The urban rail transit system of Bangkok is going through its biggest expansion since the BTS opened in 1999. Two commuter rail lines opened this year, two monorail lines are scheduled to open next year, and another new MRT line in 2023. This is an annual summary of lines under construction, news for established lines, […]
metro
Comparison of cost and construction times of first metro lines in Asia
The first metro lines of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are under construction, and like most first lines of a metro system, they are delayed and over budget. Line 2A of the Hanoi Metro was originally planned to be operational by 2016, while the first metro line in Ho Chi Minh City had an […]
Brunei Metro – A proposed LRT/MRT for Bandar Seri Begawan
The Brunei Metro is a proposed LRT or MRT transport system that has been considered for Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. There have been official announcements over the years, but there nothing is seriously planned as yet. Brunei is a microstate with a population of just over 400,000 people, so there are barely enough people to […]
Phnom Penh Metro – An ongoing history of the proposed urban rail transit system in Phnom Penh
The Phnom Penh metro is a proposed urban rail transit system in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The term metro is used loosely here, as there have been various forms of rail systems proposed over the years. Proposals have included sky trains, subways (another word for metro), light rail, and monorails. Plans for an urban railway in […]
Ben Thanh Station – A 3-line metro interchange that will transform Ho Chi Minh City
Ben Thanh Station is the future central station of the Ho Chi Minh City Metro. The station will be an interchange for three lines, and it will include a remodeled pedestrian area and an underground shopping plaza. The underground station is in front of the historic Ben Thanh Market, under what was Quach Thi Trang […]
Da Nang Metro – A proposed rail transit network for Da Nang and Hoi An
The Da Nang Metro is a proposed rail transit system for the city of Da Nang in Central Vietnam. There have been various proposals over the years that include underground and elevated metro rail, trams, light rail, and BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) systems. The network would also extend to Hoi An to the south in […]
Bangkok’s Gold Line
After many years of waiting, Bangkok’s brand new Gold Line finally opened on December 16 2020, the newest addition to the city’s expanding family of electric train lines. By most estimations, Bangkok will boast around 450km of them by 2025 (subject to the shifting whims of Thai politics). Not bad for a city that, until […]
Ho Chi Minh City Metro 2020 construction update
Ho Chi Minh City is in the process of building its first metro line in a planned 9-line urban rail transit system of metro, light rail, and monorails. As part of the Future Southeast Asia annual construction report series, this article refers to developments over the past year. Here is the 2020 construction update for […]
Hanoi Metro 2020 construction update
Hanoi has two metro lines under construction, and when completed they will be the first urban transit railway in Vietnam. Both lines were due to be open by now, but there have been years of delays that have kept the lines from opening. It’s been a frustrating wait for Hanoians (and regular visitors like myself) […]
Chiang Mai Mass Transit
Greater Chiang Mai has a population close to one million people, making it the second biggest urban area in Thailand after Bangkok. With a growing urban area beyond the core of Mueang Chiang Mai District, there have been numerous plans over the years to build some form of mass transit system. What form of rail […]
