The provincial People’s Committee proposed extending the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line to the provincial administrative centre and Long Thanh Airport, forming the Suoi Tien-Long Thanh route.
The Suoi Tien - Long Thanh metro line, shown in red (Graphic: Ngoc Tan).
The proposal follows instructions from central and government leaders to accelerate construction of an urban railway with a direct airport connection.
Under an emergency mechanism, the province would be allowed to directly appoint investors and contractors for key stages including surveys, design, construction and supervision.
Authorities would also be able to streamline procedures, adopt a build while designing model and enlist consultants, experts and legal support to speed up progress.
The province said the prime minister had agreed in principle to the emergency approach, which is expected to shorten timelines and facilitate faster implementation.
Dong Nai has proposed acting as the lead agency for the project, with the Ministry of Construction responsible for appraising the feasibility study.
The metro link is considered urgent as Long Thanh Airport is expected to begin operations by the end of 2026.
The planned route would start at Suoi Tien bus station on metro line 1 in Ho Chi Minh City and end at Long Thanh Airport. The project is scheduled for completion by 2030 under a public private partnership model, with the investor responsible for construction and the state funding site clearance.