A series of projects are racing against schedule
Long Thanh International Airport Phase 1 is expected to be completed by the end of this year and will officially be operated from 2026. It is expected that in the period of 2025 - 2030, both Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh airports will operate international routes. After 2030, all international flights will move to Long Thanh.
Currently, the connection from Ho Chi Minh City to Long Thanh airport mainly relies on the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway and National Highway 1 - National Highway 51, but both routes are seriously overloaded.
Ho Chi Minh City is accelerating a series of key infrastructure projects at the eastern gateway. The 3-storey An Phu intersection project is being accelerated. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee has requested the completion of the N2 bridge branch (from the right turn of the expressway to Mai Chi Tho) in 2025 and the completion of the HC1-02 underpass connecting directly to the expressway with Mai Chi Tho in mid-2026.
At the end of October, Ho Chi Minh City will expand the expressway from An Phu to Ring Road 2. The 3.2km long route has been increased from 4 to 8 lanes, the road surface is 36m wide, with a total investment of more than 915 billion VND from the city budget.
In parallel, the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway from Ring Road 2 to Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway (nearly 22km long) is being expanded from 4 to 8 - 10 lanes. Long Thanh Bridge will also build an additional 5-lane branch, bringing the total to 8 lanes.
It is expected that by 2027, the entire An Phu intersection, the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh approach road and expressway will be completed synchronously.
Synchronous regional linkage network
Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai are promoting inter-regional beltway and expressway projects to form a modern circular traffic network directly connecting airports.
Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 is being accelerated, expected to be completed and put into operation in the entire route by mid-2026; Ring Road 4 will start construction in 2026 and be put into operation in 2028.
The Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway (more than 57km long, passing through Tay Ninh, Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai) is expected to open to traffic in 2026, becoming the first expressway across the East - Southwest region, helping passengers from the West to Long Thanh airport without having to go through the center of Ho Chi Minh City. The Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway (54km, capital of VND 17,800 billion) also strives to be completed by the end of 2025.
On the Dong Nai side, the province has started construction of provincial road 25C since the end of 2024, directly connecting the airport with National Highway 51 and National Highway 19. At the same time, upgrading road 25B, preparing to invest in routes DT 770B, 773 and expanding DT 769.
In parallel, the two localities also coordinated to deploy 3 large bridges Cat Lai, Dong Nai 2 and Phu My 2 to form more important connecting axes with Long Thanh airport.
Breakthrough with railway and metro
Not only investing in roads, Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai are aiming to develop a modern railway and metro system, shortening travel time between the two largest airports in the country.
Dong Nai province will build a 38.5km metro line connecting Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) to Long Thanh airport.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction is also proposing to connect the two Tan Son Nhat - Long Thanh airports via Metro Line 2 (Ben Thanh - Tham Luong and Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem sections) and the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway.
Metro No. 2 (Ben Thanh - Tham Luong) is over 11km long and is expected to start construction in 2025 and be completed in 2030; the 6km Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem extension. The Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway line, over 48km long, has been assigned by the Government to Ho Chi Minh City as the managing agency, and Truong Hai Group is currently proposing investment. When completed, these metro and railway lines will connect directly to Ben Thanh Station - an important underground traffic hub, the intersection of Metro Lines 1, 2, 3 and 4.
In addition, another group proposed Metro Line 6 (inner belt), helping to connect the three terminals T1, T2, T3 of Tan Son Nhat airport, connecting with Metro Line 2 at Ba Queo Station and Thu Thiem - Long Thanh Railway at Phu Huu intersection.
