High-Speed Rail Link: Ho Chi Minh City Proposes Fastest Route Connecting Long Thanh to Tan Son Nhat

This initiative follows the directives of the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha to explore the development of underground railway lines connecting Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Long Thanh Airport.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, after the Ministry of Construction submitted the adjusted railway network plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway line was reclassified from a national to an urban railway project. The responsibility for updating this into local planning was assigned to Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai Province.

The Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway project spans approximately 42 km, featuring 20 stations (16 elevated and 4 underground), with a design speed of 120 km/h and a track gauge of 1,435 mm. Its primary function is to transport passengers between downtown Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, and Long Thanh International Airport.

Current planning outlines four connection options between the two airports:

Option 1: Connect via metro line 2 (Tham Luong – Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem) and the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway.

Option 2: Connect using metro line 6 and the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh line through the Phu Huu area.

Option 3: Link metro line 4 to Ben Thanh Station, then proceed via line 2 and the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway.

Option 4: Combine metro line 2, the extended line 1, Dong Nai metro line 2, and the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh line.

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee considers the option utilizing metro line 2 and the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway as the most feasible and advantageous for early implementation.

Specifically, the Ben Thanh – Tham Luong segment, approximately 12 km long, has completed land clearance and is expected to begin construction in 2025, with completion before 2032. The Ba Queo station area, connecting to Tan Son Nhat Airport, benefits from expansion projects on Truong Chinh and Tan Ky – Tan Quy roads, facilitating passenger transfers.

The Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem segment, roughly 6 km long, runs underground along Ham Nghi and Mai Chi Tho streets, offering favorable ground conditions.

The Thu Thiem – Long Thanh line follows the HCMC – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway and Ring Road 3, primarily through undeveloped land, allowing for swift execution.

Therefore, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee will prioritize accelerating the connection between Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh International Airports via urban railway line 2 (Ben Thanh – Tham Luong and Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem segments) and the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway. This includes synchronized investment in progress, infrastructure, and related technical elements, with modern, scalable, and integrated technology parameters to ensure uniformity across the entire line.

Projections indicate that when Long Thanh Airport begins operations in 2026, the annual passenger transfer volume between the two airports will be approximately 1.5 million, or about 4,100 passengers daily. By 2050, peak-hour passenger demand on the corridor could reach 30,000 passengers per direction per hour. Ho Chi Minh City deems the optimal investment period for a direct connection between the two airports to be after 2040, when demand reaches the efficient operational threshold of the MRT system.

Currently, the development of the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh line should integrate with the urban transport network, catering to travel needs between central Ho Chi Minh City, Nhon Trach urban area, and Long Thanh Airport, while aligning with the TOD (Transit Oriented Development) urban development model.

Regarding investment methods, metro lines 2, 4, and 6 are planned for public investment using central and local budgets and other lawful sources, with completion targeted before 2035. For the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh line, the Politburo has agreed to allocate central budget funds to Ho Chi Minh City to ensure synchronized metro network operation and seamless airport connectivity.

In addition to public investment, several private investors have proposed participation. Truong Hai Group (Thaco) is interested in studying a PPP-BT model for the Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem and Thu Thiem – Long Thanh lines. Pacific Construction Group (China) has suggested a metro line 6 and Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway connection via EPC general contracting, PPP-BT, or turnkey methods. Ho Chi Minh City is engaging with these investors to explore collaboration possibilities.

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has requested the Prime Minister to prioritize accelerating metro line 2 (Ben Thanh – Tham Luong and Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem) and the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway, along with continued investment in metro line 6 to complete the transport corridor linking the two airports.

City authorities also seek authorization to lead coordination with Dong Nai Province in legal procedures, planning adjustments, project authority unification, and flexible investment scheme exploration to leverage social resources for swift and effective project implementation.