'Finally, we made it!': Ho Chi Minh City celebrates first metro

Ho Chi Minh City - Thousands of selfie-taking Ho Chi Minh City residents crammed into train carriages yesterday as the traffic-clogged business hub celebrated the opening of its first metro line after years of delays.

- AFP

Huge queues spilled out of every station along the $1.7 billion (about R31 billion) line that runs almost 20km from the city centre - with women in traditional "ao dai" dress, soldiers in uniform and couples clutching young children waiting excitedly to board.

"I know the project is late, but I still feel so very honoured and proud to be among the first on this metro," said office worker Nguyen Nhu Huyen after snatching a selfie in her jam-packed train car. "Our city is now on par with the other big cities of the world," she said.