An entire expressway linking Ho Chi Minh City with neighboring Dong Nai Province is now open to traffic, helping to ease congestion and considerably cut the travel time from HCMC to the coastal city of Vung Tau.

The entire Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay expressway, which measures a total of 55 kilometers in length, has officially been opened to traffic since Sunday.

The modern expressway looks astonishing from above, with many sections meandering through boundless expanses of lush rubber trees.

The entire expressway runs from the southern metropolis through Long Thanh Town in Dong Nai Province to reach Dau Giay Town in the same province.

The total investment in the expressway is estimated at VND20.63 trillion, which comes from foreign loans. Work on the highway began in December 2009.

Part of the Ho Chi Minh City- Long Thanh- Dau Giay Expressway in Dong Nai Province, which neighbors HCMC. Photo: Tuoi Tre.

The expressway is expected to help reduce traffic jams at the entrances to HCMC from Dong Nai and contribute to the development of suburban areas of HCMC such as Nhon Trach, Long Thanh, and Phu My.

A 20-km section of the highway, which was put into operation in December 2013, now takes drivers only two hours, instead of three hours as previously, to go from HCMC to Vung Tau, Le Manh Hung, director of the expressway project management unit, said earlier.

Part of the Ho Chi Minh City- Long Thanh- Dau Giay Expressway in Dong Nai Province, which neighbors HCMC. Photo: Tuoi Tre.

An overall view of the Ho Chi Minh City- Long Thanh- Dau Giay Expressway. Photo: Tuoi Tre.

Part of the Ho Chi Minh City- Long Thanh- Dau Giay Expressway in Dong Nai Province, which neighbors HCMC. Photo: Tuoi Tre.

Part of the Ho Chi Minh City- Long Thanh- Dau Giay Expressway in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre.

Part of the newly opened Ho Chi Minh City- Long Thanh- Dau Giay Expresway. Photo: Tuoi Tre.

Part of the newly opened Ho Chi Minh City- Long Thanh- Dau Giay Expresway in Long Khanh Bridge. Photo: Tuoi Tre.

A bend in the Ho Chi Minh City- Long Thanh- Dau Giay Expressway. Photo: Tuoi Tre.

The street lighting system on the Ho Chi Minh City- Long Thanh- Dau Giay Expressway. Photo: Tuoi Tre.