Long Thanh Airport to Get Direct Metro Link from Vung Tau Coast

The Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways has requested the city government to study the extension of Metro Line 3, originally planned to link central Vung Tau with Ba Ria and Phu My, to Long Thanh International Airport. The proposed roughly 40-km line would currently terminate at National Highway 51 near the Dong Nai border, with no connection to other rail networks. The authority argues that ending the line there would be a waste of investment and would leave the coastal region disconnected from the country's main transport hubs. Long Thanh Airport, slated to open commercially by late 2024, is envisioned as Vietnam's largest airport and is already planned as a hub for three major railway lines: the North-South high-speed line, the Thu Thiem-Long Thanh line, and an extension of the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro. Integrating Line 3 into this network would provide travelers from Vung Tau, Ba Ria, and Phu My with a direct, one-seat ride to both the airport and downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Currently, reaching Long Thanh from the coast requires driving on highways like National Highway 51, which is already experiencing significant traffic strain. From central Vung Tau, Line 3 would follow Road 3/2, pass the Chi Linh tourism area, then run along the Vung Tau-Binh Chau road, the coastal road, and Road 55. As the extension would cross into Dong Nai Province, the authority has stated that an agreement between the two regions on funding and construction responsibilities is needed before the study can proceed. This proposal is part of a broader push for rail development since Vietnam redrew its administrative map. Following the merger of Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces into Ho Chi Minh City in 2025, the city absorbed their transit plans. The metro network is now envisioned to comprise 27 lines spanning over 1,000 km, reaching from the beaches of Vung Tau to the industrial belts of Binh Duong. The former Ba Ria-Vung Tau territory alone is slated to host three of these lines: a 20-km loop around inner Vung Tau, a 65-km coastal route to Binh Chau, and Line 3. All are scheduled for completion after 2030. Seven lines are prioritized for completion by 2030. Three of these have already broken ground: Ben Thanh-Tham Luong, Ben Thanh-Thu Thiem, and Ben Thanh-Can Gio. The remaining four are still in the preparation phase: Thu Thiem-Long Thanh, Binh Duong New City-Suoi Tien, the first phase of Metro Line 6 (from Tan Son Nhat to Phu Huu), and Thu Dau Mot-Tao Dan. The Binh Duong New City-Suoi Tien line is the most advanced among this group. It is approximately 33 km long, entirely elevated, and will traverse seven wards. It will start at station S1 in central Binh Duong New City and end at Suoi Tien Bus Station, connecting directly to Metro Line 1. The line is planned with 19 stations and a depot in Binh Duong. The railway authority has signed contracts with Vietnam's TEDI and Japan's Nippon Koei for the feasibility study and technical design, aiming to commence construction this year. Previously, a consortium led by Becamex and Thaco had proposed building this line as a public-private partnership (PPP) for over VND64.3 trillion (approximately US$2.45 billion), including site clearance. This proposal was paired with transit-oriented development along the route to maximize land value in the former Binh Duong area.