Vietnam’s first express railway running from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City will cost around 58.7 billion USD, according to a pre-feasibility report announced at the Ministry of Transport’s meeting on November 12.


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A group of state-owned consultancy companies including the Transport Engineering Design Incorporation (TEDI), the Transport Engineering Design Incorporation in the South (TEDIS) and the Transport Investment and Construction Consultant Company (TRICC) suggested building a rail route of 1,545 kilometres running through 20 cities and provinces. 

They said that 60 percent of the tracks will be on viaducts, 10 percent underground, and 30 percent on surface. The route will have double standard-gauge tracks of 1,435-mm, 24 stations, five depots and 42 maintenance facilities.

The route will be divided into three sections for separate investment and construction. Rail sections running from Hanoi to Nghe An province’s Vinh city (282.65 kilometres) and from Khanh Hoa province’s Nha Trang city to Ho Chi Minh City (362.15 kilometres) are planned to be constructed in the first phase, which is due to be finished by 2030.

Meanwhile, the section connecting Vinh city and Nha Trang city will be put into operation during 2030-2040 or 2045.

The construction is recommended to be made based on public investment or public-private partnership modes. 

At first, the electric multiple unit (EMU) train will run at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour, and 320 kilometres per hour later.

Earlier in July, the ministry reported to the Prime Minister on the high-speed train project’s progress. Specifically, the pre-feasibility report was scheduled to be completed in the end of November. Once receiving the National Assembly’s approval, relevant sides will carry out feasibility study, technical designs and site clearance during 2020-2025. Construction will begin in 2026 and be completed by 2050.-VNA

WB wants to help Vietnam build eastern North-South Expressway


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The Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway, part of the North-South Expressway, now under construction 


The World Bank (WB) is willing to provide technical support for construction of the eastern sections of the North-South Expressway project and inland waterway projects in Vietnam, officials of the Ministry of Transport said, citing Ousmane Dione, country director for the WB in Vietnam.

According to the ministry, it had a meeting on traffic projects in Vietnam with Ousmane Dione on November 6.

At the meeting, Dione said the WB would develop the general design, as well as the construction and financing plan for eastern sections of the North-South Expressway project. The WB has mobilized some US$400,000 in grants from the global infrastructure development fund and is willing to raise additional capital for the project, Dione added.

Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The said 654 kilometers of the North-South Expressway project split into 11 components, would be built in the 2017-2020 period. The feasibility study for the section has been approved.

The Ministry of Transport will soon hold a tender to choose the technical consulting company for the project so that site clearance will be started early next year. More than VND5 trillion (US$214.8 million) for the project has been sourced from the State budget, and the ministry will mobilize an additional VND60 trillion from the private sector.

In 2021-2025, the ministry will construct some 700 kilometers of the project, The said, calling for WB cooperation.

In addition, expressway projects to connect urban areas, industrial parks and seaports will be executed during the period. The ministry has assigned the Planning and Investment Department to coordinate with the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam and the WB to ensure these projects can get started in 2021.

Dione also proposed helping Vietnam in the site clearance work for the remaining sections from Tam Ky City of Quang Nam Province to Quang Ngai Province of the Danang-Quang Ngai Expressway project.

Of note, the WB is the largest funder of inland waterway development projects in Vietnam. WB experts are coordinating with the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport to execute a project to develop inland waterway corridors in the south, in a bid to improve traffic on inland waterways in the region, said Dione.

Minister The said waterborne transport has the lowest cost among all means of transport. The southern region has a dense network of rivers and canals, which has the potential to develop inland waterway projects.

He proposed the WB support Vietnam in developing inland waterway projects in the north, as well.


SGT/VNA