850-ton TBM completes 4 km underground tunnel, signaling progress for Hanoi's Nhổn-Ga Hà Nội metro project

On the evening of April 13, Hanoi’s Urban Railway Management Board (MRB) announced that TBM No. 2, named “Táo Bạo,” reached underground station S12 (Hanoi Station), the line’s final station, and completed the underground tunnel segment of about 4 km for the Nhổn – Ga Hà Nội metro line. The tunnel passes through four underground stations: S9 Kim Mã, S10 Cát Linh, S11 Văn Miếu and S12 Hà Nội Station.

TBM No. 2 completes about 4 km to S12

MRB said TBM No. 1, named “Thần tốc,” previously completed the first tunnel on December 1, 2025. With the completion of the second tunnel, the underground tunnel system is now fully connected.

MRB provided the progress timeline for TBM No. 2: it began its journey from S9 Kim Mã on February 3, 2025, passed S10 on September 15, 2025, passed S11 on January 13, 2026, and finished at S12 on April 13.

Underground package progress and remaining work

The MRB noted that the underground portion of the project includes 4 underground stations and 1 escape shaft, and is currently at about 63% of overall progress. Package CP03 is reported at 76.69% complete.

Work is continuing on remaining components, including tunnel structures, ramp access, underground stations, lane transfers, and landscaping along Thu Le lake.

Technology and equipment details

The two TBMs, “Thần tốc” and “Táo Bạo,” are manufactured by Herrenknecht (Germany). Each TBM is over 100 meters long and weighs about 850 tons, using Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) technology. MRB said the EPB method supports tunneling in complex geological conditions by maintaining excavation stability while minimizing environmental impacts in an urban setting.

Project scale, investment and schedule

The Nhổn – Ga Hà Nội metro project is described as a key transport project for the capital, aimed at reducing congestion, increasing public transport capacity and supporting sustainable urban development.

The project has total investment of more than 30,000 billion VND. It began in 2010 and spans 12.5 km. The on-ground section from Nhổn to Cầu Giấy measures 8.5 km, while the underground section from Cầu Giấy to Hà Nội Station exceeds 4 km.

MRB said the elevated section has been operating with passengers since August 8, 2024. The underground section is under construction, with a completion target in 2027. The train manufacturer is Alstom (France).

The main contractor is the Hyundai E&C (Korea) and Ghella S.p.A (Italy) consortium.

Earlier delay and compensation dispute

In 2021, construction was paused by the Hyundai–Ghella consortium (HGU) due to delays in land clearance and compensation policy. The consortium later demanded compensation of USD 114.7 million.