Hanoi Metro Line 3

3  Văn Miếu Line
Line 3 of Hanoi Metro passing over Xuan Thuy road
Overview
Native name	Tuyến Văn Miếu
Status	Completed (Elevated section), 43.25% under construction (Underground) as of August 8th 2024
Owner	Vietnam Railways
Line number	3
Termini	Nhon Hanoi Railway Station
Stations	Phase 1 (Nhon - Hanoi Station): 12
Website	hanoimetro.net.vn
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	Hanoi Metro
Operator(s)	Hanoi Metro Company (HMC)
Depot(s)	Nhon Depot
Rolling stock	10 4-carriage Alstom Metropolis trains (40 carriages)
Ridership	8,600 passengers/hour/direction
History
Planned opening	2027 (entire route)
Opened	8 August 2024 (2024-08-08) (elevated section)
Technical
Line length	Phase 1: 12.5 km (7.8 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Third rail, 750 V DC
Operating speed	35 km/h (22 mph) 80 km/h (50 mph) maximum
Route map Nhổn depot T3-S01 Nhổn T3-S02 Minh Khai T3-S03 Phú Diễn Bắc Hồng–Văn Điển railway Nhuệ River T3-S04 Cầu Diễn T3-S05 Lê Đức Thọ Ringway 3 T3-S06 National University T3-S07 Chùa Hà Tô Lịch River Ringway 2 T3-S08 Cầu Giấy T3-S09 Kim Mã  Yên Nghĩa T3-S10 Cát Linh T3-S11 Văn Miếu North–South railway Hanoi–Đồng Đăng railway T3-S12 Hà Nội  Ngọc Hồi – Yên Viên

Hanoi Metro Line 3, also known as the Văn Miếu Line, is a medium-capacity rapid transit service of the Hanoi Metro network, operated by Hanoi Metro Company. Colored dark red on transit maps, the line currently runs from Nhổn, a suburb in Bắc Từ Liêm District, west of city center, to its current terminus in Cầu Giấy Bus Interchange, located in Cầu Giấy district. When fully operational, the line will continue eastbound toward Hanoi Station, providing a direct connection to downtown Hanoi and the city's main railway station. The line operates between 5.30 am and 10pm, with headways of 6 minutes during peak hours (7 am - 8.30 am and 4.30 pm to 6pm), and 10 minutes during off-peak hours. All trains on Line 3 operate with a 4-cars formation.

This line was the first to be built in Hanoi Metro network, starting construction in September 2010 with a expected completion date in late 2016, with a budget of 18 trillion VND (1 billion USD in 2010) However, the project was plagued with delays and budget overrun, total about 34.532 trillion VND (1.46 billion USD) in 2022.

The line is divided into three segments: The first segment, which runs from Nhổn to Hanoi Station. This segment is 12.5 km long, consists of 12 stations in total, with the first 8.5 km (between Nhổn and Cầu Giấy) running elevated, while the last 4 km (between Cầu Giấy) and Hanoi Station running underground. In addition, there have been plans for a southern extension (second segment), which will run from Hanoi Station to southern district of Hoàng Mai, and a northern extension (third segment) toward Sơn Tây. Currently, only the elevated phase of first segment (between Nhổn and Cầu Giấy) is operational. About 20% of Hanoi's population in 6 districts Ba Dinh, Cau Giay, Dong Da, Hoan Kiem, Nam Từ Liêm and Bắc Từ Liêm can benefit from this line.

History

Initial developments

Further reading: Hanoi Metro

Line 3 dated back to 1998, when the Vietnamese government approved the 2020 vision Master Plan, which prioritise the building of a rail transit system, with a target to build 5 metro lines. Line 3 was among one of the original line considered in the master plan.

Two separate preliminary feasibility studies was conducted in 2004 and 2005 with the help of the Asian Development Bank to determine the viability of Line 3.

Four options were originally considered:

1. An elevated metro line running from Nhổn depot to Swedish Embassy on Kim Mã Avenue, then running underground to Hanoi Station;
2. An at-grade tramway section between Nhổn and Ringway 3, then an elevated line to Swedish Embassy on Kim Mã Avenue, then running underground to Hanoi Station;
3. Similar to option 2, but the at-grade tramway would be converted to a dedicated metro line;
4. An at-grade tramway section between Nhổn and to Swedish Embassy on Kim Mã Avenue, then running underground to Hanoi Station.

Out of all options, options 2 and 3 were eliminated from further consideration due to congestion and performance issues associated with a mixed circulation tramway system. Option 4 was discounted from further consideration because even though it involved a system operating on a partially dedicated route, significant adverse changes to traffic management were required, particularly at intersections and pedestrian crossings and it would have resulted in reduced operating efficiencies and travel times. As a result, option 1, which was forecasted to carry up to 458,000 people daily, was selected as the preferred option.

