Indonesia - the airport railway champions of Southeast Asia
Indonesia - the airport railway champions of Southeast Asia
Welcome to Brunei to the Future Southeast Asia archives, test run on the Sulawesi Railway, an airport-to-airport metro for HCMC, and more transport and construction news in SE Asia.
After compiling a master list of current and proposed urban rail transit in Southeast Asia, it occurred to me that Indonesia has become the airport railway champions of Southeast Asia. Indonesia has 5 operating airport railways, 1 under construction, and another 5 that are considered. This week’s article is about current and proposed airport railways in Southeast Asia. It includes a map where you can get an overview of airports with rail links.
While I was researching about urban railways, I found some news items about a proposed LRT/MRT in Brunei. There is not much information about it because it probably won’t happen. It has been officially proposed via government channels though, which was enough for me to make a post about it. Also, I just wanted to establish a Brunei presence on this site. So I now have all of the nations of ASEAN represented here (see the top menu bar on the site). Now I just need an article about Timor-Leste to fully represent Southeast Asia.
If you have any projects in Southeast Asia you would like to read about, send me a message for consideration. I will give priority to paid subscribers, who help keep the site running.
Latest Posts At Future Southeast Asia
Airport Railways In Southeast Asia
A complete guide to the current and proposed airport railways in Southeast Asia.
Brunei Metro – A proposed LRT/MRT for Bandar Seri Begawan
Updated Posts
Cambodia
Residents in dispute with new airport curse developers in ceremony
“Nai Phun says her rice field was only one month old when the bulldozers came to clear it. The 46-year-old resident has been told she lives in the path of a future runway, and her family and 12 others are currently being pressured to move out and take compensation of $8 per square meter — much less than the land is worth, she says.”
Added to New Phnom Penh Airport
Indonesia
Here is a video of a test run on a section of the Makassar-Parepare railway, which is a small segment of what will eventually become the Trans-Sulawesi Railway.
Laos
As Lao-China rail line nears completion, some displaced by the work still wait to be paid
“Lao villagers displaced by construction near Vientiane of the $5.9 billion high-speed rail line linking China with Laos are still waiting for promised compensation though most stations on the line are almost fully built, Lao sources say.”
Added to China-Laos railway
Philippines
Mindanao Railway seen to start partial operations by 2022
"The Department of Transportation said Monday it expects the Tagum-Carmen segment of the P82-billion Mindanao Railway Project to start partial operations by March 2022. "Our target partial operability is by 2022. We are fast tracking the acquisition of the right of way," Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said."
Added to Mindanao Railway
Vietnam
Saigon metro construction site to no longer block Ben Thanh Market
“The metro line No 1 station construction site that has been blocking Ben Thanh Market’s facade for the last five years is set to be dismantled in August.”
Added to Ben Thanh Station
HCMC proposes metro link to new mega airport
“HCMC has proposed a metro line is extended to connect the Tan Son Nhat airport with the new Long Thanh International Airport.”
Added to Long Thanh International Airport
There are now three proposals (that I know of) to connect the new airport by rail. The original plan was for the high-speed railway from HCMC to Nha Trang to pass through the airport. Another plan is for a light rail/metro from Thu Thiem. This latest proposal doesn’t make any sense if it’s not going through the city centre. I have proposed a airport-to-airport metro line in my Ho Chi Minh City Metro Concept Map. This would be like Line 2 in Shanghai which connects two airports (Hongqiao and Pudong) via the People’s Square and Nanjing Road in the city centre.
[This is how I would built an airport-to-aiport metro in HCMC.]
Other News
Asia
Asia has wary welcome for G7's answer to Belt and Road
“A plan by the Group of Seven nations to counter Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative has been welcomed by countries in China’s immediate orbit of influence but will need to overcome doubts about Western commitment to emerging market projects.
The Build Back Better World initiative, or (B3W), was promoted at last week’s G7 summit in the UK but remains light on details and is not expected to become a reality for some years.”
Cambodia
Chroy Changva authorities clear resident’s land near OCIC Satellite City
Cambodia eyes construction of Phnom Penh Logistics Centre next year
Vietnamese being trafficked by Chinese nationals to work in Cambodian casinos, officials warn
“After being offered jobs online, Vietnamese have been forced to work 16-hour shifts and were physically assaulted when they tried to escape.”
Laos
New Houaphan airport 92% complete
“The construction project of the Nong Khang Airport in Houaphan Province is 92% complete but has suffered delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Malaysia
Johor South SME looks forward to KL-JB high-speed rail
“Johor businesses are still hopeful and looking forward to a Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru high-speed rail (HSR) link.”
Special Report: Second Home dream crushed as pandemic puts MM2H in limbo
Malaysian urban dwellers 'reclaim' city land, one garden at a time
Philippines
P20-B Cebu town reclamation project gets PRA nod
“The Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) has finally approved the PHP20-billion Ming-Mori reclamation project in the southern town of Minglanilla in Cebu.”
LRT-2 extension inauguration moved to July 5
Singapore
Keppel working on project to explore floating city in Singapore
“Keppel chief executive officer and executive director Loh Chin Hua disclosed this at the World Cities Summit on Tuesday (June 22), during a panel discussion on how cities can take the lead in responding to climate, social and technological change.”
'filter city' proposes hybrid urban prototype for a pandemic future in Singapore
Thailand
One of the world’s most congested cities has big public transport plans
“Thailand’s government hopes a new Bangkok railway station can solve the city’s traffic woes.”
Bangkok transports visitors around town on electric tuk-tuks and ferry boats
Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City looks to get its own back
“The city, has 10 percent of Vietnam's population but generates 22 percent of Vietnam's GDP. It is not just the nation's financial and entrepreneurial dynamo, it's also the still-not-entirely-reconciled former capital of anti-Communist "South Vietnam." Since liberation, the sprawling city has sent most of its tax revenues to the central government for redistribution to poorer parts of Vietnam.”
Hanoi ranked among most stressful cities in the world to live in
“But it turns out, Vietnam's capital is less stressful than other Asian cities like Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok.”
Vietnamese architects are leaders in the architecture of the information age
“Over the past few years, Vietnamese architects have been developing a new architecture beyond modernism for small projects such as houses and schools. Architects around the world are taking notice and are beginning to follow their Vietnamese peers with similar designs.”