Hanoi, November 7 (VNA) – Hanoi residents are increasingly expressing their desire to see the creation of a metro line directly connecting Noi Bai International Airport to the city center, in order to reduce costs and travel times for residents and tourists alike.
Currently, the airport welcomes around 30 million passengers each year, and this figure is expected to reach 100 million by 2030.
The main means of transport connecting the airport to the capital and the surrounding metropolitan area remain cars, taxis and coaches, while only two bus lines are available. During holiday periods or busy periods, congestion on the roads leading to the airport becomes inevitable, causing significant inconvenience for both locals and international visitors.
Du Thi Ha, a resident of Thu Duc town in Ho Chi Minh City, said she returns to Hanoi twice a year. “This journey is always a real obstacle course,” she confides. If she takes the bus from the airport, she has to change twice, and the journey takes almost four hours. “A taxi costs almost a million dong ($39) for a one-way trip,” she says.
Similarly, Duong Huu Dat, a resident of the Vinh Hung district in Hanoi, who travels abroad several times a year, highlights the difficulties encountered in getting to the airport. “I need three bus changes and almost three hours of travel. A taxi costs me between 300,000 and 500,000 dong ($11 to $20) per trip, or tens of millions of dong each year for my travels,” he says.
Economic management expert Hoang Thi Thu Phuong, interviewed by the online newspaper Kinh te & Do thi (Economy and Urban Affairs), stressed the crucial importance of a metro line directly connecting the airport to the city center . She said the project would not only benefit locals, but would also be of great importance to the capital's tourism industry.
“Currently, tourists have to bear high costs to get from the airport to their hotel. Those who travel alone often face additional difficulties in finding suitable transport. A direct metro line would significantly reduce transport costs, while ensuring the safety and comfort of visitors. This would make tourism in Hanoi more attractive and improve the city's image internationally,” she explained.
In addition to improving passenger comfort, the metro is considered an essential solution to relieve congestion on the roads leading to the airport.
A traffic police representative clarified that during peak hours or festive periods, the volume of vehicles entering and exiting the airport via Routes 3 and 2, as well as Nhat Tan Bridge, is extremely high. , mainly composed of cars and taxis. “If a fast and convenient metro line existed, many passengers would certainly use it, which would help relieve congestion on the main routes,” he added.
The Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board announced that, as part of the urban plan, the city plans to develop the No. 2 subway line connecting the capital with Noi Bai International Airport.
This line is expected to connect the Nam Thang Long urban area to the airport, passing through key streets such as Tran Hung Dao, Thuong Dinh, Buoi, and Ring Road 2.5. It was among the first metro lines planned for the city, but has encountered numerous obstacles over the years and has not yet been realized.
The project for this line is scheduled to start between 2024 and 2025, with work expected to end in 2034. The section linking Nam Thang Long to the airport should be operational by 2030. Currently, the city is doing everything possible to materialize section 2.1 of metro line No. 2, although the project is still awaiting approval of an investment adjustment.
The construction of this section, financed by official development assistance from Japan, represents a national priority for the city of Hanoi. The project was already approved by the People's Committee of the capital in 2008, and a feasibility study was carried out.
The line will extend over 11.5 km, with an underground section of 8.9 km and an elevated section of 2.6 km. It will have 10 stations, including three elevated and seven underground, and will connect major areas of the city to the airport.
Deputy Director of the Hanoi Planning and Investment Department Trung Hieu said that “Metro Line No. 2 is an urgent investment that has significant impacts on the city's transportation, environment and urban planning.” capital. It will also be essential for the tourist development of the city. »
He also specified that this line will be connected to the future extension of the city's metro network, which will include 15 lines. “The investment and construction of this line is considered an urgent priority,” he added.
In addition, the city is also planning another metro line, No. 6, connecting the Ngoc Hoi district to Noi Bai International Airport. This 43 km project is expected to be completed by 2035, and will provide better connectivity between the airport and other areas of the city.
With these two metro lines, Noi Bai International Airport will be perfectly integrated into the capital's urban transport network.
Transport expert Vu Hoang Chung stressed that planning for these lines was already well advanced and that recent legislative reforms had created a favorable legal framework for the realization of these projects.
“It is essential that Hanoi quickly realizes this project in order to meet the aspirations of millions of residents. Metro line No. 2 to the airport will become a reality,” he concluded.
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