The rapid transit system recently opened in HCMC consists of fourteen stations, three of which are below ground. Line 1 is almost twenty kms long and leads right to the centre of town with exits at the Opera House and Ben Thanh. Similar to pioneering projects the world over, the development has seen twists and turns from its 2001 initial proposal for a grand launch in 2014, to several revised timelines and delayed openings. Financial constraints meant that its eventual inauguration occurred in December 2024. The design and construction operations were a joint Vietnamese-Japanese project, but future lines will expand utilizing Indian and Chinese investment. The final system of over 500 kms of tracks will feature twelve lines serving all directions and linking locations well beyond the suburbs.