The Ministry of Construction has generally agreed with Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee's proposal for railway station layouts within Long Thanh International Airport and the extension of a key metro line. This decision, communicated in a document to the committee, supports connecting the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien urban railway line to Dong Nai province's new administrative center and Long Thanh airport.

The Ministry found Dong Nai's proposed organization of railway stations suitable. This approach aligns with the principle of independent station layouts for each railway line, facilitating separate investment, operation, and maintenance for individual projects.

However, the Ministry noted a crucial point regarding the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh urban railway line. While the master plan designates two stations for this line at Long Thanh airport's passenger terminals T1 and T2, Dong Nai's current proposal includes only one station. Consequently, the Ministry requested the locality to review and update its plan to ensure consistency with the approved master plan, thereby preventing future discrepancies during implementation.

Simulation of railway station locations at Long Thanh airport.

In addition to the plan update, the Ministry also instructed Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee to coordinate with relevant agencies. This collaboration is essential to standardize technical specifications across different railway types, establish clear connection plans between railway stations and airport terminals, and develop construction solutions that ensure the safety of existing operational facilities.

Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee submitted its proposal for railway station layouts within Long Thanh International Airport in mid-may. The plan outlines the positioning of three major railway lines within the access corridor of passenger terminal T1: the North-South high-speed railway, the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro extended to Dong Nai province's new administrative center and Long Thanh airport, and the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh metro.

According to the proposal, the North-South high-speed railway line will occupy the main axis. The Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro line will be positioned to its left, and the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh metro line will be to its right, relative to the direction of travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Dong Nai province.

Given the space limitations in front of Terminal T1, caused by access roads, viaducts, parking lots, and technical infrastructure, Dong Nai proposed a staggered layout for the stations on the ground level. Under this design, the North-South high-speed railway station will be offset to the northeast, serving as the central transport hub that connects the airport to the national railway network and urban lines. The two metro stations will be offset to the southwest, positioned parallel and symmetrically to the high-speed railway's centerline.

The stations will be independently organized in terms of structure, technology, signaling systems, train control, and operational methods. This independence allows each line to be invested in and operated as a separate project, minimizing mutual interference during implementation. Passengers from Terminal T1 will access the railway stations via pedestrian bridges, connecting tunnels, or a combination of both. Transfer facilities, including connecting corridors, escalators, elevators, moving walkways, and signage systems, will be specifically studied in the next design phase.

The locality believes this plan aligns with Long Thanh International Airport's role as an international aviation gateway, a major regional transit hub, and a crucial national transport nexus.

Anh Duy