Ben Thanh Market sees rail works start on 30 October
Published on 10/24/2026 at 19:09 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSRail project and market setting
- VinSpeed will begin Ben Thanh - Can Gio railway works on 30 October 2026 near Ben Thanh Market.
- The 54-kilometre railway includes tunnels, viaducts and Ben Thanh Station in its first phase.
- Ben Thanh Market was constructed in 1912 by Brossard et Maupin Construction Company.
Railway construction near Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City is scheduled to begin on 30 October 2026. VinSpeed's Ben Thanh - Can Gio railway will start in the area around the market, linking central Vietnam's largest city with Can Gio. The market is commonly identified in Vietnamese by its local name, but the current construction notice uses the English name Ben Thanh Market.
Railway works start near Ben Thanh Market on 30 October
VinSpeed High-Speed Rail Investment and Development JSC has notified the Ho Chi Minh City administration and relevant departments that construction of key project components will begin on 30 October 2026. The notice covers the railway line, Ben Thanh and Can Gio stations, a depot, a transport operations control centre and railway systems for power, communications, signalling and fare collection.
The line will begin around the market in Ben Thanh Ward and finish at a 39-hectare site adjoining the Can Gio coastal-reclamation tourism urban area in Can Gio Commune. The route is planned through Ben Thanh, Khanh Hoi, Xom Chieu, Tan Thuan and Tan My wards, followed by several communes in the southern part of Ho Chi Minh City. VinSpeed's construction notice gives the date and the market-area starting point together.
How the railway plan relates to the historic market
The project is designed to span about 54 kilometres with double tracks, a standard 1,435-millimetre gauge and electric operation. An underground section of about 3.3 kilometres is planned from Ben Thanh Station at Km 0+000 to around Km 3+173, while the rest of the route is planned on viaducts.
That starting point places the new transport scheme beside one of Ho Chi Minh City's best-known traditional markets. Ben Thanh Market was constructed in 1912 by Brossard et Maupin Construction Company and was later renamed after an earlier New Market or Saigon Market. The building has four entrances and four sections beneath its roof clock tower, overlooking four main streets of District 1, as recorded by the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism.
The railway programme gives the market's established urban role a new transport context. Visitors will encounter a historic trading building at the planned starting area of a major regional rail connection, while the project itself is intended to extend the city's central transport network towards Can Gio. VinSpeed says the project is aimed for completion in December 2029.
VinSpeed has named the railway contractors
VinSpeed has also announced the main contractors and construction supervisor for the project. The construction consortium is led by SGC Investment and Construction JSC and includes Vinhomes JSC. Consultant and Inspection Joint Stock Company of Construction Technology and Equipment, known as CONINCO, is named as the construction supervisor.
The railway is not the first major transport scheme associated with the market area. The current notice distinguishes the planned construction start on 30 October 2026 from the groundbreaking ceremony held for the Ben Thanh - Can Gio railway on 19 December 2025. The later date concerns the start of work on the listed components.
Visiting Ben Thanh Market: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The railway construction start is scheduled for 30 October 2026, with the line beginning in the area around Ben Thanh Market in Ben Thanh Ward.
- The construction notice names the market-area starting point and the railway components, but it does not announce a change to the market's entrances or a closure of the market.
- Ben Thanh Market is in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City, with four entrances and four sections overlooking four main streets.
Searching for Ben Thanh Market on social platforms
These links open searches for Ben Thanh Market on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Ben Thanh Market
When does railway construction start near Ben Thanh Market?
VinSpeed has scheduled construction of key Ben Thanh - Can Gio railway components for 30 October 2026. The line will start in the area around the market.
What is Ben Thanh Market?
It is a traditional market in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City. The present market was constructed in 1912 and has four entrances and four sections.
Where is Ben Thanh Market and how do you get there?
The market is in District 1, overlooking four main streets. Its location is also the starting area named for the Ben Thanh - Can Gio railway project.
