To ensure uniformity and synchronization in construction, operation, and the optimal use of land surrounding the project area, the Ministry of Construction has proposed that the Prime Minister assign the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee to take the lead in working with the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee to reach agreement on designating the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee as the managing authority of the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh Railway Project, as a basis for reporting to the Prime Minister for a decision.
This initiative is one of the recommendations of the Ministry of Construction set out in Official Dispatch No. 8290/BXD-KHTC (dated August 13, 2025), sent to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha regarding the study and implementation of the Thu Thiem-Long Thanh Railway Project, which will connect to Long Thanh International Airport.
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| The Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway is about 42km long. Photographic image |
85-90% of travel demand on the route is passengers from inner and outer suburban areas
In Document No. 8290, the Ministry of Construction said that, based on the synthesis of opinions from relevant ministries, branches and localities and the implementation of Resolution No. 81/2023/QH15 dated January 9, 2023 of the National Assembly on the approval of the National Master Plan for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, the Ministry of Construction has completed the dossier to adjust the Railway Network Planning and is expected to submit it to the Prime Minister in December 2025. Accordingly, for the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway line, the expected travel demand on the route is mainly domestic-suburban passengers. Specifically, it is estimated that by 2050, domestic-suburban passengers will account for about 85-90% of travel demand on the route. “The total number of trips on the route is about 136 million passengers per year, of which suburban and inter-suburban trips account for around 116-122 million passengers per year,” the Ministry of Construction’s document stated.
Therefore, the Ministry of Construction proposed to adjust the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh Railway Project from a national railway to an urban railway. According to the pre-feasibility study report of the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway, the project is designed according to urban railway standards. After the investment, it will be handed over to local management.
Regarding the railway connection plan between Tan Son Nhat Airport and Long Thanh Airport, the Ministry of Construction stated that passenger transport by rail between the two airports will be organized through the connection of the Thu Thiem–Long Thanh railway with two urban railway lines: Urban Railway Line No. 6, which connects to infrastructure in the Phu Huu Station area, and Urban Railway Line No. 2, which connects from the Thu Thiem Station area to Tan Son Nhat Airport. At present, Urban Railway Lines No. 2 and 6, along with the Thu Thiem–Long Thanh railway, are all identified in Ho Chi Minh City’s planning and the national railway network plan. Therefore, to ensure efficient operation, these projects require synchronized investment in terms of schedule, technology, and operational organization.
The Thu Thiem - Long Thanh Railway Project is being studied for implementation as an urban railway line, approximately 42km long, designed as a double track, 1,435mm gauge, designed speed of 120km/h with 20 stations, transporting passengers in and out of Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai province to Long Thanh Airport. The project has a total preliminary investment of nearly 3.4 billion USD. On April 29, 2025, the Provincial People's Council approved Resolution No. 28/NQ-HDND on agreeing in principle to assign the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee as the competent authority to implement the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh Railway Project.
Choose the appropriate form and source of investment capital
According to the Ministry of Construction, according to Clause 1, Article 30 of the Law on Public Investment, the assignment of the competent authority for the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh Railway Project is under the authority of the Prime Minister.
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| The Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway connects Tan Son Nhat Airport with Long Thanh Airport via Ho Chi Minh City's urban railway lines No. 2 and No. 6. Photo: Pham Tung |
Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has proposed that the Government consider approving the addition of the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway line to the list of projects attached to Resolution No. 188/2025/QH15 dated February 19, 2025 of the National Assembly to pilot some specific and special mechanisms and policies to develop the urban railway network system in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
In case the project is transferred to the locality for implementation, the study of investment in the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway line will be considered based on combining urban development according to the TOD model (urban development according to the orientation of public transport development). From there, the project area will have more solutions to mobilize capital sources (local budget, private capital, etc.), at the same time attracting interested investors to participate to compare and choose a more suitable form of investment and source of investment capital.
The Ministry of Construction also proposed that, if assigned as the project’s managing authority, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee would take over all existing research results of the Thu Thiem–Long Thanh Railway Project in order to continue investment preparation and implementation. At the same time, it would be authorized to study the inclusion of this railway line in the city’s urban railway planning and to propose that the Government consider and approve adding the project to the list of urban railway projects attached to Resolution No. 188/2025/QH15.
By: Pham Tung
Translated by: Quoc Dung - Minho
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