TOD Urban Development: What Level Is Appropriate?

With high-speed railway projects on the North-South axis, urban railway (metro) as well as the orientation of developing riverside areas, Dong Nai has a lot of potential to develop the TOD Urban model (with the public transport system as the center).

For effective development, TOD cities need a sufficiently high population density to provide enough passengers for their public transportation system. Photo: P. Tùng

Great potential

In August 2025, the Provincial People's Committee approved the joint venture of DonaCoop Infrastructure Investment Joint Stock Company and VinaCapital Group as the investor proposing the project to extend the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro line to Tran Bien ward and Long Thanh International Airport under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Currently, the joint venture is coordinating with relevant agencies to finalize the project dossier. The project's scope of study covers a total line length of approximately 38.5km, mainly passing through the province.

On October 21, 2025, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City also reported to the Government on the investment plan for the construction of the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway line to serve the connection between Long Thanh Airport and Tan Son Nhat Airport.

The Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway project, currently under study, is an urban railway line approximately 42km long, with over 30km passing through Dong Nai province. It is designed as a double-track line with a 1,435mm gauge, a design speed of 120km/h, and 20 stations, transporting passengers between Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province to Long Thanh Airport. The project has a total investment of nearly 3.4 billion USD. Currently, the Ministry of Construction is coordinating with relevant agencies to finalize procedures to assign the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee as the managing agency for the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway project.

Meanwhile, the high-speed railway line along the North-South axis is also undergoing investment procedures. According to the plan, this line will pass through the province for nearly 82km, with a passenger station located in the Long Thanh Airport area and a cargo station in Trang Bom commune.

According to Provincial Party Committee member and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Ho Van Ha, with high-speed rail and metro projects currently under investment, Dong Nai has enormous potential for urban development following the TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) model.

Furthermore, according to assessments, with the economic development orientation of the riverside areas, especially the Dong Nai River, Dong Nai province also has additional potential to develop the TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) urban model.

According to Dr. of Science - Architect Ngo Viet Nam Son, Chairman of NgoViet Architects & Planners, in the new context, economic development along the Dong Nai River needs to be closely linked with urban development according to the TOD model.

How much TOD is reasonable?

In early September 2025, during a meeting with the Provincial People's Committee to report on the progress of the investment preparation dossier for the Project to Extend the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien Metro Line to Tran Bien Ward, Long Thanh Airport, the consortium of investors proposed 7 areas along the metro line to implement the TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) urban model with a total area of ​​over 880 hectares.

Meanwhile, for the North-South High-Speed ​​Railway Project, Dong Nai province is requesting the Ministry of Construction to add another passenger station in Xuan Hoa commune.

According to Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Ho Van Ha, the North-South high-speed railway project passing through the province not only solves transportation problems but also opens up opportunities for Dong Nai to develop urban areas according to the TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) model. The eastern part of Dong Nai province, especially the communes of Xuan Loc, Xuan Phu, and Xuan Hoa, has not yet been included in the project's planning for a passenger station. Meanwhile, this area has many advantages for development with its large land area, favorable terrain, and high potential for connecting technical infrastructure, making it suitable for the placement of a large-scale North-South high-speed railway passenger station to effectively exploit the TOD urban model in the region.

In fact, with ongoing transportation projects and potential land resources, Dong Nai has many advantages for developing the TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) urban model. However, determining the appropriate level of development is a question that needs careful consideration.

According to Associate Professor Tran Quang Phu, Vice Rector of Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport, TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) is a model for urban area development oriented towards public transport. Therefore, there must be integration between this urban area and the public transport system. The urban area must have a high population density to provide sufficient passenger capacity for public transport, while simultaneously relieving urban congestion. A metro line needs 4,000-8,000 passengers per hour, so the TOD urban area must have a sufficiently high population density to accommodate this passenger volume.

“According to my calculations, the average population density in Ho Chi Minh City is 4-5 thousand people/km2. With a traffic volume and a travel coefficient of about 50% of the population using public transport, there are approximately 2-3 thousand people using the metro for commuting each day. Meanwhile, a metro line can accommodate 15-20 thousand passengers. In Dong Nai province, Trang Dai ward currently has one of the highest population densities with about 8 thousand people/km2. Therefore, developing many TODs (Transit-Oriented Development) may not necessarily yield immediate results,” shared Associate Professor Tran Quang Phu.

According to Associate Professor Tran Quang Phu, TOD cities require a high population density, along with jobs, commercial centers, and other amenities. Simultaneously, residents must have a need for public transportation. If people only use private vehicles for commuting, the TOD model will not be effective.

Pham Tung

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202510/phat-trien-do-thi-tod-muc-do-nao-la-hop-ly-7841ef4/