Ho Chi Minh City welcomes Thaco’s proposal to build metro linking Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh airports

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc has thrown his support behind a proposal by Truong Hai Group (Thaco) to invest in an urban railway project connecting Tan Son Nhat International Airport and the under-construction Long Thanh International Airport in neighboring Dong Nai Province.

The office of the municipal administration has issued a conclusion made by the chairman at a recent meeting to review urban railway projects proposed by Thaco.

Chairman Duoc welcomed and agreed in principle with the group’s investment plan.

The move aligns with national strategies prioritizing Vietnamese enterprises in the development of urban rail infrastructure.

Thaco had previously proposed a plan to study and invest in a route connecting the two airports through metro line No. 2 and a railway linking the Thu Thiem urban area and Long Thanh International Airport.

According to the city’s leadership, the proposal contributes not only to infrastructure growth but also to the localization of technology and manufacturing, gradually enabling domestic capabilities in urban rail construction.

Regarding metro line No. 2, which runs from Ben Thanh Station in the city center to Tham Luong Station in the northwest, the city has assigned the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways to work closely with Thaco in updating the project’s investment plan.

Relevant documents are expected to be finalized and submitted for approval by early December 2025, with groundbreaking targeted for later that month.

For the Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem metro line section and the railway, the city has encouraged Thaco to proactively study and propose investment options under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model or through direct investment, in accordance with legal regulations.

To support the proposed route, the municipal Department of Construction has been instructed to promptly revise the 1/2000-scale zoning plan for the specialized mechanical industrial zone invested in by THADICO Binh Duong, a Thaco subsidiary.

The department was tasked with expediting the planning and approval process for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) areas along metro line No. 2.

Besides, the department and Thaco will coordinate to propose detailed TOD plans and develop projects accordingly.

Also, the department was directed to work with the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways to research special mechanisms and policies to support urban railway development.

These include proposals to amend Resolution 98, allowing the city to receive corporate sponsorships for planning and project development.

Chairman Duoc emphasized the urgency of collaboration among investors, management agencies, and authorities to accelerate project execution.

As planned, three routes connecting the two airports include metro lines No. 2 and 6, and Thu Thiem – Long Thanh Railway.

The Thu Thiem – Long Thanh line is some 42 kilometers in length, while the city has prioritized investment in the two metro lines under special mechanisms allowed by Resolution 188.

Thaco’s vision is to integrate the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh line with metro line No. 2 to connect Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Long Thanh International Airport.

The company has signed a contract with a consortium comprising Spain’s Typsa, engineering firm Saman in South Korea, and Senest in South Korea for design work on the Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem – Long Thanh line.

By Tieu Bac & Duc Phu – Tuoi Tre News – October 2, 2025