Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway prepares for formal opening

Finally, the Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway is set to begin service after a long period of planning and construction.

Preparations for the first day of service are underway at the station, including work on the stairs, elevators, and other facilities.

The Ministry of Transportation is slated to hand over the Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban rail project to Hanoi for operation on November 6, after which the urban railway system may operate immediately. Hanoi will have the last say on the schedule.

In the first phase of the Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway project, members of the State Inspection Council approved the conditional acceptance of the investor.

For the first 15 days, train passengers will be able to use the Cat Linh - Ha Dong railway for free. In addition, the daily entrance charge is set at 30,000 VND/person/day when the facility is operational.

VietNamNet data at various stops of the urban train revealed that the equipment has been nicely cleaned. Lift systems were tested by technicians who remedied any issues that may arise. The building components were guarded by security guards at the stations.

Elevators, including outdoor escalators and elevators for the disabled, were already in use at the new location. For the convenience of passengers, Hanoi's Department of Transportation has placed railway station location signs and moved bus stops near train stations.

The stairwells and walkways of La Thanh station (the junction with Xa Dan street, Dong Da district) are sanitized and ready to welcome visitors. Other stations in Hanoi have already been prepared for the formal transfer date, including Thai Ha and Lang.

There are still areas near some stations where parking or waste storage is taking up space, for instance, a car park at Van Quan station (Mo Lao ward, Ha Dong district).

Thirteen kilometers of track with twelve stops comprise the urban railway that connects the cities of Cat Linh and Ha Dong. Cat Linh station (Ba Dinh district, Hanoi) serves as the beginning point, while Yen Nghia station serves as the final destination for this route (Yen Nghia bus station, Ha Dong district). There are 13 trains in all. Phase 1 is anticipated to run 4-6 trains, with a journey time of 10-15 minutes per train.