THACO eyes metro line No. 2 in Ho Chi Minh City, rail link to Long Thanh airport

Vietnamese conglomerate Truong Hai Group (THACO) has proposed a plan to study and invest in two major projects in Ho Chi Minh City, including the construction of metro line No. 2 and a railway linking the Thu Thiem urban area to the underway Long Thanh International Airport project in neighboring Dong Nai Province.

The proposal aligns with Ho Chi Minh City’s urban transport development vision and the National Assembly’s Resolution 188.

As planned, stations and depots will be comprehensively integrated with the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) model.

TOD zones will be designed to harmonize public transit systems with commercial, service, green space, and high-density residential areas.

THACO is seeking approval to execute the projects under an EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) contract or direct investment in line with the Investment Law.

The firm also expressed its hope to carry out initial studies within three months from the date of authorization.

Besides, it presented some optimal solutions to improve project efficiency, especially in the use of underground space for public amenities and TOD integration at stations and depots.

THACO has been committed to conducting the research urgently and responsibly without affecting the planned groundbreaking schedules: December 2025 for metro line No. 2 and the fourth quarter of 2026 for the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway.

Notably, if THACO is not selected as the investor, it pledges to hand over all research results to the city without reimbursement.

Responding to the proposal, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc highly valued THACO’s comprehensive approach, especially the idea of integrating separate lines into a unified Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem – Long Thanh route.

The route is expected to expand urban connectivity and support economic growth in the city’s eastern corridor.

The city has submitted a report to the Ministry of Construction, asking the prime minister for authority to oversee the investment in the projects.

Scales of metro line, railway projects

Backed by Resolution 188, which provides a framework for special mechanisms aimed at accelerating urban railway development in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, the southern metropolis is preparing to develop seven metro lines with a total length of 355 kilometers.

Alongside this, investments are being advanced for the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway and a line linking the heart of the city with Can Gio.

The total investment of the nine projects has been estimated at nearly VND1,205 trillion (US$46 billion).

In particular, the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway project is planned to stretch 41.8 kilometers, with 11.6 kilometers within Ho Chi Minh City and 30.2 kilometers in Dong Nai Province.

Its estimated cost is some VND88.7 trillion ($3.4 billion).

The line will hold strategic importance by connecting the two major international airports: Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh.

Meanwhile, the Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem metro line will span six kilometers and is designed to run entirely underground.

The estimated cost of the link, part of the full 48-kilometer metro line No. 2 connecting Cu Chi with Thu Thiem, is around $1.3 billion.

If combined, the Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem and Thu Thiem – Long Thanh segments would form a unified 47.8-kilometer route.

The integrated project would require an estimated investment of $4.7 billion.

In May, THACO sought the government’s greenlight to take part in the North-South high-speed railway project, pledging to master the technology and develop the country’s railway industry.

By Tieu Bac & Duc Phu – Tuoi Tre News – July 1st, 2025