Building 2 underground metro stations under Tan Son Nhat airport
As a person who regularly goes on business trips, Mr. Nguyen Van Hung (36 years old, Phu Tho ward) said that every time he goes to Tan Son Nhat airport, he has to use a technology car and always departs earlier than expected because he is worried about traffic jams.
Many days I have to go an hour earlier because I am afraid of traffic jams on Truong Son or Hoang Van Thu streets. If the metro runs straight to the station later, I will prioritize choosing because I arrive on time" - Mr. Hung shared.
Not only in the departure direction, waiting for hours to catch a taxi after each holiday and Tet is also a nightmare for many passengers at Tan Son Nhat airport.
Mr. Pham Quoc Viet (40 years old, An Dong ward) said that many times landing at the airport during holidays, he had to wait nearly an hour to catch a taxi due to the large number of passengers and traffic jams outside the gate.
With the metro connecting directly to the airport, passengers only need to take a train near their home and then take a short trip by car. It will definitely be much more convenient than waiting for a taxi" - Mr. Viet shared.
The above shares reflect the traffic problem at Tan Son Nhat. Currently, most passengers still depend on private cars, taxis and technology cars, putting pressure on the Truong Son, Hong Ha, Bach Dang, Pham Van Dong and Tran Quoc Hoan - Cong Hoa routes.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR), Metro Line No. 6 phase 1 (Tan Son Nhat - Phu Huu) is being studied to go underground through the Tan Son Nhat airport area, arranging a station right next to station T3 and a station located between T1 and T2.
Metro No. 6 not only serves Tan Son Nhat airport. Phase 1 of the line will connect Metro No. 2 (Ben Thanh - Tham Luong) in the Ba Queo area, passing through stations T1, T2, T3 and then extending to Phu Huu to connect with the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway line in the future.
At the same time, the station between T1 and T2 is also planned as a transshipment point with Metro No. 4 (Dong Thanh - Hiep Phuoc).
Ho Chi Minh City sets a target to start construction of Metro Line 6 phase 1 by the end of this year and put the line into operation in 2030.
At that time, passengers from the center can take Metro Line 2 and then transfer to Metro Line 6 to enter the airport. Residents of the South can take Metro Line 4 and change trains right under the T1 and T2 terminal clusters.
Passengers can also travel between Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh airport by urban railway without using cars.
Creating a modern traffic hub for Tan Son Nhat
According to Dr. Vo Kim Cuong - former Deputy Chief Architect of Ho Chi Minh City, putting Metro Line 6 underground into the T1, T2, T3 terminal cluster is the right direction if the city wants to build a modern public transport system.
He believes that in many countries, airports are multimodal traffic hubs. Metro stations located right under the airport help switch between airplanes and urban railways in just a few minutes - this is the standard of a modern airport.
According to Mr. Cuong, Metro Line 6 not only serves air passengers but also contributes to reducing traffic pressure around Tan Son Nhat.
Currently, most passengers still depend on private cars, taxis and technology cars. When the metro is convenient enough, many people will switch to public transport, thereby reducing the number of vehicles entering and leaving the airport and reducing congestion on gateway routes.
He also assessed Metro Line 6 as an important link in the urban railway network when connecting Metro Line 2, Metro Line 4 and the future Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway line.
Tan Son Nhat will become a transit hub of the entire metro system, helping passengers from many areas of the city to the airport without using cars.
According to this expert, this is also a necessary preparation step when the Ho Chi Minh City region has two large international airports operating together.
When Long Thanh is fully exploited, the two airports need to be connected by large volume transportation. Metro line No. 6 connecting to the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway line, passengers will have more choices to travel quickly, stably, less dependent on roads, creating a foundation for an integrated transportation network between aviation and urban railways" - Mr. Cuong said.
