Investors in HCM City's metro project have put on show one of the rail cars they propose will serve the line connecting Ben Thanh Market and Suoi Tien.

Bui Xuan Cuong, head of the HCM City Urban Railway Management Board, said it wanted to attract comment from the public over the next three months before making any final decision on the rail car system to be adopted for the line.

During the first phase, the train will have three cars, with capacity of 300 passengers each, and it will travel at 110km/h on elevated railway sections, and 80km/h underground.

The metro line is 19.7 km long, 17.1 km of that above ground with 11 stations and a 2.6 km underground with three stations. The project is estimated to cost USD2.4bn and is due to go into operation in 2020.

The proposed car design features four doors to ease boarding congestion during rush hours, and fibre–reinforced plastic seats along the sides of the car will allow more standing room, with features to assist disabled passengers.

HCM City Metro Line 1

Train car prototype

Inside the train car