. Its elevated section, running between Nhon and Cau Giay since August 2024, is the first operating stretch of a route that will eventually reach Hanoi Railway Station.

A commemorative plaque unveiled at Cau Giay station brought together Hanoi authorities, France and international lenders to recognise the partnership behind the project. For passengers, its value is already being measured in reliable journeys, affordable fares and cleaner transport, with construction continuing underground and preparations underway for a further extension south.

Millions of journeys and a growing role in daily life

The full Nhon–Hanoi Railway Station route covers 12.5 kilometres and comprises eight elevated stations and four underground stations. The underground section towards Hanoi Central Station is scheduled to open in 2027 under the government's current implementation plan.

Hanoi Metro Company (HMC) reported 6.4 million passengers during the first year and an average daily ridership of 21,000. It recorded 99% punctuality and no incidents on the operating line, with affordable fares intended to keep services accessible to vulnerable residents.

Reported emissions savings reached 49,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2025 and are expected to rise to 81,500 tonnes annually by 2030.

The city wants metro journeys to account for 30% of trips by 2030, compared with around 10% currently made on all forms of public transport. That ambition places considerable importance on expanding the railway and making connections between services easier.

EIB regional representative Sunita Lukkhoo highlighted the benefits for students, including young women travelling to university, families and commuters. ADB country director Scott Roberts emphasised access to jobs, education and opportunities through an integrated, accessible and resilient transport network.

International financing brings trains, expertise and shared standards

Hanoi contributed the equivalent of €341 million to Line 3. International financing comprises a €355 million French Treasury loan, €159 million from the French Development Agency (AFD), $407.8 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and €125.5 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB).

The partnership brought international requirements covering engineering, safety, environmental and social safeguards, and procurement. Vietnamese authorities have since adopted European standards as the reference for future Hanoi metro lines.

French companies supplied expertise across the project: Systra handled engineering, Alstom supplied rolling stock and systems, Colas Rail undertook track laying, RATP Smart Systems provided ticketing and Bureau Veritas delivered certification.

The Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board (MRB) implements the project for the Hanoi People's Committee, with HMC operating the service.

At the ceremony, Hanoi People's Committee Vice-President Truong Viet Dung thanked the partners and called for continued support for the extension and wider railway network. French Minister Delegate Eléonore Caroit described the line as a practical expression of the France–Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

AFD Regional Director Victoire Vandeville pointed to more than 30 years of cooperation with Vietnam and the agency's readiness to expand support through financing, French technology and expertise.

EU funding prepares an 11-kilometre southern extension

A €10 million European Union grant, entrusted to AFD, is financing preparation of Line 3.2, an 11-kilometre underground extension from Hanoi Railway Station to Hoang Mai.

The programme was signed with the Hanoi People's Committee in 2024 and is being implemented by MRB, with preparation scheduled to run through the end of 2027. It covers a full feasibility study and transit-oriented development planning to coordinate development around the future railway.

Funding also supports mobility planning, connections between transport modes and institutional capacity, helping Hanoi develop a network whose services work together. Construction investment is expected to involve Team Europe financing, notably KfW, in partnership with ADB.

The plaque ceremony at Cau Giay station, S8, was jointly presided over by Dung and Caroit, France's minister delegate responsible for Francophonie, international partnerships and French nationals abroad. Attendees included French Ambassador Didier Le Bret, Roberts, Lukkhoo, Vandeville and representatives of MRB and HMC.

The event followed by one month the official visit to France of General Secretary and President To Lam, during which both countries reaffirmed their cooperation on Hanoi's metro.