On July 1, authorized by the Hanoi People's Committee, Director of the Department of Transport Nguyen Phi Thuong presented a master plan for investment in the construction of the urban railway system (metro) for the period 2024 - 2045 to the Hanoi People's Council.

Detailed plans

Phase 1: 2024-2030

- Completion of 96.8km of metro lines, including lines 22, 33, and 5.

- Estimated investment:$14.6 billion.

Phase 2: 2031-2035

- Completion of 301km of metro lines, including lines 1, 2A extension to Xuan Mai, lines 4, 6, 7, 8, and connections to satellite cities.

- Estimated investment: $22.5 billion.

Phase 3: 2036-2045

- Completion of over 200km of metro lines, adjusted and supplemented according to the approved Capital Planning and Capital Master Plan.

- Estimated investment: $18.2 billion.

Capital mobilization plan:

- 2024-2035: Hanoi will need the Central Government to support approximately $8.614 billion.

- Post-2035: The city will proactively source capital to invest in additional metro lines.

 The city proposes granting private investors the right to exploit part of the infrastructure and participate in investing and developing planned projects.

A common set of technical standards and key technical parameters will be selected to ensure consistency and synchronization across the entire metro system. This will help optimize investment costs, maintenance, repair, and operational efficiency.

Nguyen Quang Huy - Director of Hanoi Institute of Urban Planning said that ensuring the construction progress of nearly 600km of metro as planned is a huge challenge. Mobilizing $50 billion requires significant political determination.

“Over the past 10 years, we have only built 2 urban railway lines (Nhon - Hanoi Railway Station and Cat Linh - Ha Dong). Therefore, to complete the railway lines as the project's target requires great determination from the entire political system,” said Mr. Huy.

Dam Van Huan - Head of the Urban Committee of Hanoi People's Council - said that building railway lines according to the same standards and technology will save the budget and improve economic efficiency during operation.

“Hanoi's two current railway lines, one is based on European technology, the other is from China. Therefore, building railway lines according to the same standards and technology will save the budget a lot," said Mr. Huan.

Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, Nguyen Thi Tuyen, said that ensuring the urban railway project aligns with other initiatives, such as reducing personal vehicle use in the inner city, is crucial.

“If we do not build a comprehensive public transport infrastructure, traffic jams will still be stuck. Currently, Hanoi only has the Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway line in operation, but when people go to the stations, there are no buses connecting to other locations," said Ms. Tuyen.

Hanoi's ambitious plan to construct a 600km urban railway network by 2045 is a monumental task requiring significant investment, strategic planning, and political will. By adhering to consistent technical standards and integrating the railway project with other public transport initiatives, the city aims to enhance its public transit infrastructure and address traffic congestion effectively.

Quang Phong