The Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV) and consultants have proposed an early shift of all regular international flights from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Long Thanh Airport to ensure effective investment in the project. However, for this vision to become a reality, transportation infrastructure connecting to Long Thanh Airport must be completed without delay.
Awaiting the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 and Two Expressways
Currently, the connection between Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai depends on National Highway 1, National Highway 51, and the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway. All three of these routes have been overloaded for years.
Recognizing the importance of connecting Ho Chi Minh City with the Long Thanh Airport, the government recently directed the urgent implementation of the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway expansion project within September, as an “emergency” project, expediting investment procedures.
The expressway will be upgraded over a 22-kilometer stretch, from the intersection with Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 2 to the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway intersection, expanding from four to eight to ten lanes. According to the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC), the Long Thanh – Dau Giay expansion project is expected to be completed by 2026, coinciding with the operation of Long Thanh Airport. This will help alleviate traffic congestion in the eastern gateway and enhance passenger connectivity between Ho Chi Minh City and Long Thanh Airport.
In parallel, the Ben Luc – Long Thanh Expressway is expected to facilitate passenger transportation to the airport. To date, nearly 30 kilometers of this expressway have been opened to traffic, and the remaining 28-kilometer section is expected to be completed by September 2026.
In addition to the above two expressways, the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 will also alleviate congestion on inner-city routes, providing quicker and more convenient access to Long Thanh Airport. With a total length of over 90 kilometers, the Ring Road 3 project is expected to be completed by 2026 and has currently reached about 50% completion.
The T1 and T2 roads, which directly connect to Long Thanh Airport at the National Highway 51 intersection, are almost complete. Photo: NGUYEN TUAN
Mr. Luong Minh Phuc, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Transportation Engineering Construction, shared that the Prime Minister has directed relevant units to expedite projects aimed at enhancing connectivity between Long Thanh and Tan Son Nhat airports. The top priority is to develop a modern and synchronized metro system while simultaneously expanding road infrastructure to meet the growing travel demands of local residents and international passengers.
Regarding the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway, Mr. Phuc noted that the 3.2-kilometer section from An Phu intersection to Ring Road 2, under the management of Ho Chi Minh City, will commence construction in late September 2025. This section is crucial for alleviating traffic pressure on the vital route leading to Long Thanh Airport and will be completed in synchronization with the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh Expressway.
“As a long-term solution, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has assigned the Department of Construction to research investment plans for metro lines directly connecting the An Phu area with Long Thanh Airport, such as the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh metro line. Additionally, there are plans to extend Metro Line 2 from the An Phu area to Tan Son Nhat Airport via the Thu Thiem station, creating a high-speed, seamless public transport network. This is a fundamental and sustainable solution that can significantly reduce travel time, similar to many modern international airports,” emphasized Mr. Phuc.
Transportation Projects Connecting to Long Thanh Airport
Regarding the issue of transportation connectivity to Long Thanh Airport, Mr. Vo Tan Duc, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Dong Nai province, stated that the leaders of Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province had met and requested relevant departments to urgently review and facilitate the implementation of road infrastructure projects.
Specifically, the leaders of the two localities have assigned the departments to study and agree on investment methods for the Cat Lai Bridge, Dong Nai 2 Bridge, and Phu My 2 Bridge projects. The People’s Committee of Dong Nai province emphasized that the early implementation of these projects would promote the socio-economic development of the two localities and the Southern Key Economic Region. For the Cat Lai Bridge (divided into three independent sub-projects), the People’s Committee of Dong Nai province has proposed a design featuring a cable-stayed bridge with six vehicle lanes and two mixed-use lanes. The total investment for this project is over VND 19,300 billion.
Dong Nai province and Ho Chi Minh City have also finalized plans for the Dong Nai 2 Bridge and Phu My 2 Bridge. Upon completion of the Dong Nai 2 Bridge, vehicles will be able to travel through the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 2, Ring Road 3, Ha Noi Highway, Huong Lo 2, and National Highway 51 (in Dong Nai province), forming a new transportation axis connecting Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh airports. The Phu My 2 Bridge project, on the other hand, will connect the southern urban area of Ho Chi Minh City with Tan Son Nhat Airport, with its endpoint at Provincial Road 25C (in Nhon Trach district, Dong Nai province). This bridge will feature six vehicle lanes and two mixed-use lanes.
According to Mr. Vo Tan Duc, the People’s Committee has urged the project management unit to expedite the completion of Road 25B and Road 25C in Nhon Trach district. These roads will connect with the T1 and T2 roads when Long Thanh Airport becomes operational. Regarding the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway project, which is under the purview of the Ministry of Construction and for which the pre-feasibility study report is being prepared, Mr. Duc shared that the route passes through Road 25B in Nhon Trach district. The province has completed land compensation and site clearance and is ready to collaborate with Ho Chi Minh City on the project.
For the roads connecting Dong Nai province’s communes with Long Thanh Airport, such as DT773, DT769, and DT770B, the People’s Committee is expediting progress and has approved investment policies. These roads are expected to commence construction in 2026.
To achieve the goal of technically opening the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway and Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 by December 19, 2025, as directed by the Prime Minister, the People’s Committee of Dong Nai province has issued a plan for 140 days and nights of accelerated construction. This plan mandates the investor and relevant units to increase machinery and manpower, concentrate materials, and work in three shifts and four teams, striving to complete the project as scheduled.
Exploring Underground Rail Link Between Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh Airports
On August 12, the Government Office issued a notice of the Prime Minister’s conclusion after inspecting the progress of the Long Thanh International Airport Project, Phase 1. The Prime Minister set a new goal: By December 19, 2025, essentially complete all packages and items, ensuring standards for inauguration. The four component projects must be put into operation simultaneously, ensuring quality, technical and artistic requirements, and environmental landscape, and preventing negativity and waste.
The transportation system connecting Long Thanh Airport must be smooth with expressways and railways. At the same time, the planning of the “airport city” must be completed on schedule. The Ministry of Construction was assigned to review and immediately implement the connecting roads, prioritizing completion before December 19, 2025. The Ministry of Finance shall study the investment in logistics and free trade areas as proposed by ACV and report in August 2025.
Notably, the Prime Minister assigned the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to coordinate with the People’s Committee of Dong Nai province to study the underground railway route connecting Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh airports and submit the policy in August 2025. The Ministry of Construction and ACV were also requested to propose the implementation of the third runway.
D.Ngoc
Applying Technology in Managing a Multi-Airport System
Some countries have successfully managed multi-airport systems, such as China focusing on high technology, the US balancing competition with modernization, and Germany prioritizing integration and sustainability.
In the US, cities like New York and Los Angeles face complex coordination challenges due to high traffic volume and decentralized management. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey utilizes the Area Control Center to manage their shared airspace. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implements the NextGen program, improving coordination through tools like automatic flight tracking and route optimization, reducing congestion in busy corridors.
In Germany, Frankfurt Main Airport coordinates with Hahn Airport through air traffic control and an integrated ground transportation network. The German Air Traffic Control (DFS) employs advanced ATM to optimize flight paths and reduce delays. Munich benefits from rail connections, providing seamless travel between the airport and the city. Munich Airport also utilizes electric vehicles and noise reduction technology, aligning with the EU’s environmental goals.
X.Mai
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