Thu Thiem Station - large-scale TOD model
One of the projects expected to become a TOD symbol of Ho Chi Minh City is Thu Thiem station. The station is planned on an area of about 17.2ha, connecting three railway and metro lines including the North-South high-speed railway, Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem line and Thu Thiem - Long Thanh line.
In which, the Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem route, about 6 km long, has been started and is expected to be completed in 2030. The Thu Thiem - Long Thanh route is expected to start construction before July 2nd and be completed in 2030, creating a strategic traffic axis connecting the center of Ho Chi Minh City with Long Thanh airport.
Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong said that the city is researching the development of a high-rise complex above Thu Thiem station to effectively exploit the land fund according to the TOD model.
According to the plan, the core of Thu Thiem station will be the coordinating center of the surrounding urban complex, connecting public transport with commerce, retail, contemporary art museums and urban amenities.
Ho Chi Minh City is also considering integrating aviation services such as early check-in, check-in luggage to the airport, thereby extending the length of stay, shopping and spending of tourists.
TOD - "golden key" to super-urban restructuring
Mr. Truong Trung Kien - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Architecture, said that the operation of Metro Line No. 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) is like a starting signal for the city's comprehensive urban restructuring process.
Ho Chi Minh City aims to complete about 187km of urban railway by 2030 and expand it to 355km by 2035, gradually forming a multi-center urban structure. In this strategy, TOD is identified as the "golden key" with three important pillars.
First, TOD is an economic driving force when it allows compact urban development around traffic hubs, exploiting underground space and added value from land funds around the station to reinvest in infrastructure.
Second, this is a solution for green urban development with the metro playing a "backbone" role, promoting the model of prioritizing walking, multimodal connection and reducing dependence on personal vehicles.
Third, TOD must be associated with urban identity. Planning should not only focus on modern development but also on preserving the cultural space, heritage and characteristics of Southern cities.
From the end of 2024, Ho Chi Minh City will be granted more special mechanisms to implement TOD.
Resolution 188/2025/QH15 helps shorten investment procedures for urban railways; Ho Chi Minh City People's Council also approved the planning of TOD zones, allowing increased construction density around the station.
In particular, Resolution 260/2025/QH15 allows Ho Chi Minh City to retain 100% of revenue from the TOD land fund and advance capital for site clearance around the metro station, turning TOD into a financial tool to invest in metro and urban reconstruction.
Need integrated planning thinking
Dr. Architect Ngo Viet Nam Son said that with a megacity like Ho Chi Minh City, public transport is a mandatory requirement to reduce congestion, pollution and improve urban operation efficiency.
However, the major bottleneck today is integrated planning thinking. "TOD requires transportation - land - planning - construction - commerce - services to be designed from the same drawing from the beginning" - Mr. Son emphasized.
