According to its proposal sent to local authorities on Wednesday, Deo Ca said that the metro line connecting the beach city of Danang to the UNESCO-listed ancient town of Hoi An will be developed under the public-private partnership (PPP) model combined with transit-oriented development (TOD).

Hoi An was in the former Quang Nam province, which is now part of Danang following a recent administrative merger.

The firm said it had evaluated several options and found MRT (mass rapid transit) and monorail systems most suitable for the area’s terrain, infrastructure and funding capacity.

The project could be completed by 2030, with possible extensions to Tam Ky and Chu Lai in later phases, it noted. Land development along the route would be leveraged to support financial sustainability, the company added.

Based on its evaluation, Deo Ca has asked for permission to prepare a project dossier in September, in line with Vietnam’s PPP and railway laws.

Le Quang Nam, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, welcomed the firm’s proposal, saying that the city would assess investor suitability and ensure a transparent bidding process.

Under Danang’s transport master plan, the city targets two metro lines totaling 24 km by 2030, expanding to three lines spanning 49 km by 2040, and eventually 11 lines with 131 km by 2045.

In the first eight months of this year, Danang welcomed 12.8 million overnight visitors, up 20.8% year-on-year, including five million foreign travellers, up 23.4%, according to the local statistics office.