Getting Around from Grand Marina: Airport, Thu Thiem Tunnel and Key Roads

One of the first questions buyers and tenants ask is: "How long does it take to reach the airport, cross to Thu Thiem, or get into the city from Grand Marina?" The address — No. 02 Ton Duc Thang, Ben Nghe, District 1 — places the project right at the junction of some of Ho Chi Minh City's most important arteries. This article focuses on road connectivity — the airport, the river tunnel, the bridges and the main thoroughfares — as a logistics angle that complements our separate piece on Metro Line 1.

How long does it take to reach Tan Son Nhat Airport?

Tan Son Nhat Airport is about 8 km from Grand Marina, typically a 20–35 minute drive depending on the time of day.

At 8 km, this is one of the shortest airport runs you can get from a riverside luxury project in the city core. The common route is Ton Duc Thang → Dinh Tien Hoang / Nguyen Thi Minh Khai → Nam Ky Khoi Nghia → Nguyen Van Troi → Truong Son, which leads straight into the domestic and international terminals.

The morning (7:00–9:00) and evening (17:00–19:00) peaks along the Nam Ky Khoi Nghia – Nguyen Van Troi corridor tend to be busy, so residents usually book a car 10–15 minutes earlier. Outside those windows, real-world times are often closer to the 20–25 minute mark.

The Thu Thiem tunnel and the link to the new urban area

The Saigon River tunnel (Thu Thiem tunnel) is only about 2 km from Grand Marina, putting the new Thu Thiem urban area just minutes away.

Grand Marina sits on the District 1 bank, facing the Thu Thiem New Urban Area (657 ha) across the river. To cross to the Thu Thiem side, residents have two main options:

• Thu Thiem tunnel (the Saigon River tunnel) — about 2 km away, linking District 1 to the Mai Chi Tho boulevard on the Thu Thiem side.
• Ba Son Bridge (Thu Thiem Bridge 2) — completed, spanning directly from the Ba Son area to Thu Thiem and cutting the journey considerably.

Thanks to the Ba Son bridge right beside the project, reaching Thu Thiem's future financial and administrative core is very convenient, opening up a new direction of growth and a fresh pool of tenants for the area. For a clearer sense of how these neighbourhoods differ, see Ba Son vs Thao Dien vs Thu Thiem: Which Location to Buy?

Ton Duc Thang — the project's transport backbone

Ton Duc Thang, the riverside road in front of the project, is the main artery connecting Grand Marina directly to the District 1 core.

The project's official address is No. 02 Ton Duc Thang — a riverside road that flows seamlessly to Bach Dang Wharf, the Opera House, the Nguyen Hue walking street and the Dong Khoi area. From there, the centre's one-way road network lets you fan out in every direction quickly.

A few familiar destinations within a very short radius:

• Opera House, Nguyen Hue and Ben Thanh — within 1 km.
• Saigon Zoo (Thao Cam Vien) — within 500 m.
• Vincom Dong Khoi ~1 km; Saigon Centre/Takashimaya ~1.2 km; Diamond Plaza ~1.3 km; Ben Thanh Market ~1.5 km.

In other words, most daily needs — dining, shopping, offices, entertainment — sit within walking distance or a few minutes' drive, which is rare for a riverside project. For the full picture, see the project's Location & connectivity page.

If you would like to know exactly how long it takes from a specific unit to the airport or to your office, let us calculate it for your real schedule.

Reference drive-time table

Most key destinations sit within roughly a 5–35 minute drive of Grand Marina.

These figures are indicative only, based on published distances and typical traffic; actual times vary with the hour of the day and road conditions. They are general estimates, not a guarantee of travel time.

Why easy connectivity matters for owner-occupiers and investors

Strong road connectivity both improves daily living and keeps a residence attractive to premium tenants.

For owner-occupiers, being close to the airport and the centre means saving hours every week. For investors, the target tenant pool for branded residences — expatriate professionals, company executives and long-stay guests — typically ranks "quick travel" very highly when choosing where to live. A riverside District 1 location, close to both the airport and the Thu Thiem financial district, is a persuasive case for steady rental demand; this theme is analysed in more depth in Why Ba Son's Location Drives Rental Demand in District 1.

According to market research firms such as Knight Frank and Savills (figures published in 2023–2024), branded residences are typically priced 25–35% above comparable non-branded apartments — partly thanks to their core locations and connectivity. This is a market reference for your consideration, not a promise of price growth; actual results depend on the project, timing and policy.

The Ba Son context and the full connectivity picture

Grand Marina's connectivity advantage stems from the very history of the Ba Son site — District 1's riverside gateway.

The Ba Son land was a shipyard for more than 200 years before being master-planned into one of the city's most valuable riverside complexes; that story is told in Ba Son History: 200-Year Shipyard to Prime District 1 Land. That gateway position is exactly why the road network — Ton Duc Thang, the Ba Son bridge and the Thu Thiem tunnel — converges right beside the project.

In short, Grand Marina's connectivity picture has four complementary layers:

• Central roads: the Ton Duc Thang artery and the District 1 road network.
• River crossings: the Ba Son bridge and the Thu Thiem tunnel to the new urban area.
• Airport: Tan Son Nhat ~8 km.
• Urban rail: Ba Son station on Metro Line 1, only ~250 m away (now operating).

Having road, river and metro access all at one address is what sets this location apart. If you are new to the concept of branded residences, What are branded residences? will give you the background before you dive into individual units.

Each tower and floor at Grand Marina has a different outlook and approach — and that affects how convenient daily life feels.