Vietnam pushes urgent metro extension to Long Thanh International Airport

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc chaired a meeting on July 30 to approve an urgent extension of the Ben Thanh–Suối Tiên metro line, linking Ho Chi Minh City with the Long Thanh International Airport in Dong Nai province. The proposed 44.5 km route would start in Ho Chi Minh, cross into Dong Nai, and terminate at the airport’s administrative centre, providing a new rail option alongside three other planned lines.

The project is slated for a public‑private partnership under a build‑transfer contract, with Dong Nai city handling land clearance and transit‑oriented development along the corridor. Authorities aim to classify the work as urgent under the Law on Construction and seek government approval to accelerate procedures, targeting basic completion by 31 December. The extension is expected to ease growing traffic between the two cities and support the airport’s commercial launch slated for December 2026.

Investment estimates run around VND 60.3 trillion, with the broader plan to finish the full metro line by 2030, mirroring similar urban rail expansions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.