Hanoi Chairman Vu Dai Thang recommended the plan at a November 9 meeting with the Ministry of Construction and local authorities on airport rail links, routes and station locations.
Concluding the meeting, Thang called for the shortest possible rail route between Gia Binh International Airport and Hanoi, ensuring convenient passenger access while supporting the capital's planned polycentric urban development.
Under Hanoi's 100-year master plan, the capital aims to develop new urban centres and growth areas. Thang added airport rail connections should therefore be considered within a broader transport network rather than focusing solely on the historic city centre.
Based on proposals from the Ministry of Construction and neighbouring localities, particularly Bac Ninh Province, Hanoi suggested developing Gia Lam Station into a major interchange connecting national, high-speed and urban railways.
A railway from Gia Lam Station to Gia Binh Internatioal Airport would be studied to shorten travel distances and improve access to the capital.
Thang proposed retaining the planned north-south alignment of urban railway Line 1 while examining an additional branch linking Gia Lam Station to central Hanoi and extending eastwards towards Gia Binh International Airport.
The approach would make use of the existing planned railway network and minimise major changes to approved or ongoing projects.
The proposed connection through Gia Lam could also enable a direct railway link between Gia Binh and Noi Bai airports in the future.
International passengers arriving at Gia Binh could then travel by rail to Noi Bai for domestic flights, and vice versa, reducing the need for multiple transfers.
Thang stressed that any changes to Hanoi's recently approved 100-year master plan must follow strict procedures.
Relevant agencies were instructed to assess the feasibility and transport efficiency of additional connections without fundamentally altering the approved planning framework.
At the meeting, Deputy Construction Minister Bui Xuan Dung said airport connections to central Hanoi should be planned comprehensively, integrating roads, urban railways and the national railway network.
For Gia Binh International Airport, he proposed studying a route through Gia Lam Station towards central Hanoi and clarifying the station's role as an interchange between different railway systems.
He also called for careful consideration of central and urban railway station locations to identify the most convenient arrangements for passengers.
The Ministry of Construction aims to reduce rail travel times between central Hanoi and its airports to around 30-45 minutes.
Achieving this would require studying direct airport train services with fewer intermediate stops.
Dung also suggested locating railway stations within airport premises to facilitate transfers between trains and flights.
The proposals must be coordinated with the national railway network, interregional rail connections and Hanoi's planned urban railway lines.
For routes connecting Hanoi with Bac Ninh and Hung Yen provinces, the ministry asked relevant agencies to review alignments, identify priority sections for investment and incorporate them into local planning.
According to information presented at the meeting, the National Assembly has approved the investment policy for Gia Binh International Airport, which is being developed with completion expected in 2027.
Finalising transport connections was therefore considered an urgent priority.
Under a November 6 government notice, Standing Deputy PM Pham Gia Tuc urged Hanoi to work with the Ministry of Construction and neighbouring localities on direct rail links between Gia Binh and Noi Bai airports and central Hanoi.
A comprehensive transport connection proposal is to be submitted in November 2026.
Following the meeting, Thang instructed relevant agencies and consultants to urgently finalise proposed railway alignments, clarify the feasibility of a direct connection between the two airports and ensure consistency with Hanoi's master plan.
The city will continue working with the Ministry of Construction and neighbouring localities to agree on a proposal for submission to the government for consideration and approval of the necessary procedures.
Also on November 9, Thang chaired a separate meeting to review railway alignments, station locations and land clearance for urban railway projects that broke ground on June 22, 2026.
