Pham Ngoc Dung, Director of the Centre for Public Transport Management (CPTM) under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, informed the press about the 2026 implementation plan on February 3.
One of this year's priorities is establishing bus routes connecting Long Thanh Airport with central Ho Chi Minh City and Tan Son Nhat Airport.
Ho Chi Minh City plans to select an operator for seven bus routes connecting to Long Thanh Airport, including three routes from central Ho Chi Minh City, two from the former Binh Duong Province, and two from the former Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province.
The three starting points in Ho Chi Minh City are being considered at Tan Son Nhat Airport, the New Mien Dong Bus Station, and the Saigon Bus Station (September 23 Park).
"Regarding infrastructure, Airports Corporation of Vietnam has allocated bus parking bays inside Long Thanh Airport, complete with cameras and marked lines. We will coordinate with Dong Nai Province to finalise related matters," Dung stated.
Regarding roadside stops, the Ho Chi Minh City CPTM leader said the direct route between Tan Son Nhat Airport and Long Thanh Airport would have limited stops, prioritising expressways to shorten travel time for connecting passengers.
Routes from the New Mien Dong Bus Station and Saigon Bus Station may have more stops for passenger pick-up along the way.
Ho Chi Minh City authorities are considering establishing public road transport routes as metro projects connecting central Ho Chi Minh City with Long Thanh Airport are not expected to be completed in time for the airport's scheduled opening in June.
In a recent report to the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Construction confirmed that Long Thanh Airport would only have road connections with Ho Chi Minh City during its initial operational phase.
"The operational capacity of Long Thanh Airport in phase 1 is not yet high (approximately 25 million passengers per year), so transport connections with the Ho Chi Minh City area in general, and Tan Son Nhat Airport in particular, will be ensured through road transport," the Ministry of Construction reported.
According to the ministry, rail transport will be developed after 2030 and is expected to handle about 30-40 per cent of transport demand.
Previously, when preparing the feasibility study for phase 1 of Long Thanh Airport, international consultants researched passenger and cargo transport demand in the area connecting to and from the airport.
According to the study, demand for connections from the Ho Chi Minh City area accounts for 65-70 per cent of the total passenger traffic to and from Long Thanh Airport. Transport connections to this airport are planned and allocated via road and rail.
The Ministry of Construction and local authorities and businesses are implementing a series of projects, such as the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway, the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, and the An Phu interchange, which are expected to be completed synchronously in 2026 to meet transport demand when Long Thanh Airport becomes commercially operational.
