HCMC — Danang City plans to prioritize the development of a metro line connecting Danang International Airport and the ancient town of Hoi An, as part of its long-term urban railway development plan through 2045.
At a workshop held by the People’s Committee of Danang City on October 24, city officials said the city’s metro network would include 16 routes with a total length of more than 204 kilometers. The plan aims to improve public transport connectivity across the city and surrounding areas.
Luong Thach Vy, deputy director of the Danang City Department of Construction, said the Danang airport–Hoi An metro line would be developed in two phases. The first phase, scheduled for 2025–2030, would run from the airport to Hoi An, with two sections: the LRT2 line from the airport to My Khe Beach (over seven kilometers) and the MRT2 line from Vietnam-Korea University to the existing Danang Railway Station (over 17 kilometers).
The second phase, to be developed after 2030, would extend the line to connect Danang International Airport with the key economic and tourism centers Hoi An and Tam Ky, and end at the Chu Lai Economic Zone.
Another priority route would connect the planned national high-speed railway station with Danang’s central metro station, providing links between national and local rail systems. Its construction timeline will depend on the national high-speed rail project’s schedule.
Danang plans to finance the metro projects through a mix of public investment, official development assistance (ODA), and private capital. The city will promote public-private partnerships (PPP) and adopt a transit-oriented development (TOD) model focused on urban growth around transport hubs.
Experts from Shenzhen Metro in China said the city’s plan aligns with global transport trends but recommended optimizing the southern network and maintaining transport land-use ratios between 23% and 26%, with public transport accounting for 10–25%.
They also suggested Danang develop a multi-layered, integrated rail network tied closely to land-use planning and called for central Government support with special mechanisms, similar to those for Hanoi and HCMC.
Danang Vice Chairman Le Quang Nam said the merger of Danang City and Quang Nam Province creates growth opportunities in urban development, tourism, and logistics, but also increases traffic pressure.
Nam added that the metro system would serve as the backbone of an intelligent transport network linking Danang with Hue City, Quang Ngai Province, and other central provinces. It will connect with other public transport modes, including bus rapid transit (BRT), electric buses, and shared bicycles.
Each urban area will be designed to ensure metro stations are within 500 meters, while suburban stations will be no more than two kilometers away, he said.
