HCMC – A Vietnamese company has proposed developing a VND20-trillion driverless train system connecting Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Dam Sen Park.
Thach Ban Park JSC has suggested an automated guideway transit (AGT) system, which will run nearly 30 kilometers from Tan Son Nhat through the city center to Dam Sen Park. The investment would be divided into three phases.
In the first phase, a 12.7 km section of the proposed rail line would connect Tan Son Nhat and Nguyen Kieu Islet along the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal. The second phase would extend the line 5.7 km from Nguyen Kieu Islet to Ba Tang Bridge in District 8, following the Doi canal.
The final phase would add 11.5 km from Ba Tang Bridge to the intersection of Hoang Van Thu and Ut Tich streets along Tan Hoa canal and Lac Long Quan Street. The total project cost is estimated at VND20 trillion.
The proposed route runs entirely along existing waterways and streets, which is expected to minimize land clearance issues.
Thach Ban Park JSC has asked the city to include the AGT line in its planning. It highlights the advantages of the AGT system, including flexible lane switching and lower investment costs compared to monorails. The main stations would connect with the city’s urban railway system.
The driverless train will use four-meter-wide lanes made of steel, allowing for mass production in factories and rapid construction. The project is expected to take about five years to complete, compared to decades for metro investments, which exacerbate traffic congestion, especially around the airport.
