Consortium proposes extending Ho Chi Minh City's metro line to Long Thanh Airport

The consortium submitted the proposal, including the TOD (transit-oriented development) smart urban development, to the authorities of Dong Nai Province.

According to the consortium, on June 12, the Dong Nai government issued a document supporting the study of the extension of the Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien Metro Line No. 1 to the new administrative center of the province, with a branch line connecting to the inner area of the former Bien Hoa City and to the under-construction Long Thanh International Airport.

The consortium has conducted preliminary discussions with relevant departments to survey the route, evaluate land resources for potential TOD development, and plan the next steps.

The consortium has been in negotiations with both domestic and international consulting firms experienced in metro research, design, and development.

As a result, the consortium has sought the Dong Nai government's approval for the metro extension and TOD development proposal.

The proposed project is expected to be implemented under a public-private partnership model with a build-transfer contract.

The metro extension would span 38.5 kilometers, divided into three segments.

The estimated investment capital is around VND65 trillion (US$2.5 billion), excluding land clearance and compensation costs. 

The consortium proposed entirely funding the project, using its capital and its partners’ funds.

According to the consortium, construction of the extended Metro Line No. 1 connecting to Long Thanh Airport would take an estimated four to six years from the date of land handover.

Regarding land clearance and compensation, the consortium proposed that this component be separated into an independent subproject, which would allow better allocation of personnel, financial planning, and execution timelines to ensure maximum efficiency.

Under the proposed implementation plan, the consortium and its partners would be responsible for preparing reports, technical design, and construction, while the government would handle land clearance and compensation.

Ho Chi Minh City’s first metro line spans 19.7 kilometers, including 2.6 kilometers of underground rail and 17.1 kilometers of elevated track, with a total cost of US$1.7 billion.

Construction on the metro line project began in 2012, and the line began commercial operations on December 22, 2024.

The Long Thanh International Airport project, with an estimated investment of over VND336.63 trillion ($12.93 billion), broke ground in January 2021 and is being developed in three phases.

Phase 1 is scheduled for inauguration in December 2025 and commercial operations are set to begin in early 2026.

Once phase 1 becomes operational, the airport, with one runway and one terminal, will be able to serve 25 million passengers and handle 1.2 million metric tons of cargo annually.

When all three phases are finished, likely after 2035, the airport will be the largest in Vietnam with an annual capacity of 100 million passengers and five million metric tons of cargo.