The Government of Vietnam is advancing plans for an integrated metro and rail corridor linking Tan Son Nhat International Airport, central Ho Chi Minh City, Thu Thiem and Long Thanh International Airport, with a total associated investment estimated at USD13 billion. The programme aims to establish a high-capacity rail spine by 2030 to support the new Long Thanh International Airport, located approximately 40 km east of the city in Dong Nai province. The project is being developed with engineering and financing cooperation from partners in the United States and France.
A core component is Metro Line 2, which will connect the Tan Son Nhat corridor to Ben Thanh in the city centre and extend to Thu Thiem via an underground segment. From Thu Thiem, a dedicated 40–50 km railway is planned to link directly to Long Thanh International Airport, serving intermediate suburban and industrial zones. Preliminary cost estimates for the Thu Thiem–Long Thanh section range from USD3–4 billion. Authorities are targeting construction commencement in 2026 and phased completion before 2030, aligned with the airport’s operational ramp-up.
The integrated corridor is designed to reduce travel time between downtown Ho Chi Minh City and Long Thanh to approximately 30 minutes and to enable potential through-running services between the city’s two airports. Financing is expected to combine central and municipal budget allocations, public-private partnerships (PPP), export credit facilities and multilateral support. The corridor forms part of Vietnam’s broader strategy to expand electrified urban rail, strengthen airport connectivity and support long-term regional economic development.