10-lane expressway linking HCMC and Long Thanh airport takes shape after one year
A major expressway linking Ho Chi Minh City and Long Thanh airport is being expanded to 10 lanes, with major sections nearing completion after a year.
The Vietnamese government has approved a public-private partnership (PPP) project to extend the metro system from Ho Chi Minh City to the new Long Thanh Airport, according to a resolution dated August 27. The extension, spanning 44.5 kilometers with a maximum speed of 120 kph, will be carried out in two phases. The first phase will run 7.1 kilometers from Suoi Tien Station to the administrative center, while the second phase will stretch 36.3 kilometers from the administrative center to Long Thanh Airport.
The project, estimated to cost VND60.26 trillion (US$2.29 billion), will require around 192 hectares of land, with compensation, resettlement, and support costs totaling VND4.32 trillion. Construction is slated to commence in 2026 and conclude by 2030.
Dong Nai City, which will host the airport, will implement the project under a PPP model, ensuring efficiency, quality, safety, and transparency while safeguarding residents' and businesses' interests. The Ministry of Finance will oversee and supervise the project, while the Ministry of Construction will offer guidance and support. The selection of investors must be transparent and objective, adhering to project schedule, quality, and efficiency requirements.
The extension follows then-Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's agreement in March to expedite the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line's expansion to Dong Nai City's administrative center and Long Thanh Airport. The Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien line, currently the only metro line in HCMC, started commercial operations on December 22, 2024, with a VND43.7 trillion (US$1.67 billion) investment.
The 20-kilometer line takes about 30 minutes to travel from Ben Thanh Station to Suoi Tien Station. Long Thanh Airport, set to begin operations on December 1, is projected to eventually replace Tan Son Nhat as the international air hub in southern Vietnam. The National Assembly had previously approved VND336.63 trillion (US$13 billion) for the airport's development in three phases, with the first phase, costing about VND110 trillion, including a single terminal for 25 million passengers annually.
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