Leveraging advantages of a strategic transport hub in the Southern region

Dong Nai City is identified as one of the most strategic transportation hubs in the Southern region. This is due to its strategic location at the heart of the Southeast region and along major transportation corridors connecting the Southern Key Economic Region with the South Central Coast and Central Highlands, while directly bordering the “mega city” of Ho Chi Minh City.

The main route of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway has been fully opened to traffic since May 18. Photo: Pham Tung

Given this strategic location, inter-regional transport infrastructure is considered one of the key foundations for Dong Nai City to expand its development space and enhance its competitiveness.

Breakthrough in inter-regional expressway development

After nearly three years of construction, the entire main route of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway was officially opened to traffic in May 2026. Passing through Dong Nai City and Ho Chi Minh City, the expressway serves as one of the Southeast region’s most strategic transport axes. It is also the principal route connecting Long Thanh International Airport with the Cai Mep - Thi Vai Port complex, helping ease traffic pressure on National Highway 51.

Following the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, Phan Thiet - Dau Giay Expressway and Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway (partially operational), the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway became the fourth expressway passing through Dong Nai to be put into operation. These highways not only connect the Southeast region internally, but also seamlessly link it with the South Central Coast, Central Highlands and Mekong Delta.

Thanks to its strategic geographic location, Dong Nai has long been among the country’s localities with the most developed inter-regional transport networks. Currently, critical transport axes have been established across the city, with national highways 1, 13, 14, 20, 51 and 56 playing a vital role in linking Dong Nai with Ho Chi Minh City, the South Central Coast, the Central Highlands and Hoa Lu International Border Gate.

In addition to the existing national highways, in recent years, the network of expressways and inter-regional ring roads in Dong Nai City has also been strongly invested in and built.

The Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway is being expanded to meet the demand when Long Thanh Airport is put into commercial operation.

In 2015, the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, the first expressway in Southern region, was officially opened to traffic. It wasn't until eight years later, in 2023, that the second expressway crossing Dong Nai — the Phan Thiet - Dau Giay Expressway — was completed and put into service. However, within less than two years, from 2025 to 2026, two additional expressways in Dong Nai were put into operation. According to plans, in 2026, the entire Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway and Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 3, built to expressway standards, will also be completed and opened to traffic.

Professor Dr. Vo Xuan Vinh, Director of the Institute of Business Research at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, stated that Dong Nai is facing a tremendous opportunity to unlock resources, establish development mechanisms, attract investment and develop infrastructure, particularly the  transport  infrastructure for regional connectivity. Therefore, Dong Nai city must focus on mobilizing resources and accelerating the implementation of key projects.

Prioritizing strategic infrastructure development

Member of the Standing Board of the City Party Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai City People's Committee Nguyen Kim Long said the city is currently focusing on three key  priority tasks. Among them is prioritizing the completion of strategic infrastructure system, especially projects linked to Long Thanh International Airport, expressways, ring roads, regional transport corridors and growth-driving urban areas. “This is an extremely important foundation because to rise to a new position, the city must first possess sufficiently strong infrastructure to expand development space and improve competitiveness,” he emphasized.

Dong Nai currently has 10 expressway and ring road projects that have been completed, are under construction or are preparing for investment, including the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay, Phan Thiet - Dau Giay, Ben Luc - Long Thanh, Bien Hoa - Vung Tau, Dau Giay - Tan Phu, Tan Phu - Bao Loc, Gia Nghia - Chon Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh expressways, as well as Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Roads 3 and 4.

Dong Nai authorities are working closely with relevant agencies and localities to implement these projects drastically. Besides the completed expressways already in operation, the city is also urging faster progress on projects currently under construction, including the Dau Giay - Tan Phu, Gia Nghia - Chon Thanh and Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh expressways. At the same time, Dong Nai City is expediting investment procedures for the section of Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 4 passing through the city, the largest road project in the Southeast region. The locality aims to commence construction on this project in June 2026.

Additionally, with Phase 1 of Long Thanh International Airport scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2026 under Government directives, Dong Nai is also accelerating land clearance and coordinating investment in the North-South high-speed railway, the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh metro line and the extension of the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro line to the city’s administrative center and Long Thanh Airport. These efforts aim to gradually establish a comprehensive multi-modal regional transport infrastructure system and create new momentum for Dong Nai City’s development.

Bui Dao Thai Truong, General Director of Roland Berger Vietnam, assessed that Dong Nai holds an extremely important strategic position in the Southeast region. With Long Thanh Airport and an expanding network of expressways and ring roads, Dong Nai is poised to become the “gateway” of the entire Southeast region.

By Pham Tung - Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha