North-South express railway to cost over 58.7 billion USD
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.
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s first express railway running from Hanoito Ho Chi Minh City will cost around 58.7 billion USD, according to apre-feasibility report announced at the Ministry of Transport’s meeting onNovember 12.
A group of state-owned consultancy companies including the TransportEngineering Design Incorporation (TEDI), the Transport Engineering DesignIncorporation in the South (TEDIS) and the Transport Investment andConstruction Consultant Company (TRICC) suggested building a rail route of1,545 kilometres running through 20 cities and provinces.
They said that 60 percent of the tracks will be on viaducts, 10 percentunderground, and 30 percent on surface. The route will have double standard-gaugetracks of 1,435-mm, 24 stations, five depots and 42 maintenance facilities.
The route will be divided into three sections for separate investment andconstruction. 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 MinhCity (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 intooperation during 2030-2040 or 2045.
The construction is recommended to be made based on public investment orpublic-private partnership modes.
At first, the electric multiple unit (EMU) train will run at a speed of 200 kilometresper hour, and 320 kilometres per hour later.
Earlier in July, the ministry reported to thePrime Minister on the high-speed train project’s progress. Specifically, thepre-feasibility report was scheduled to be completed in the end of November. Oncereceiving the National Assembly’s approval, relevant sides will carry outfeasibility study, technical designs and site clearance during 2020-2025.Construction will begin in 2026 and be completed by 2050.-VNA
Enhancing safety and capacity are the top priorities for the railway sector as it receives a much-needed package of 7 trillion VND (around 308 million USD) from the State budget.
The new north-south high-speed railway connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City over a distance of 1.545km is expected to run mainly on elevated sections and below ground to avoid creating more level crossings.
Communication works should be carried out in an effective manner to raise public awareness of the important role of the urban railway to the city’s development, according to Chairman of the Hanoi Railway One Member Limited Company Vu Hong Truong.
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Illustrative photo (Photo: Texas Central) 
