Dai Quang Minh proposes $5 bln HCMC-Long Thanh railway, targets 2030 completion
Dai Quang Minh Real Estate Investment JSC has proposed a 46.4-kilometer rail line linking downtown Ho Chi Minh City with Long Thanh International Airport, with an estimated cost of VND134.17 trillion ($5.14 billion) for the first phase, according to a feasibility study currently under review.
The Thu Thiem-Long Thanh railway project is among key infrastructure projects that HCMC plans to break ground on Vietnam’s National Day, or September 2.
The updated study puts the line's length at about 46.44 km, running from the eastern end of Thu Thiem station on the Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem route in HCMC to Cam Duong depot in neighboring Dong Nai city.
About 11 km of the line would run underground, while 34.5 km would be elevated, with the remainder at ground level or on transition sections.
The line would have 18 stations, excluding Thu Thiem station, including 16 elevated and two underground stations. The first phase would build 14 stations to improve investment efficiency.
Six stations would be located in HCMC and eight in Dong Nai, providing connections to residential areas, industrial zones, and Long Thanh airport.
Connecting with wider rail network
The route would follow major transport corridors, including expressways and Ring Road 3, while connecting with six other rail lines to create a mass-transit network serving Long Thanh airport.
It would link with the Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem metro at Thu Thiem station, Metro Line 6 at Ring Road 2 and Phu Huu stations, and Metro Line 10 at Long Truong station.
The project would also connect with the Vung Tau-Ba Ria-Phu My railway at Xom Goc station, as well as an extension of the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line and the North-South high-speed railway at a station inside Long Thanh airport.
The line is designed to handle nearly 47,000 passengers per hour, with an average capacity of more than 23,400 passengers per hour in each direction.
Trains would have a maximum design speed of 120 kilometers per hour and operate at between 80 km/h and 110 km/h depending on the section.
The project would use GoA4 automated operation, the highest level of automation under European standards, to align with the planned Tham Luong-Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem metro corridor.
BT model proposed
The first phase is expected to have a preliminary investment cost of VND134.17 trillion ($5.14 billion), excluding land clearance expenses. The estimate is lower than an earlier proposal.
The project is expected to be developed under a build-transfer (BT) contract, with the investor responsible for raising capital and receiving payment through a combination of land funds and state budget resources.
Construction is targeted for completion in 2030, creating a direct mass-transit connection between HCMC and Long Thanh International Airport.
HCMC has a long-term plan for more than 1,000 km of urban railway, but currently operates only about 20 km of the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line.
The city has also begun work on the Ben Thanh-Tham Luong, Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem and Ben Thanh-Can Gio routes.
By 2030, the city aims to expand its urban railway network to 255 km. Other projects under preparation include the New Binh Duong-Suoi Tien line, the first phase of Metro Line 6 from Tan Son Nhat airport to Phu Huu, Thu Dau Mot-Tao Dan, and the Tham Luong-An Ha-Tay Bac urban area section of Metro Line 2.
Source: Hai Yen
Photo: Photo courtesy of Dai Quang Minh