Dong Nai proposes layout plan for railway stations within Long Thanh Airport

The railway and metro stations are planned to be located in the area in front of Passenger Terminal T1, Long Thanh Airport.

North–South high-speed railway station to operate independently from two metro stations

To support transportation connectivity once Long Thanh Airport becomes operational, three railway and metro projects are currently undergoing investment procedures. Among them, the Thu Thiem–Long Thanh Metro Line is expected to break ground in July 2026 under the management of Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Ho Van Ha, Member of the Dong Nai Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai People’s Committee, the city is also aiming to commence construction in 2026 on the project extending the Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien Metro Line to the Dong Nai Administrative Center and Long Thanh Airport. The goal is to establish a continuous metro connection from the airport area to Ben Thanh Station, reducing travel time between Long Thanh Airport and central Ho Chi Minh City to just over 30 minutes.

As multiple railway and metro projects move forward, reviewing and finalizing the layout of stations within the Long Thanh Airport area has become an urgent priority.

In mid-June 2026, Dong Nai City officially submitted its proposal for the arrangement of railway and metro stations at Long Thanh Airport.

Regarding the corridor for the railway lines, Dong Nai City proposed arranging the railway and metro lines within the corridor of the Terminal T1 access road. In this setup, the North-South high-speed railway line will follow the centerline of the main railway system corridor; in the direction from Ho Chi Minh City to Dong Nai, the extended Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro line to the City's Administrative Center and Long Thanh Airport will be located on the left side of the North-South high-speed railway, while the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh metro line is planned on the right side.

According to the Dong Nai City People's Committee, due to the limited space in front of Terminal T1 (Passenger Terminal T1) by airport access roads, viaducts, parking lots, and existing and planned technical infrastructure, the proposed plan is to organize the stations based on the principle of staggered placement on the ground. In which, the North-South high-speed railway station will be staggered with the two stations of the two metro lines.

Specifically, the North-South high-speed railway station will be offset to the Northeast of the T1 Terminal axis. The station will serve as the central structure of the hub, connecting the North-South high-speed railway line with Long Thanh Airport and urban-regional metro lines. Meanwhile, the two metro stations would be located Southwest of the Terminal T1 axis, positioned parallel to each other and symmetrically arranged around the high-speed rail alignment.

Information from the Dong Nai City People's Committee indicates that with the staggered arrangement plan, the North-South high-speed railway station will be organized independently from the two stations of the two metro lines. The two metro lines will be organized independently of each other in terms of structure, technology, signal system, train control, and operation.

The proposed layout would provide sufficient space for underground tunnels, station platforms, station box structures, passenger distribution levels, stairways, escalators, elevators, technical rooms, ventilation systems, fire protection facilities, and emergency evacuation routes.

Staggered arrangement but centralized connection

Under the proposed plan, the City People's Committee said prioritizing construction within the existing technical corridor would help limit impacts on airport access roads, elevated roadways, parking areas, passenger pickup and drop-off zones, and other technical infrastructure under development.

At the same time, the metro lines and North-South high-speed railway are organized independently in terms of structure, technology, E&M (mechanical and electrical) systems, signaling, train control, and operational exploitation. This limits the risk of technical interface between lines with different technical standards and operational requirements. It also creates conditions for each line to be independently invested in, constructed, accepted, operated, and maintained in accordance with the progress of each project.

However, the proposal also has drawbacks. The corridor for underground works around Terminal T1 has been constrained by airport access roads, elevated structures, parking facilities, and technical tunnel and trench systems. As a result, clearances between line tunnels, station boxes, retaining walls, structural foundations, and technical infrastructure may need to be kept to a minimum, necessitating appropriate structural solutions and construction methods.

In addition, underground construction in an airport environment requires strict control of geology, hydrology, groundwater levels, settlement, deformation, waterproofing, the safety of adjacent structures, site organization, and the restoration of transport infrastructure after construction.

After evaluating these factors, the Dong Nai City People's Committee concluded that the integrated railway–metro station cluster concept, featuring staggered station placement with centralized passenger connections, is the most suitable option for further study. The city believes the proposal offers significant advantages, including independent operations, reduced risks of technological interfaces, fewer operational conflicts, greater flexibility for phased implementation, and enhanced passenger transfer capacity. It is also considered consistent with Long Thanh Airport’s role as a major international aviation gateway and a key national transportation hub.