VietNamNet Bridge – Hefty investments will be channeled into the upgrade of the north-south railway to allow passenger trains to run at an average speed of 80-90 kilometers per hour and freight trains at 50-60 kilometers per hour by 2020.

Passengers board a north-south train. According to the new railway development strategy until 2020, this means of transportation can meet 1-2% of passenger demand and 1-3% of goods

The current speeds are 60-70 kilometers per hour for north-south passenger trains and 40 kilometers per hours for freight trains.

In addition to the north-south railway, the railway transport development strategy until 2020 with a vision towards 2050 recently approved by the Government is also envisaged upgrading other railways like Yen Vien-Lao Cai, Gia Lam-Haiphong, Hanoi-Thai Nguyen and Hanoi-Lang Son and major railway stations. More overpasses will be built to reduce intersections between railways and roads.

The Ministry of Transport will consider a plan to build a high-speed railway of double tracks, with priorities given to the sections with high demand like Hanoi-Vinh and HCMC-Nha Trang.  

Also in the plan is the building of Hanoi-Lao Cai, Hanoi-Haiphong, Hanoi-Dong Dang, Bien Hoa-Vung Tau, Saigon-Can Tho and Haiphong-Lach Huyen railways as well as international routes connecting Vung Ang-Cha Lo with Laos and Di An-Loc Ninh and the trans-Asia railway.

From 2020 to 2030, the ministry will build a new railway to make it possible for trains to run at 160-200 kilometers per hour. The railway will be upgraded to increase the speed to 350 kilometers per hour.

Under the vision towards 2050, the high-speed double-track railway of 1.4 meter running from north to south will be finished.

In the new railway development strategy, the high-speed railway will not be built in the period from now until 2020 as in the old plan due to its unpopularity.    

SGT