For major cities and coastal urban expansions, the question is no longer whether to build transportation infrastructure - but how to choose the right development model to avoid long-term social and environmental consequences.

Speaking at a forum on high-speed green transport and community value held on December 27, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Hong Thai, Vice President of the Vietnam Railway Economics Association and Head of the Department of Transport Economics at the University of Transport and Communications, said high-speed green transport is a “dual key” that opens the door to sustainable, non-compromised growth.

According to Dr. Thai, the element of speed shortens travel time, helping to reduce and control socio-economic disparities between regions.

When combined with green criteria - such as emission reductions, promotion of clean vehicles, and minimal natural encroachment - this development model avoids the risk of turning cities into vast "concrete jungles."

The issue goes beyond simply reducing travel time. It’s about choosing infrastructure models that shape “urban order” - how cities expand, connect, and allocate space for living, working, and services in harmony with sensitive natural areas.

Experts emphasized that if the dominant transport mode is road-based and car-dependent, cities will sprawl uncontrollably, emissions will rise, and people will rely heavily on private vehicles.

Conversely, when the core transport systems are fast, efficient, and low-emission, cities can evolve into multi-centered networks, optimizing resources and reducing long-term social costs.

Furthermore, as ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles become global standards, ESG++ cannot stop at corporate commitments.

It must be activated through concrete infrastructure.

High-speed green transport is the enabler of this mindset, both driving economic growth and laying the foundation for sustainable development.

Experts believe that reduced travel time will lead to a redistribution of land value and encourage capital flows to shift from saturated urban centers toward emerging areas with better quality of life.

From an urban management perspective, high-speed connectivity creates ripple effects, reallocating investment capital in real estate and services.

Architect and Associate Professor Dr. Tran Minh Tung, of the Civil Architecture Group at Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, said instead of focusing on short-term speculative projects, high-speed connectivity promotes sustainable investment models tied to the real value of residential living.

In parallel, investment capital is expected to target eco-cities and international-scale healthcare hubs to tap into population migration trends.

This transition helps curb spontaneous, unplanned urbanization - the so-called “oil spill” model - by replacing it with infrastructure-led development (ILD), where urban expansion follows pre-established planning based on transport and utility infrastructure.

Echoing this, Dr. Nguyen Hong Thai argued that high-speed green transport does more than shift real estate price maps.

It alters the logic of the market - from short-term speculation to long-term investment based on genuine, sustainable value.

When connectivity, environmental quality, and service access are guaranteed, the value of living space will be anchored in quality of life and long-term development potential, rather than speculative expectations.

Hong Khanh