China is using artificial intelligence (AI) to modernise its railway system, improving everything from operations to maintenance and overall efficiency. —  photo courtesy of East Asia Forum

HCM CITY — As cities worldwide turn metro networks into the backbone of smart urban systems, Việt Nam is looking to its own expanding rail plans not only to ease congestion but also to power the next generation of digital, connected cities.

Around the world, metro systems are increasingly viewed not only as public transportation infrastructure but also as the backbone of the smart city ecosystem. They are closely linked with Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), multimodal connectivity, digital platforms such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and the use of real-time data to optimise operations and reduce emissions.

Many cities, including Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Helsinki, Seoul and Shenzhen, have developed metro systems as integrated platforms that combine transportation, urban space, services and data within a single ecosystem.

In this context, developing metro systems in Việt Nam is not only a matter of transportation infrastructure but also an opportunity to establish data and technology platforms for smart cities. According to current plans, HCM City is expected to develop about 1,012km of urban railway lines with a total estimated investment of US$103.4 billion, while Hà Nội plans to build more than 600km with an estimated capital requirement of $55.4 billion. This massive scale of investment indicates that metro systems will play a critical role in restructuring urban transportation, reorganising urban development space and promoting next-generation urban services.

To discuss this development vision as well as workforce demand for the smart transportation sector, Vietnamese-German University collaborated with the HCM City Department of Construction, the HCM City Urban Railway Management Board, the HCM City Urban Railway Operations Company, FPT Corporation and other partners to organise a thematic workshop titled From Smart Railways to Smart Mobility and Smart Cities: Workforce Demand.

The workshop focused on the vision for metro development, smart mobility, smart cities and the demand for high-quality human resources in this field in Việt Nam.

According to Nguyễn Duy Thạch, Director of the Investment Preparation Division of the HCM City Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR), the city is entering a phase of large-scale metro network development aligned with its long-term urban development strategy and that of the southern key economic region.

Under the plan, the urban railway network will have a total length of approximately 1,024km with 27 lines, connecting HCM City, Bình Dương and Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu.

These metro lines are designed to link central HCM City with new urban areas, industrial zones, seaports, airports and ring-road transportation systems. Once completed, the system will become the backbone of the public transportation network, integrating with other modes such as buses, BRT and personal mobility options.

Meanwhile, Trần Võ Anh Minh, Deputy Head of the Urban Railway Management Division at the HCM City Department of Construction, emphasised that metro development is not only an investment in infrastructure but also an investment in people.

According to city forecasts, the workforce required to operate and manage the urban railway system could reach about 17,000 people by 2045, while the construction workforce may exceed 20,000 people.

At the workshop, Phan Thanh Sơn, Strategy Director of FPT Railway Mobility Technology at FPT Corporation, shared the perspective of a technology enterprise on the role of big data and artificial intelligence (AI) in the planning, design, management and operation of urban railway systems. He emphasised that Việt Nam currently has a major opportunity not only to build new metro lines but also to develop domestic technological capabilities for the urban railway sector.

According to him, if infrastructure investment is combined with a strong data strategy, a supportive business ecosystem and workforce training, Việt Nam could significantly shorten its technology adoption process, gradually master key technological components and ultimately move towards exporting technological solutions in the future. — VNS