VND 175 Trillion Metro Line Connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Long Thanh International Airport Expected to Break Ground in September

Ho Chi Minh City aims to commence construction of the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh Metro Line before September 2, as this strategic urban railway will serve as a key transportation corridor linking the city center with Long Thanh International Airport.

Speaking at the six-month review conference of the National Steering Committee for Key National Transport Projects in 2026, Hoang Nguyen Dinh, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, said that the city is currently developing 10 metro lines with a combined length of approximately 346 kilometers.

 

Among them, Metro Line 2 (Ben Thanh – Tham Luong) broke ground on January 15, while the Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem line officially commenced construction on April 29.

Meanwhile, the Ben Thanh – Can Gio urban railway, which began construction on December 19, 2025, is currently focusing on land clearance. The city expects to complete site handover by September 2026, while the investor is finalizing the project’s feasibility study.

For the remaining metro projects, particularly the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh International Airport Metro Line, Ho Chi Minh City aims to start construction before September 2, 2026.

The Thu Thiem – Long Thanh Metro Line will stretch 47.7 kilometers, connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai Province. Of the total length, 11.5 kilometers will run through Ho Chi Minh City, while 36.2 kilometers will pass through Dong Nai.

The project is estimated to require an investment of approximately VND175 trillion (around USD7 billion).

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with completion targeted for 2030.

This metro line is designed to become the primary urban railway connecting Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Long Thanh International Airport. It has been included in the supplementary list of projects under National Assembly Resolution No. 188 and is classified as a special-grade infrastructure project requiring expedited implementation.

According to the proposal, the project will be developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model through a Build-Transfer (BT) contract. Ho Chi Minh City has assigned Dai Quang Minh Corporation, a member of THACO Group, to prepare the feasibility study.

According to preliminary studies, the route will pass through two wards in Ho Chi Minh City and five wards and communes in Dong Nai Province.

The line will originate at Thu Thiem Station, run on elevated tracks through Ho Chi Minh City, parallel to the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway and Ring Road 3, cross the Dong Nai River into Dong Nai Province, continue across National Highway 51 and the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway, before reaching Long Thanh International Airport.

The metro line is expected to feature 18 stations, including 2 underground stations and 16 elevated stations.

By the end of 2025, Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai Province agreed to designate the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee as the competent authority responsible for implementing the project.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR), the city and relevant agencies are studying multiple railway solutions to strengthen regional connectivity between Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Long Thanh International Airport.

The objective is to establish a modern public transportation corridor that significantly shortens travel time between Southern Vietnam’s two largest airports.

Four Metro Connection Options

According to MAUR, four railway connection options are currently under consideration.

Option 1 combines Metro Line 2 (Thu Thiem – Ben Thanh – Tham Luong) with the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh Metro Line. Passengers departing from Tan Son Nhat Airport would travel to Ba Queo Station, transfer to Metro Line 2 toward Thu Thiem Station, and continue on the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh Metro to Long Thanh Airport.

Option 2 integrates Metro Line 6 (Phase 1) with the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh line. Passengers from Tan Son Nhat Airport would travel via Metro Line 6 to Phu Huu, where the route would share infrastructure with the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh Metro before continuing to Long Thanh Airport.

Option 3 combines Metro Line 4, Metro Line 2, and the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh Metro Line. Travelers would take Metro Line 4 to Ben Thanh Station, transfer to Metro Line 2 toward Thu Thiem, and then continue to Long Thanh Airport.

Option 4 links Metro Line 2 (Ben Thanh – Tham Luong) with Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien), which would be extended into Dong Nai Province. Passengers would transfer from Metro Line 2 to Metro Line 1 at Ben Thanh Station, continue via Dong Nai’s MRT2, and reach Long Thanh International Airport.

Accelerating the Regional Metro Network

Ho Chi Minh City is accelerating the implementation of multiple urban railway projects with the goal of completing approximately 200 kilometers of metro lines before 2030 under Resolution No. 09.

Priority projects preparing for construction include:

• Metro Line 1, connecting New Binh Duong City and Suoi Tien, approximately 33 kilometers long.
• Metro Line 2, linking Thu Dau Mot and Tao Dan, directly connecting with the Ben Thanh – Tham Luong Metro, with a length of approximately 35 kilometers.
• Metro Line 3, connecting Vung Tau, Ba Ria, and Phu My, while strengthening connectivity with Long Thanh International Airport, spanning approximately 56 kilometers.
• Metro Line 6 (Ring Metro Line), connecting Tan Son Nhat Airport with eastern Ho Chi Minh City and the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh Metro Line, with a total planned length of nearly 54 kilometers. Phase 1 will cover approximately 22.9 kilometers and is expected to become a major transportation corridor integrating Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh City’s metro network, the national railway system, and the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh Metro.

According to the city’s master plan, Ho Chi Minh City aims to complete six metro lines totaling approximately 187 kilometers between 2025 and 2030. By 2035, 14 metro lines with a combined length of approximately 462 kilometers are expected to be operational. By 2045, the city plans to complete a comprehensive network of 19 metro lines, totaling approximately 700 kilometers.

Source: QP Holdings, compiled from Baomoi.