Nha Trang metro and airport rail link

The Future Southeast Asia Newsletter features transport and urban development news in Southeast Asia, edited by James Clark.

Nha Trang is a beach city on the south central coast of Vietnam. Nha Trang will be served by the future high-speed railway, but the new station will be further outside the city than the current station. I wondered what it would take to build a transit line connecting the station to the city centre, so I created a map.

While I was researching this map, I was reminded of the proposed redevelopment of the old Nha Trang Airport. I found some images of what the new city might have looked like.

Also this week, I was reading about a proposed railway to connect Krabi Town and Krabi Airport to the Southern Thailand rail line via another new rail line to Phuket. I have started a fact sheet to compile information about this project.

Future Southeast Asia articles

• Nha Trang HSR Airport Railway Concept Map

A proposal to build an urban railway connecting the Nha Trang city centre to the high-speed railway station, with an extension to Cam Ranh International Airport.

• Nha Trang Airport redevelopment

The Nha Trang Airport redevelopment is a plan to redevelop the former air base in Nha Trang City, Vietnam.

• Thap Put – Krabi Railway: Connecting Krabi and Krabi Airport to Phuket and Bangkok by train

Recent articles

• Tan Cang Station (HCMC Metro): Pedestrian access and future interchange

A review of the pedestrian access and interchange infrastructure of Tan Cang Station on Line 1 of the HCMC Metro, and avoiding the interchange mistakes of the Hanoi Metro.

• Da Lat construction and transport report (Premium)

Da Lat (Central Highlands of Vietnam), featuring a new international hotel, the greenhouse problem, the old Governor’s Palace, build too big and ask for permission later, an old military airport that would make a great park, international flights, and the proposed railway restoration.

Upgrade to Premium to read the articles. It’s $5 a month or $50 a year, and your subscription helps support this site.

News

• Oxford Economics Launches Global Cities Index 2025 [Oxford Economics]

This list ranks cities according to the following categories:

Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment, Governance

There are two Southeast Asia cities in the top 100:

Singapore (21)

Kuala Lumpur (79)

View the list here.

It's a useful list for tracking specific metrics, but the list of cities is much different to the "World's Most Liveable Cities" list, which has more cities that you would want to live in (in my opinion).

• From side stage to spotlight: Asean’s ‘second cities’ are stealing the show [The Business Times]

"Location, policy support and growing infrastructure are reeling in investors and innovators to second-tier Asean cities such as Batam and Da Nang."

🇧🇳 Brunei

• Brunei launches 12th national development plan; US$3.1 set aside for new projects in key sectors [The Star]

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• September date confirmed for Techo International Airport [The Phnom Penh Post]

"The Cambodian government has announced that Techo International Airport will commence operations on September 9."

• Southern Phnom Penh sees property boom ahead of Techo International Airport opening - CBRE [Kiripost]

• Survey completed for Phase 2 of Funan Techo Canal in Kandal province [Khmer Times]

• China intends to create two additional special economic zones in Cambodia [Khmer Times]

• Cambodia eyes coastal economic corridor to spur growth, new jobs [ Khmer Times]

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed train project still on: DEN [Antara News]

• Jakarta to provide initial capital for MRT expansion to Tangerang, South Tangerang [The Jakarta Post]

• Jakarta slum dwellers wary of eviction despite revitalization pledge [The Jakarta Post]

"Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has pledged to upgrade all of the city’s slum areas by 2027 without relocating any residents, but many remain skeptical, recalling past administrations that evicted people in the name of urban development."

• Indonesia secures US$4 bln in investment for Nusantara capital project [Antara News[

• Island resorts near Singapore under threat from China smelter (archive)[Bloomberg]

🇱🇦 Laos

• Laos, Malaysia open new rail-sea trade corridor [The Laotian Times]

• Laos’ largest regional wind farm scheduled to become operational by late 2025 [Vientiane Times]

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Urgent need to address growing congestion at KLIA [New Straits Times]

• KL’s urban makeover must keep its soul and honour its roots, says Fahmi to DBKL [Malay Mail]

• Penang confirms third bridge being considered as alternative to undersea tunnel [The Star]

• PIA expansion work set to meet end-of-year target [The Star]

"Phase One of the Penang International Airport (PIA) expansion project is expected to be completed by the end of this year, with work progress now inching towards 38%."

• Penang Hill cable car to cost taxpayers nothing, state agency says as private firm Hartasuma takes on RM245m project [Malay Mail]

• Netizens embarrassed with broken KL sidewalks asking “what will ASEAN delegates think?” [Latest Malaysia]

 🇲🇲 Myanmar

• Cement cannot be bought due to too high demand [CNI]

🇵🇭 Philippines

• Bataan-Cavite bridge construction to start by July [The Philippine Star]

• Japan to send experts, improve energy conservation of LRT-1 [Philippine News Agency]

• MRT-4 funding may double to P100 billion [The Philippine Star]

• DOTr eyes finishing the Unified Grand Central Station by 2027 [Rappler]

• Reviving the Makati Subway [The Manila Times]

• Passenger terminal expansion at Davao airport underway [GMA Network]

• DPWH eyes constructing another San Juanico Bridge [Manila Standard]

🇸🇬 Singapore

• Height limit of Singapore buildings near airports under review; move could increase housing supply [The Business Times]

• SBS Transit Rail puts the AI in train maintenance [Tech In Asia]

🇹🇭 Thailand

• SRT opens new double-track section [Bangkok Post]

"State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor, Veeris Ammarapala, yesterday inspected the newly upgraded rail tracks between Khok Kathiam and Pak Nam Pho stations during the line's official opening."

• Bangkok's 20-Baht Flat Fare Set to Roll Out Across All Rail Lines by September [The Nation]

• Airbus eyes making Thailand Asia-Pacific aviation hub with new operations centre [The Nation]

• Pattaya residents cheer ‘hefty fines and towing’ for vehicles blocking wheelchair paths [Pattaya Mail]

🇹🇱 Timor-Leste

• Timor-Leste will achieve full membership of ASEAN at the next ASEAN summit in October [Government of Timor-Leste]

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Vietnam's industrial conglomerate Thaco proposes North-South high-speed railway investment, following Vingroup's proposal [The Investor]

• HCMC plans to extend metro to Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Tay Ninh [Lao Dong]

• Dong Nai to build HCMC-Dong Nai metro extension [Dong Nai Online]

• Vietnam’s response to controversial Mekong projects in China, Laos, and Cambodia [Fulcrum]

"Vietnam is anxious about the geostrategic implications of upstream Mekong projects in China, Laos, and Cambodia. It faces the dilemma of protecting its vital interests in the Mekong while maintaining stable and cooperative relations with its three neighbours."

• Why Vietnam ignored its own laws to fast-track a Trump Family golf complex [The New York Times]

"As President Trump blurs the lines between politics and business — and threatens steep tariffs on trade partners — governments feel compelled to favor Trump-related projects."

• Vietnam airport wins architecture award for terminal design [VnExpress]

"The T2 international terminal at Phu Bai International Airport in Hue has clinched the gold award in special architecture at the 2024-2025 National Architecture Award, highlighting blend of heritage and modern design."

• Vietnam's top private firm Vingroup proposes $4.5 bln wind power project in HCMC [The Investor]

Thanks for reading the Future Southeast Asia Newsletter. Leave a like or comment on the topics of this week’s news.