Ministry of Transport looks to revamp railway network
Various actions have been taken to bring a new face for the Vietnamese railway system in the future.
According to the Ministry of Transport, an investment policy for the North-South high-speed railway is expected to be announced in September and launched in 2028.
It will begin with the construction of sections from Hanoi to Vinh (Nghe An province) and from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa province) at a total cost of VND112 trillion (US$4.93 billion).
When the 1.435-meter gauge routes are complete, the existing one-meter gauge tracks will be used exclusively for cargo transport.
The high-speed railroad will run 1,545 kilometers and have a maximum speed of 320 kilometers per hour.
It will be a key transport project and provinces need to cooperate with the ministry to develop urban areas along the route.
Vietnam currently has seven main railway routes running 2,440 kilometers.
Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has assigned the Ministry of Transport to work with Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ba Ria Vung Tau provinces and Ho Chi Minh City on the plan to invest in the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau route and the 38km Thu Thiem-Long Thanh route at a total investment of about VND50.2 trillion in the public-private partnership (PPP) format.
Meanwhile, a feasibility report for the 174km Ho Chi Minh-Can Tho project has been carried out and is expected to be finished in the fourth quarter of this year, enabling the project to be launched before 2030.
The government plans to build nine new lines by 2030 with a total length of 2,362 kilometers, including the North-South line.
By 2050, it hopes to have a total of 25 routes running 6,354 kilometers.