Poor connectivity could limit impact of Vietnam's biggest airport project: experts

The issue was highlighted during a seminar hosted by Tuoi Tre newspaper on Friday, addressing connectivity between the airport in Dong Nai Province and the neighboring Ho Chi Minh City.

The airport, currently under construction, spans 5,000 hectares with a total investment exceeding VND336 trillion (US$13.2 billion). Phase one, expected to start operations in 2026, will have an annual capacity of 25 million passengers.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Quang Phu, Vice Rector of the University of Transport Ho Chi Minh City, said that although the airport is nearing operational readiness, synchronized supporting infrastructure is lacking, potentially hindering its performance.

Phu emphasized that seamless connectivity with Ho Chi Minh City, the region's economic hub, is essential for Long Thanh's success.

Currently, the primary road connections -- the HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway and National Highways 1 and 51 -- are already overloaded.

Several crucial projects, including Ring Road 3, the Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway, and the Bien Hoa–Vung Tau Expressway, remain under construction. The Ring Road 4 project was only recently approved.

Phu stressed that effective connectivity is critical, proposing a multimodal transport system including metro lines, bus rapid transit, high-speed rail, waterways, and smart transportation solutions akin to Incheon Airport in South Korea and Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands. He also recommended urban development along transit routes using a transit-oriented development (TOD) model to optimize land use.

"In the short term, we should expand the HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway, integrate it with Ring Road 4, attract railway investments, and leverage the Saigon and Dong Nai rivers for waterway access to the airport," Phu said.

Nguyen Cao Cuong, Deputy General Director of Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), the project's main investor, noted that the airport consists of four primary components, with terminals and aviation infrastructure being the most critical. ACV aims to complete the terminal by December, followed by test operations before commercial flights begin in 2026.

Cuong acknowledged that operational efficiency heavily depends on connectivity, particularly with Ho Chi Minh City and Tan Son Nhat Airport, since Long Thanh is envisioned as both a destination and a major transit hub. Currently, travel from Tan Son Nhat to Long Thanh takes at least two hours, potentially extending to five hours in traffic congestion, discouraging passengers and airlines alike.

"This is a major challenge. Early investments in expressways, metro lines, and high-speed rail connecting to the airport are essential for effective operation," Cuong said.

Huynh Tan Loc, Deputy Director of Dong Nai’s Department of Construction, highlighted Long Thanh's strategic role as a catalyst for economic growth in Dong Nai and the broader region, serving as an aviation, logistics, and modern urban hub.

Dong Nai is accelerating key connectivity projects like Ring Road 3 and the Bien Hoa–Vung Tau Expressway, aiming for completion within this year. The province is also studying the extension of HCMC metro line to Long Thanh Airport, with TOD-style developments planned along this corridor.

However, Loc pointed out that current access routes to the airport primarily cater to cars, lacking adequate infrastructure for motorbikes. Cat Lai Bridge, a vital motorbike route from HCMC to Long Thanh, remains unimplemented despite ongoing discussions between the two localities.