Da Nang Metro: Proposed rail transit network for Da Nang and Hoi An

The Da Nang Metro is a proposed rail transit system for the city of Da Nang in Central Vietnam. There have been various proposals over the years that include underground and elevated metro rail, trams, light rail, and BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) systems. The network will also extend to Hoi An and Tam Ky, which are now in Da Nang after the merger of Quang Nam province in 2025.

There isn’t a name for this system, so this article is called Da Nang Metro until the official name is known.

Da Nang is the third-largest city in Vietnam by population, and its geographical location halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City makes it an ideal business hub in Vietnam. Da Nang has been designated as a financial hub of Vietnam (alongside Ho Chi Minh CIty). Da Nang is also a popular tourism centre, with Hoi An being one of the most visited destinations in Vietnam.

Plans for a metro system were mentioned in 2012, with a proposed pre-feasibility study in 2013. A feasibility study for a tramway project was announced in 2014, and by 2017 the city was calling for investors for a transit network.

In 2019 South Korea’s Seoul Metro Corporation proposed a network with 2 metro and 8 tramway lines. Covid put a dampener on planning in 2020, and then an update in 2021 called for 3 lines:

– East-West Line
Nam O 1 residential area (Lien Chieu District), downtown areas, My Khe Beach (Son Tra District).

– South-North Line
Son Tra Tinh Vien nature reserve on Son Tra Peninsula, Da Nang Airport, Khue Trung (Cam Le District).

– Da Nang – Hoi An Line

In 2025 the proposed system includes almost 300 km of railways, connecting the future high-speed railway station, Da Nang International Airport, My Khe Beach, Hoi An, Tam Ky, and Chu Lai Airport.

The links below are an archive of news updates, studies, and reports. These include diagrams and maps of potential routes. I will make a map one more detailed routes have been published.

Another proposal is for a Da Nang – Lang Co Line (Hue).

Links And Resources

The Study on the Integrated Development Strategy for Danang City and Its Neighboring Area FINAL REPORT [PDF]
Part IV: Danang City Development Master Plan.

News Archive

2025

Central Vietnam hub Danang seeks private investment for urban railways – [31/10/25]
“With plans for 16 urban railway lines spanning over 200 kilometers, Danang is prioritizing private investment to develop a modern public transport-oriented urban model.”

[The planned urban rail system in Danang city, central Vietnam. Photo courtesy of the municipal Department of Construction.]

Da Nang will plan and build nearly 300km of urban railway – [24/10/25]
“…the Da Nang urban railway system will include 16 routes, a total length of 294 km, connecting important locations inside and outside the city. In the first phase, Da Nang prioritizes investment in 2 routes: the route connecting Da Nang – Hoi An – Tam Ky – Chu Lai international airport and the route connecting the high-speed railway station with the central urban railway station.”

Da Nang prioritizes building an urban railway connecting the airport with Hoi An. – [24/10/25]
“In the urban railway system, the priority research route includes the first route connecting Da Nang International Airport – Hoi An – Tam Ky – Chu Lai.

This route is divided into 2 phases. Phase 1 connects Da Nang International Airport to Hoi An, including LRT2 railway connecting Da Nang Airport – My Khe Beach, more than 7km long, and MRT2 connecting Vietnam – Korea University – Da Nang Station, currently more than 17km long with investment plan from 2025-2030.

Phase 2 of the post-2030 investment plan connects Hoi An – Tam Ky – Chu Lai.

Line 2: The priority for research is the railway connecting the high-speed railway station to the Central Urban Railway Station. The goal of this railway line is to serve the connection between the National High-Speed ​​Railway Station area and the city center area.

This route will be implemented according to the progress of the national high-speed railway project through Da Nang city.”

Urban rail connecting Da Nang, Hoi An proposed – [16/09/25]
“The urban traffic route, designed with Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in mind, will be developed through a joint venture of key investors including Kita Group, Futa Group, China Design Group, CRRC Chongqing, Arup, A2Z and Kim Long Motors, with financial support from the two private banks – VPBank and TPBank.”

