The Ministry of Transport and Communications on August 12 announced the Prime Minister’s decision on a plan for the Long Thanh International Airport in the southeastern province of Dong Nai.

The plan envisages that the 5,000 ha Long Thanh International Airport in Long Thanh district will be built in three phases from 2015 and completed by 2035.

The first phase, from now until 2020, will cost about 6.7 billion USD, including 696.5 million USD for land clearance compensation.

In the second phase that ends in 2030, the airport will have three runways and be capable of handling 50 million passengers and 1.5 million tonnes of cargo a year.

In the third phase after 2030, the airport will have four runways and the capacity to serve 100 million passengers and handle five million tonnes of cargo a year.

The airport's southwestern gateway will be connected with the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway and the airport's northeastern gateway will be linked with the Ho Chi Minh City 's Ring Road No. 4.

Meanwhile, the HCM City- Nha Trang Express Railway and the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh Urban Railway will be linked to the airport's passenger terminal via an underground station.

According to Transport Minister Dinh La Thang, by 2020 the country will have 10 international airports. /.