On February 3, Hanoi’s Urban Railway Management Board officially launched the second tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the Nhon – Hanoi Station metro line. Meanwhile, after six months of operation, the first TBM has completed nearly 985 meters of tunneling.

The underground section of the Nhon – Hanoi Station metro line spans 4 kilometers, running from Station S9 at Kim Ma Street to Station S12 at the intersection of Tran Hung Dao and Le Duan Streets. This segment consists of two parallel tunnels.

The first TBM began operations on July 30, 2024, and has since excavated 985 meters of the tunnel.

Second TBM begins tunneling at 17.8 meters depth

On February 3, the Hanoi Urban Railway Management Board commenced work with the second TBM at Station S9, operating at a depth of 17.8 meters. The machine is expected to accelerate its drilling speed to a standard rate of approximately 10 meters per day.

According to the project schedule, tunneling for both machines will take a total of 16 months. Once excavation reaches Station S12, the TBMs will be dismantled there, and auxiliary equipment will be transported back and disassembled at Station S9.

Nguyen Ba Son, Deputy Head of the Hanoi Urban Railway Management Board, acknowledged that the first TBM encountered challenges due to complex geological conditions. However, these difficulties provided valuable geological data, which has been used to fine-tune the second TBM, ensuring smoother and more efficient operation.

Metro line expected to complete underground section by 2027

Once the 4-kilometer underground tunnels are completed, contractors will proceed with installing railway infrastructure within the tunnels. The underground section of the Nhon – Hanoi Station metro line is projected to be finished by 2027.

The Nhon – Hanoi Station metro line spans over 13 kilometers and consists of 12 stations, including 12.5 kilometers of mainline tracks and a 0.46-kilometer depot connection. The elevated section, covering 8.5 kilometers with eight stations (S1 to S8), has already been completed. The underground section includes four stations (S9 to S12) along the 4-kilometer tunnel.

On November 9, 2024, Hanoi officially commenced commercial operations for the elevated section of the metro, running from Nhon to Cau Giay Station, covering 8.5 kilometers.

Quang Phong