On 28.08.2012 the Ho Chi Minh City authorities began the construction of Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro Line 1. Some 2.6 km of the 19.7 km line will be underground, along with three of the 14 stations, of which three are underground. Construction is expected to be completed by 2017 and the first metro line will become operational in 2018. The project will cost EUR1.76 billion (USD2.25 billion), 88.4 percent funded by Japanese official development assistance (ODA) and the rest coming from State budget. Visit www.hochiminhcity.gov.vn and http://hcmc-maur.vn/en/. 37/12.