According to a report by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, the city is accelerating the implementation of the railway system connecting to Long Thanh International Airport in Dong Nai Province, with the goal of completion by 2030.
Accordingly, the urban railway axis connecting Tan Son Nhat Airport - Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem - Long Thanh Airport is being implemented in multiple sections. In particular, Metro Line No. 2 (Ben Thanh - Tham Luong) commenced construction on January 15, 2026 and is expected to be completed during the 2026–2030 period.
The city has also assigned Truong Hai Group (Thaco) to prepare the feasibility study report for Metro Line No. 2, section Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem, under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The project is expected to commence before April 30, 2026 and be completed in 2030.
For the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh section, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee is considering assigning Thaco to study implementation under the PPP model with a BT (Build-Transfer) contract. The city aims to commence construction before June 30, 2026, striving for completion in 2030.
In addition, the connection axis of Metro Line No. 6 - Metro Line No. 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) - and the extension of Metro Line No. 1 of Ho Chi Minh City to the administrative center of Dong Nai Province and Long Thanh Airport is also being strongly promoted.
At the same time, the project to extend Metro Line No. 1 of Ho Chi Minh City (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) through Dong Nai Province is being expedited.
Perspective rendering of the Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem metro line running underground beneath Mai Chi Tho Street
Ensuring technological synchronization among metro lines
According to the orientation agreed upon by the Steering Committee for the Development of the Railway Network in Ho Chi Minh City, the city will use the technical and technological standards of Metro Line No. 2 (Ben Thanh - Tham Luong) as the foundation for developing a common set of standards for the urban railway system.
The principle set out is that the standards must be universal in nature, prioritize modern and advanced technology in line with scientific and technological development trends, and ensure scalability, upgradability, connectivity, and safe, stable operation across the entire network.
The city also requires avoiding outdated technologies or solutions that restrict enterprise participation; ensuring technical compatibility among lines within the same cluster; and gradually forming a domestic railway industry.
In the immediate term, Ho Chi Minh City will refer to urban railway planning indicators of several modern cities around the world and international standards on travel time, speed ranges (conventional metro, rapid metro at 120–200 km/h, high-speed metro above 200 km/h), passenger comfort levels, and the arrangement of routes, stations, depots, etc.
Currently, the city is reviewing the urban railway network plan, including the task of proposing a technical and technological framework for each line or cluster of lines./.
RAILWAY PROJECT OFFICE – TECCO1