Fast Rail line scheduled for June 2027 completion

Photo by Phuong Linh / VnExpress

Phu Quoc's first light rail line is being pushed towards trial operations in June 2027, with the airport-to-south-island route expected to cut the journey to about 20 minutes once it opens commercially.

Work advances across the 17.5km route

The line will connect Phu Quoc International Airport with the APEC International Conference and Exhibition Center. The first phase is being delivered under a build-operate-transfer model at a cost of nearly VND9 trillion (US$342 million), after construction began in late 2025.

Sun Group, the project's investor, says teams are working on bridges, tunnels and the roadbed. All bored piles for bridge foundations are complete, while pier foundations have reached about 63% and the piers themselves 56%. Roadbed excavation and sand filling are each around 97%, with earth filling at approximately 79%.

Three shifts keep the project moving

Nearly 600 engineers, supervisors and workers are operating across three daily shifts. Ground-level rail installation is due to begin in late August, followed by elevated and tunnel sections in October. The first trains are expected to reach the island in January and February 2027 for installation and testing preparations.

The timetable calls for the system to enter trials in June 2027 and begin commercial service in August. The railway is one of several major transport projects being accelerated before Phu Quoc hosts the APEC Economic Leaders' Week in 2027.

Weather and geology remain obstacles

Seasonal rain has flooded sections of roadbed and complicated drainage work. Hard soil and rock at two tunnel sites also forced contractors to replace the planned steel sheet-piling method with open excavation. Crews have had to pump water continuously and manage erosion and slope stability, while also coordinating work around existing power lines and the island's main water pipeline.

What it means for foreigners in Vietnam

For residents and visitors, the main benefit should be a faster public transport connection between the airport and southern Phu Quoc, reducing reliance on taxis and private transfers. The June 2027 date is a trial target rather than a passenger opening: commercial services are currently planned for August, and travellers should expect construction activity and possible local diversions while work continues.

10 August 2026