The Government of Vietnam has approved plans to extend Ho Chi Minh City’s Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien metro line to Long Thanh International Airport under an emergency fast-track mechanism to address future transport demand once the airport begins operations. The decision was approved in principle by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh following a proposal from the Dong Nai People’s Committee.
The metro extension will link central Ho Chi Minh City to Long Thanh International Airport and the new administrative centre in Dong Nai province, providing a direct rail connection to the country’s upcoming aviation hub. The emergency mechanism allows authorities to streamline procedures such as appraisal and bidding and to conduct preparation and construction activities simultaneously, accelerating project timelines while maintaining regulatory and quality standards.
The move comes as Vietnam prepares to complete the first phase of Long Thanh International Airport in the first half of 2026. Currently, the roughly 40-kilometre journey from central Ho Chi Minh City to the airport relies mainly on road transport via the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh–Dau Giay expressway, which frequently experiences congestion. Several other connecting routes, including Ring Road 3 and National Highway 51, are still under construction or undergoing upgrades.
Ho Chi Minh City’s existing Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien metro line, which began commercial operations in December 2024, spans nearly 20 km and includes 14 stations. The system operates 17 three-car trains with a capacity of around 930 passengers each and currently runs approximately 200 trips per day between Ben Thanh station in the city centre and Suoi Tien station in Thu Duc City.