HCM City authorities said they planned to submit a USD250m metro project link to Tan Son Nhat Airport to the prime minister for approval and will start the construction in 2019 if things go smoothly.
According to the HCM City's Management Authority for Urban Railways, South Korean consultants have finished their feasibility study.
The 2km metro route will connect Hoang Van Thu Park to Tan Son Nhat Airport. It includes two underground stops at the park and at the international terminal. An underground pedestrian tunnel will connect with the domestic terminal.
The South Korean government will lend USD224m with the remainder sourced from the state budget.
The plan will be submitted to the prime minister within the first quarter of 2017. Construction will begin in 2019 and completed in 2024.
HCM City already has eight metro lines planned including 20km-long Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien line, 48km-long Thu Khiem-Tay Bac Cu Chi Urban Area line and the 17km-long Sai Gon Bridge-Can Giuoc Bus Station line.
The route to Tan Son Nhat Airport will be a branch of the Sai Gon Bridge-Can Giuoc Bus line.
This branch wasn't in the original urban plan. However, due to the increasing number of passengers, the city proposed a new route to ease traffic and meet demands of travellers from inner districts to Tan Son Nhat Airport.
The city authorities are also considering building more overpasses to the airport.