The opening follows the completion of the Binh Khanh and Phuoc Khanh cable-stayed bridges and the remaining works along the project's final section.
Phuoc Khanh Bridge, which spans the Long Tau River and connects Ho Chi Minh City with Dong Nai, was the project's final missing link. It successfully completed load testing on September 25, clearing a key technical milestone before the full route opens.
The expressway is expected to provide a more direct route from the Mekong Delta to Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, and the region's major seaports, allowing vehicles to bypass central Ho Chi Minh City.
It will also improve links with the Ho Chi Minh City-Trung Luong Expressway, Ring Road 3, the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway, Long Thanh International Airport, industrial parks, and logistics hubs.
The opening has drawn considerable anticipation from residents. Tran Van Duc, a resident of Tan An Ward in Tay Ninh Province, said his family had postponed a planned trip to Phan Thiet in Lam Dong Province until the expressway was fully connected.
"Taking this route will be more convenient and shorter. We are really looking forward to trying it," he said.
Nguyen Thanh Binh, from Nha Be Commune in Ho Chi Minh City, said he frequently traveled to his hometown in Xuan Loc Commune, Dong Nai. Previously, he had to travel through urban roads before reaching the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway, with congestion sometimes significantly extending the journey.
"Once the expressway is fully open, I will no longer have to take a detour through central Ho Chi Minh City. The trip home will be much shorter," Binh said.
Under the traffic management plan approved by the Department for Roads of Vietnam on September 29, only roadworthy automobiles meeting regulatory requirements will be permitted on the expressway. Motorcycles, mopeds, rudimentary vehicles, and pedestrians will be prohibited.
The maximum speed on the main carriageway will be 90 kilometers per hour, with a minimum speed of 60 kph. On the Binh Khanh and Phuoc Khanh bridges, the maximum speed will be 80 kph.
On the two bridges, trucks weighing more than 7.5 tons and passenger vehicles with more than 29 seats must use the second lane, next to the emergency stopping lane. Passenger cars, pickup trucks and trucks weighing up to 7.5 tons may use both lanes.
Vietnam Expressway Corporation said toll collection would begin across the entire route when it opens. The service fee is set at VND2,000 per passenger car unit per kilometer, with the actual toll depending on vehicle category and distance traveled. Fees will be collected electronically through the ETC system.
After more than 12 years of construction marked by numerous difficulties and delays, the 57.8-kilometer project has completed its major components. The four-lane expressway has two emergency stopping lanes and passes through Tay Ninh Province, Ho Chi Minh City, and Dong Nai.
Construction crews are completing final tasks, including installing road signs and inspecting lighting systems.
The expressway begins at an interchange with the Ho Chi Minh City-Trung Luong Expressway and ends at National Highway 51 and the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway area.
In January 2025, Vietnam Expressway Corporation opened nearly 30 kilometers of the route in two sections: from My Yen Interchange to Nguyen Van Tao Interchange, and from Phuoc An Interchange to National Highway 51.
