East-West Highway (Vo Van Kiet Boulevard)
The 22-kilometre east-west arterial that gives Thu Thiem its long-distance connectivity. From the District 6 western boundary, through District 1, into the Thu Thiem Tunnel, and onward eastward toward the Long Thanh expressway.
- Common names
- East-West Highway / Vo Van Kiet Blvd
- Length
- ~22 km
- Lanes
- 6–10 (varies)
- Opened
- 2011 (full corridor)
- Connects
- District 6 ↔ Thu Thiem ↔ Long Thanh
The corridor at a glance
The East-West Highway is the 22-kilometre arterial corridor that runs across the southern half of Ho Chi Minh City. The corridor was conceived as a single road from the start: a long, multi-lane boulevard with the Saigon River crossed by the immersed-tube Thu Thiem Tunnel rather than another bridge, terminating eastward in the new Thu Thiem urban area and onward to the Long Thanh expressway.
On the District 1 side, the corridor runs as Vo Van Kiet Boulevard along the southern bank of the Ben Nghe canal. East of the tunnel, the corridor continues as Mai Chi Tho Boulevard through Thu Duc City and onward to the Long Thanh interchange. The full corridor opened in segments through 2011, with the tunnel completion as the final piece.
Role for Thu Thiem
For Thu Thiem residents and businesses, the East-West Highway is the long-distance workhorse. It provides:
- Direct access east to the Long Thanh expressway, Dong Nai, Vung Tau, and the eastern industrial zones.
- Western connectivity to Districts 5 and 6, the Cho Lon district, and beyond.
- The principal corridor for trucks, port-bound traffic, and inter-regional freight serving the Cat Lai port complex.
- An alternative to surface streets for north-south District 1 trips at peak times.
East-West Highway FAQs
What is the East-West Highway?
The East-West Highway is a 22-kilometre arterial running across the southern half of Ho Chi Minh City, from the District 6 / Binh Tan western boundary, through District 1 and the Thu Thiem Tunnel, and onward eastward through Thu Duc City toward the Long Thanh expressway. The District 1 segment is named Vo Van Kiet Boulevard after the former Vietnamese prime minister; the Thu Thiem-onward segment is Mai Chi Tho Boulevard.
How does the East-West Highway serve Thu Thiem?
The East-West Highway is the long-distance arterial that Thu Thiem connects to via the Thu Thiem Tunnel. For trips eastward to the Long Thanh expressway, Dong Nai, Vung Tau, or the Ho Chi Minh City eastern industrial zones, the East-West Highway is the primary route. It also provides western connectivity to Districts 5 and 6.