Phu Quoc's 10-Lane Road & LRT: Construction Update

What Is Being Built on Phu Quoc Right Now?

Sun Group is building Vietnam’s first island 10-lane highway and light rail transit (LRT) system on Phu Quoc, and the project has reached 15% completion after just over three months of construction. The DT975 arterial road stretches 19.6 kilometers from Phu Quoc International Airport to the APEC Convention Centre in the south of the island, with a total road width of 62 meters — making Phu Quoc the first island in Vietnam with a 10-lane avenue. Running along the same corridor, the 18-kilometer LRT line will connect the airport to the APEC centre in just 18-20 minutes, with 6 stations, speeds of 70-100 km/h, and capacity for 4,500 passengers per hour. The LRT represents an investment of nearly 9,000 billion VND ($342 million USD) and is scheduled for completion in Q2 2027, ahead of the APEC summit. For the 8.5 million visitors expected in 2026, including growing numbers of dental tourists, this infrastructure will fundamentally change how people move around the island.

This is not a minor road widening project. A 10-lane, 62-meter-wide highway with integrated light rail is the kind of infrastructure you build for a city, not an island. And that is precisely the point — Phu Quoc is becoming a city.

DT975: The Backbone Highway

The DT975 provincial road is being expanded from a two-lane island road into a 10-lane, 62-meter-wide arterial highway — the first of its kind on any Vietnamese island.

Route and Scale

The road runs along the island’s north-south spine, passing through or near every major area on Phu Quoc — from the airport through Duong Dong (the main town), down through the central resort corridor, and into south Phu Quoc where An Thoi Port, the duty-free zone, and the APEC facilities are located.

Current Construction Status

After just over three months of active construction, the DT975 has reached 15% of total work output — an aggressive pace that reflects the APEC 2027 deadline pressure. This is the backbone transportation infrastructure for the island, and it must be operational before world leaders arrive.

Phu Quoc LRT: Vietnam’s First Island Light Rail

Running along the DT975 corridor, the LRT is the more technically ambitious component of the project.

Technical Specifications

Construction Progress (March 2026)

The LRT construction is in its early infrastructure phase:

• Airport tunnel section: Service roads currently under construction
• APEC area tunnel: Pile boring has begun
• Overpasses: Preparation stages — concrete mixing plants and precast beam manufacturing facilities being established
• Geological survey: Drilling for construction design drawings approximately 80% complete

The combination of tunnels, elevated sections, and ground-level track means the LRT adapts to Phu Quoc’s terrain rather than requiring the island to be flattened for it. Underground sections near the airport and APEC centre keep the rail invisible in key areas, while elevated sections through the central corridor provide views and preserve ground-level traffic flow.

What This Means for Dental Tourists

Phu Quoc’s top dental clinics — Tri Hao Dental (#1 rated, 5.0 stars, 218 reviews) and Phu Quoc Luxury Dental (#2 rated, 5.0 stars, 54 reviews) — are in Duong Dong, the island’s main town. Currently, getting around the island requires Grab rides or taxis. The DT975 + LRT changes this equation entirely.

Before (2025 and Earlier)

• Airport to Duong Dong clinics: 15-25 minutes by taxi, 40,000-80,000 VND ($1.50-$3)
• Airport to south Phu Quoc: 25-40 minutes, traffic-dependent
• No public transport option
• Post-procedure patients dependent on taxi availability

After (Q2 2027 Onward)

• Airport to any point on the main corridor: 18-20 minutes by LRT, fixed schedule
• 10-lane highway eliminates traffic bottlenecks for taxi/Grab users
• 6 stations provide hop-on/hop-off access along the spine of the island
• 4,500 passengers per hour capacity means no overcrowding
• Predictable, air-conditioned transport — ideal after dental procedures

Practical Impact for Dental Trips

Arriving for treatment: Fly into Phu Quoc Airport, walk to the LRT station, and reach Duong Dong in minutes. No haggling with taxi drivers, no navigation stress.

Post-procedure recovery: After implant surgery or veneer placement, the last thing you want is a bumpy taxi ride. A smooth, air-conditioned LRT ride back to your hotel is significantly more comfortable.

Multi-day treatment plans: Procedures like All-on-4 or braces require multiple clinic visits. Fixed-schedule LRT service makes planning daily appointments predictable and stress-free.

Exploring between appointments: With 6 stations along the island’s spine, dental tourists can easily visit beaches, restaurants, and attractions between appointments without renting a motorbike or depending on Grab.

Plan Your Dental Trip — Compare all verified Phu Quoc clinics with real pricing on SmileJet.

The Sun Group Ecosystem Effect

What makes Phu Quoc’s infrastructure development unique is that a single company — Sun Group — is building almost everything:

This integrated approach means the airline brings patients to the island, the highway and LRT move them efficiently, the hospital provides medical backup, and the resorts handle recovery. For dental tourists, this end-to-end infrastructure ecosystem is unusually comprehensive.

Connection to APEC 2027

The DT975 and LRT are two of 21 key projects being fast-tracked for the APEC 2027 summit, with total investment of 137.13 trillion VND ($5.25 billion USD). Other major projects include:

• Phu Quoc International Airport expansion
• An Thoi Port upgrades for international logistics and cruise tourism
• APEC Convention and Exhibition Centre
• Multi-purpose performing arts theatre
• Healthcare facility upgrades across the island

The APEC deadline creates a hard completion target that ensures these projects are not delayed indefinitely — a common risk with large infrastructure in developing markets. When world leaders are expected, roads get built on time.

Related Resources

• APEC 2027: $5.25B Infrastructure Upgrade — full investment breakdown
• Sun PhuQuoc Airways & Dental Tourism — first Taipei route launched
• Sun International Hospital Opens — new hospital in south Phu Quoc
• Vinh Dam Bay Development — south Phu Quoc’s emerging hotspot
• Tri Hao Dental — #1 rated clinic, 5.0 stars, 218 reviews. Book on SmileJet
• Phu Quoc Luxury Dental — #2 rated, 5.0 stars, 54 reviews. Book on SmileJet
• How to Get from HCMC to Phu Quoc — current travel options

The Bottom Line

Phu Quoc is building city-grade infrastructure on an island — a 10-lane, 62-meter highway and an 18 km light rail system connecting the airport to the south coast in 18 minutes. At 15% completion after three months, the project is on pace for its APEC 2027 deadline. For dental tourists, the LRT will transform the island experience: predictable, comfortable, affordable transport from airport to clinic to hotel to beach, with no taxi dependency. Combined with world-class dental clinics offering 60-80% savings, three hospitals providing safety backup, and direct international flights from across Asia, Phu Quoc is assembling every piece needed to become Southeast Asia’s next major dental tourism destination.

Sources: Dan Tri, VietnamPlus, March 2026