Hanoi details road to Gia Binh International Airport

THE HANOI TIMES — Hanoi has drawn up a detailed investment plan for the road to Gia Binh International Airport in the northern province of Bac Ninh to develop logistics services for the airport.

Duong Duc Tuan, Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, approved the detailed plan after listening to the report of the Department of Planning and Architecture and the opinions of participants at a meeting this week.

The road, which will run 28 kilometers through Hanoi, is designed to have 10 lanes with a width of 120 meters for high-speed traffic. Hanoi and Bac Ninh are studying the feasibility of a metro line along the route from Gia Binh International Airport to downtown Hanoi.

The expressway route, estimated at VND26.7 trillion (US$1.05 billion), will be built under a PPP model and will provide connectivity to existing transportation networks outlined in approved planning schemes.

"The Hanoi government has ordered the Department of Construction to seek approval from the Ministry of Construction to unify the alignment of the line with the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway to ensure connectivity and save land funds," the official said.

Regarding the investment mechanism, the Hanoi Department of Finance will discuss it with Bac Ninh authorities by the end of March. "Hanoi has in mind specific mechanisms and policies to speed up progress, ensure quality, safety, and environmental sustainability," Tuan stressed.

When completed, the road will provide a strong development impetus for the northern gateway area of Hanoi, improving transportation links between the capital and Bac Ninh and other neighboring provinces. "This expressway is expected to play an important role in improving regional transport infrastructure, reducing traffic congestion, and promoting economic growth in the North," said the deputy chairman.

In December 2024, the construction of Gia Binh International Airport, located in Xuan Lai Commune and Gia Binh Town, was kicked off. Covering an area of 364 hectares, the airport is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

Gia Binh, which costs an estimated VND31.3 trillion ($1.2 billion), is proposed to be included in the national airport network plan. The airport is designed to play a key role in the country's defense-security infrastructure and socio-economic development as a multifunctional, dual-use 4E class airport, the ICAO standard for large airports. It will offer combat readiness for the Vietnam People's Public Security Air Force.

The airport is dedicated to official flights of Party and State leaders, as well as international politicians, but it will also be able to handle cargo and passenger transport when requested.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called for Gia Binh International Airport to be built as rapidly as possible with the highest quality standards. He stressed that it is a national key project, of critical importance to the system of defense and security infrastructure.

According to the Ministry of Transport, Vietnam will have 31 airports by 2030, including 15 international and 16 domestic. The figure might be 34 airports by 2050, including 19 domestic ones.