The name and location of stations were finalized in the 2009 Final Feasibility Study. Based on this study, fifteen stations were reduced to 12 stations, 8 elevated and 4 underground. A twin bored tunnel concept using tunnel boring machines (TBM) was selected to tunnel 15 to 8 m underground and to utilize the centerline of existing surface roads. Two underground stations, Cát Linh and Văn Miếu, were relocated one block eastward to avoid cultural significant sites.

Budget

Beside 276 million euros from the Hanoi city's budget, the project also receives 726 million euros from the four donors - the French government (DGT), French Development Agency (AFD), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and European Investment Bank (EIB).

Construction progress

Implementation of the project is delayed by four years compared to the original schedule with completion expected in 2021. As of March 2017, the project has achieved 30% physical progress over the elapsed project life of 9 years. However, the project completion is expected to be delayed to 2027.

Route

Elevated section passing over Xuan Thuy road. Visible from left to right are: Chua Ha, National University, Le Duc Tho stations.

Line 3: Nhon - Hanoi Station section starts from Nhon - to National Highway 32 - Cau Dien - Mai Dich - Ring road 3 intersection - Cau Giay (ring road 2 intersection) - Kim Ma - Giang Vo - Cat Linh - Quoc Tu Giam and ends at Tran Hung Dao Street, in front of Hanoi Station.

Stations

12 stations including 8 elevated stations (Nhon, Minh Khai, Phu Dien, Cau Dien, Le Duc Tho, Vietnam National University, Chua Ha, Cau Giay) and 4 underground stations (Kim Ma, Cat Linh, Van Mieu, Hanoi Station), with concourse level, elevators and lifts. The railway platform is 109 m long.

Station code  3	Station name		Metro transfers	Distance between stations	Total distance	Location
	English	Vietnamese				District	Ward
S01	Nhon	Nhổn		0 km (0 mi)	0 km (0 mi)	Bắc Từ Liêm	Minh Khai
S02	Minh Khai	Minh Khai		1.129 km (0.702 mi)	1.129 km (0.702 mi)
S03	Phu Dien	Phú Diễn	6   8  (planned)	1.174 km (0.729 mi)	2.303 km (1.431 mi)		Phúc Diễn
S04	Cau Dien	Cầu Diễn		0.831 km (0.516 mi)	3.134 km (1.947 mi)	Nam Từ Liêm	Cầu Diễn
S05	Le Duc Tho	Lê Đức Thọ		1.125 km (0.699 mi)	4.259 km (2.646 mi)	Cầu Giấy	Mai Dịch
S06	National University	Đại học Quốc gia		1.03 km (0.64 mi)	5.289 km (3.286 mi)		Dịch Vọng Hậu
S07	Chua Ha	Chùa Hà		1.225 km (0.761 mi)	6.514 km (4.048 mi)		Dịch Vọng
S08	Cau Giay	Cầu Giấy		1.165 km (0.724 mi)	7.679 km (4.772 mi)	Ba Đình	Ngọc Khánh
S09	Kim Ma	Kim Mã	5  (planned)	1.198 km (0.744 mi)	8.877 km (5.516 mi)
S10	Cat Linh	Cát Linh	2A	1.52 km (0.94 mi)	10.397 km (6.460 mi)	Đống Đa	Cát Linh
S11	Van Mieu	Văn Miếu		0.871 km (0.541 mi)	11.268 km (7.002 mi)		Quốc Tử Giám
S12	Ha Noi	Hà Nội	1  (planned)	0.701 km (0.436 mi)	11.969 km (7.437 mi)	Hoàn Kiếm	Cửa Nam

Social and environmental impacts

• Land acquisition and resettlement: To transform Hanoi's transport system, the government may acquire some land along segments of the line, and around Nhon depot. A Resettlement Plan has been prepared and updated for the project, which is consistent with the Asian Development Bank's Safeguards Policy Statement, and the updated Resettlement and Compensation Policies of the government of Vietnam.
• Environmental management: The development of the line involves significant construction works, which can generate adverse environmental impacts. These have been assessed in an international standard environmental impact assessment. The most significant impacts affecting Hanoi citizens during construction may include excessive dust and noise, traffic disturbances, and the relocation of mature trees along the metro alignment. All contractors have developed and are implementing robust environmental management plans and engineering solutions to minimize environmental impacts, and respond to any event. Overall, environmental benefits including improved air quality, reduced greenhouse gas emission and enhanced community health and safety will significantly outweigh the adverse environmental impacts.

See also

• Transport in Vietnam
• Ho Chi Minh City Metro
• Megaproject
• Hanoi Metro

External links

Media related to Line 3, Hanoi Metro at Wikimedia Commons