Vietnam's first subway mired in more delays amid planned 2024 start

HANOI -- Vietnam's long-awaited first subway line is slated to open in Ho Chi Minh City by the end of this year, although the delays that have plagued construction prompted Japanese company Hitachi to file for arbitration seeking payments from the city as costs pile up.

Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line No. 1 will connect Ben Thanh Station in the city center with the eastern suburbs along 19.7 kilometers. Japan's government provided about 200 billion yen ($1.37 billion at current rates) in official development assistance (ODA) for the project from 2007 to 2023.