“Earlier, the city held a session with Thaco Group on urban railway routes connecting Da Nang, Tam Ky, and Chu Lai.

Da Nang is seeking investment for 11 Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines, three tourism LRT routes and two Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) systems to support future traffic and tourism growth.”

Deo Ca Group says to complete Da Nang–Hoi An urban railway by 2030 – [12/09/25]

Transport infrastructure builder Deo Ca eyes metro line in Vietnam’s central tourism hub – [11/09/25]

Da Nang wants THACO to research and participate in urban railway project – [17/08/25]
“Da Nang City leaders want THACO to participate in researching and investing in the urban railway project connecting Da Nang airport – Hoi An – Chu Lai airport.”

Da Nang explores new urban rail link to connect with Quang Nam – [10/05/25]
“Da Nang has established a task force to study the potential investment in an urban railway project that would connect the city with neighboring Quang Nam Province.”

Da Nang sets up working group to study investment in urban railway connecting Quang Nam – [10/05/25]
“The People’s Committee of Da Nang City has just decided to establish a Working Group to study investment in the Da Nang – Quang Nam urban railway line (hereinafter referred to as the Working Group).”

Will there be a railway connecting Da Nang to Hoi An ancient town after the merger? – [21/04/25]
“In the list of 277 projects announced by Quang Nam province to prioritize investment attraction in 2025, there is an urban railway connecting Da Nang city with the ancient town of Hoi An. This information is receiving much attention because such a railway line existed in history.”

Central Vietnam province Quang Nam calls for investment in 277 projects – [21/04/25]
“Quang Nam province is also calling for investment in urban railways connecting its tourism town of Hoi An and Chu Lai Economic Zone with the neighbouring coastal city of Da Nang.

These two urban railway projects aim to comprehensively develop the province’s strategic transportation infrastructure system with five modes of transport: road, rail, inland waterway, maritime, and air, in a modern way consistent with national planning orientation.”

Quang Nam prioritises investment in 2 urban railways to Da Nang. – [21/04/25]
“Quang Nam prioritises attracting investment in two new projects within the region: the Hoi An – Da Nang and Chu Lai – Da Nang urban railways.”

Hoi An – Da Nang urban railway project – [16/04/25]
“Quang Nam has a golden opportunity to enhance its socio-economic and tourism development with the urban railway linking Hoi An and Da Nang.”

Building and expanding transport infrastructure links in economic development cooperation – [06/04/25]
“The construction of a public transport route (such as an urban railway or an equivalent system) to connect Da Nang with Hoi An in Quang Nam Province and Lang Co Town in Hue City will be carried out.”

2024

Beach hub calls investment on urban railway system – [17/11/24]
“The central city of Đà Nẵng has called for investment on an urban railway route connecting the Đà Nẵng International Airport and tourism beach of Mỹ Khê on 14.9km in the Master Plan 2021-30, vision 2050.”

Central Vietnam hub Danang seeks investment for urban railway airport link – [14/11/24]
“Under the masterplan, the central city aims to develop two MRT (mass rapid transit) lines and two LRT (light rail transit) routes by 2030, followed by another four LRT lines and one BRT (bus rapid transit) route by 2045.”

Da Nang researches on public transport-oriented urban development – [20/04/24]
“For Da Nang, in the content of the Da Nang Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050 issued by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1287/QD-TTg dated November 2, 2023, land funds (underground, surface) are pre-arranged and suitable for terminal and transfer stations (underground, surface, elevated) of MRT (Mass Rapid Transport) and LRT (Light Rail Transit) systems with an orientation to boost the development of these stations according to the TOD model, synchronously connecting with other types of public passenger transport (buses, public bicycles, taxis) combined with centralised trade and service development planning.”

