Dong Nai Province proposes the addition of a high-speed railway passenger station

The addition and strategic placement of a North–South high-speed railway passenger station in the province will create favorable conditions for Dong Nai to tap its potential and advantages for socioeconomic development comprehensively.

The Long Thanh passenger station of the North-South high-speed railway is projected to be located at the heart of Long Thanh Airport. (Photo: Pham Tung)

Leveraging strategic advantages of Dong Nai province’s eastern region

In late November 2024, the National Assembly ratified the investment policy for the North-South High-Speed Railway Project. The approved 1,500+ kilometer high-speed rail line will connect Ngoc Hoi Station (in Hanoi Capital) to Thu Thiem Station (in Ho Chi Minh City).

In mid-June 2025, during a hybrid government meeting with ministries, agencies, and localities regarding site clearance for the North-South High-Speed Railway Project, the Ministry of Construction reported that the route will pass through 15 provinces and cities (following provincial-level administrative reorganization). The entire line will comprise 23 passenger stations and 5 freight terminals, primarily serving passenger transport while meeting dual-use requirements for national defense and security, with capacity for freight transportation when required.

According to the proposed route alignment plan, the North-South high-speed railway section passing through Dong Nai province will feature an additional right branch alongside the main line connection to Long Thanh Airport and Thu Thiem Station. This branch will run northward along Ho Chi Minh City’s beltway 4 to connect with a freight terminal in Trang Bom commune.

According to the approved project documentation, the North-South high-speed railway section passing through Dong Nai province spans approximately 82 kilometers. Within the provincial territory, plans include: one passenger station at Long Thanh International Airport, one freight terminal in Quang Tien commune (formerly Trang Bom district, now Trang Bom commune), and two technical maintenance depots in Xuan Tam commune (formerly Xuan Loc district, now Xuan Hoa commune) and Cam Duong commune (formerly Long Thanh district, now Xuan Duong commune).

Recently, the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee has formally requested the Ministry of Construction to review and approve a policy authorizing the Railway Project Management Board to coordinate with consulting units in studying the addition of a passenger station in Xuan Hoa commune, Dong Nai province.

Per the Provincial People’s Committee’s assessment, the potential for developing a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) model within the province is substantial. Consequently, locating a single passenger station in the Long Thanh Airport area would underutilize this development potential.

On the other hand, according to Provincial Party Committee member and Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee, Ho Van Ha, the eastern area of Dong Nai Province – particularly the communes of Xuan Loc, Xuan Phu, and Xuan Hoa – has not been allocated a passenger station in the project’s plan. Meanwhile, this area holds significant development potential.

Specifically, this area serves as a strategic gateway connecting Dong Nai Province with the South  Central Coastal provinces via National Highway 1 and the Phan Thiet – Dau Giay Expressway. Furthermore, with ongoing development projects such as the Eco-Tourism and Resort Urban Area in the Chua Chan Mountain and Nui Le Lake area (Xuan Loc commune), and the 485-hectare Xuan Hoa Industrial Park (Xuan Hoa commune), this region demonstrates strong potential for urban development, industrial parks, logistics services, and eco-tourism.

Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee Ho Van Ha stated that the eastern region of the province offers substantial available land reserves, advantageous terrain, and robust technical infrastructure connectivity, ideal conditions for establishing a large-scale North-South high-speed rail passenger station that would facilitate effective TOD implementation in the area.

Ensuring adequate spacing for the installation of an additional passenger station

According to representatives of the Transport Engineering Design Incorporated - JSC (TEDI), one of the members of the consulting consortium for the pre-feasibility study of the North-South High-Speed Railway Project, the proposed alignment passing through Dong Nai Province will share the eastern corridor with the Phan Thiet-Dau Giay Expressway. Subsequently, the route will then turn left into the central axis road of Long Thanh Airport. Within the Long Thanh Airport area, an approximately 40-meter section in front of Terminal T1 and T2 will be designed as an underground passage beneath the airport’s main thoroughfare. The sole high-speed railway passenger station along the North-South corridor in the province is expected to be located in the central area of Long Thanh Airport (Long Thanh Station).

The proposed route alignment for the North-South high-speed railway passing through Dong Nai. Photo: Pham Tung

According to the Provincial People’s Committee, the proposed passenger station in Xuan Hoa Commune has been recommended for inclusion in the project dossier. To the south, it would be about 48 kilometers from Long Thanh Station, and to the north, about 66 kilometers from Muong Man Station in Lam Dong Province. This distance meets the regulatory requirement for adding another passenger station in the Xuan Hoa Commune area (approximately one passenger station every 50 kilometers).

By: Pham Tung
Translated by: Tam Binh - Minho