Vietnam considers moving all international flights from Noi Bai to Gia Binh Airport

The plan was discussed at a meeting chaired by Hanoi People's Committee chairman Vu Dai Thang on Monday morning, with Deputy Minister of Construction Bui Xuan Dung and Hung Yen Province People's Committee chairman Nguyen Manh Quyen in attendance.

Dung said the government had tasked relevant agencies with studying an operational plan for Gia Binh International Airport, including the possibility of transferring all international flights from Noi Bai to Gia Binh.

Under the proposed arrangement, Noi Bai would continue handling domestic flights and some international services during 2029-30.

Noi Bai is projected to handle 50 million passengers annually by 2030, with capacity expected to reach 100 million by 2050, he said.

Investment in another airport south of Hanoi is planned for a later stage, in line with the capital's long-term development strategy.

Railway links between airports and Hanoi under study

Deputy Minister of Construction Bui Xuan Dung urged Hanoi to review metro routes connecting Noi Bai and Gia Binh international airports and study the shortest railway link from Gia Binh to central Hanoi via Gia Lam Station.

He proposed developing Gia Lam Station into a major interchange for national, local, specialized, and urban rail networks, while identifying key metro stations and potential connecting branches.

The goal is to reduce travel time between central Hanoi and either airport to around 30–45 minutes, potentially through express train services with limited intermediate stops.

Dung also called for reviewing interregional railway connections between Hanoi, Hung Yen, and Bac Ninh to ensure integration with the national rail network and identify priority investment sections.

A separate connection from central Hanoi northward to Noi Bai Airport should also be studied to improve connectivity across railway networks.

He instructed the Vietnam Railway Authority to coordinate with relevant agencies and local authorities to promptly review and finalize the proposals.

Gia Lam Station proposed as key interchange

Hanoi People's Committee chairman Vu Dai Thang proposed developing Gia Lam Station into a major interchange connecting national railways, high-speed rail services, and metro lines.

He said Hanoi's recently approved 100-year master plan envisions a polycentric urban model, with railway connections serving major development centers and transport hubs rather than focusing solely on the city center.

To avoid major changes to the approved plan, Thang proposed retaining the north-south alignment of railway line No. 1 while studying an additional branch linking the Gia Lam Station area with central Hanoi and extending eastward toward Gia Binh Airport.

The proposed arrangement is intended to shorten travel distances without fundamentally altering approved railway plans or ongoing projects.

It could also pave the way for a direct railway connection between Gia Binh and Noi Bai airports, allowing international passengers arriving at Gia Binh to transfer by train to Noi Bai for domestic flights, and vice versa.

Thang said such a link would facilitate passenger transfers between the two airports in the future.

He called for further studies to ensure the proposed routes are feasible and consistent with Hanoi's approved master plan before the city submits its plans to the government for consideration.