2023

Da Nang strives to complete transportation network as a logistics centre – [10/11/23]
“…the city also eyes the building of 2 MRT lines, 11 LRT lines, 3 tourist LRT lines or other methods equivalent to transportation capacity and speed, a public transport line (urban railway or other equivalent method) connecting Da Nang with Hoi An in Quang Nam Province and Lang Co Town in neighbouring Thua Thien Hue Province.”

Quang Nam plans urban railway line connecting Da Nang and Chu Lai airports – [04/07/23]
“According to the plan of Quang Nam province, the urban railway will connect Da Nang city from Tran Dai Nghia street through the axes connecting to Chu Lai airport.”

2022

Urban traffic planning in Da Nang approved – [04/07/22]
“For urban transport system planning, heed is paid to conducting the classification and organisation of urban road network, urban railway lines (on the ground, overhead, underground works), locations and the scale of railway stations, parking lots in urban areas and traffic hubs.”

2021

Da Nang seeks investment for $2 bln metro routes – [03/03/21]
“The central city of Da Nang is seeking investors for two metro routes with an estimated investment of VND54.5 trillion ($2.37 billion).”

2019

Seoul Metro to build Da Nang’s first railway system – [21/03/19]
“Seoul Metro, the operator of Seoul’s subway lines 1 through 8, signed a special memorandum of agreement with the People’s Committee of Vietnam at the committee’s regional office in Da Nang”.

South Korean metro operator proposes $3 billion Da Nang urban railway – [25/02/19]
“South Korea’s Seoul Metro Corporation has proposed a Da Nang rail network with 2 metro and 8 tramway lines.”

2018

Foreign funding sought for Da Nang-Hoi An metro line in central Vietnam – [23/11/18]
“Da Nang City is seeking foreign investment for a metro line from the Da Nang International Airport to ancient Hoi An Town. The line will run 33 kilometers (20.5 miles) along the coast and reduce road congestion, authorities say.”

South Korea pledges to assist Da Nang in planning urban railway system – [14/07/18]

Seoul Metro to construct urban railway in Vietnam – [18/01/18]
“Seoul Metro, operator of Seoul Subway Lines 1 – 8, will participate in construction of urban railway in Da Nang, Vietnam. This will be the first city railway built in Da Nang.”

Seoul Metro advises Danang on elevated railways – [18/01/18]

2017

Investment appeal for Da Nang-Hoi An electronic railway line – [20/10/17]
“In the seminar of attracting investment into infrastructure under the Invest Da Nang Forum 2017 last week, Quang Nam province and Da Nang city promoted the project of Da Nang – Hoi An electric railway line.”

Da Nang leaders seek investment in railway linking city center with Hoi An – [17/10/17]

Da Nang wants investment in infrastructure projects – [15/10/17]
“Central Da Nang City is calling for investment in a metro line project to connect it with its neighboring city of Quang Nam Province’s Hoi An.”

Case study of Da Nang City [PDF] – [September 2017]
“Reviews of the transport master plan of Da Nang City”.

2014

Central city studies tramway feasibility – [10/11/14]
“The central city of Da Nang has assigned the municipal Transport Department to collaborate with Peterson International Inc (PI) and Emerging Asean Capital Partners (EACP) on carrying out a feasibility study for a tramway project.”

2013

Marubeni eyes on metro construction in Da Nang – [13/08/13]
“Japan’s Marubeni company will conduct a pre-feasibility study of the metro system project in Da Nang, director of the city’s investment promotion centre Lam Quang Minh has said.”

2012

Italy’s Geo-Data Engineering seeks involvement in Da Nang’s metro project
“Geo-Data Engineering has a great interest in the urban transport system of Da Nang and wants to become involved in the implementation of the city’s metro project. This was announced by Mr Giuseppe Astore, Technical Director of the Bangalore Office of Geo-Data Engineering Group, during a recent meeting with the Vice Chairman of Da Nang People’s Committee, Mr Nguyen Ngoc Tuan.”