National Assembly delegation surveys Lao Cai - Hanoi railway project

Today (February 4), the National Assembly delegation led by Mr. Nguyen Minh Son, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly's Economic Committee, conducted a field survey of the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong Railway Construction Investment Project.

Early investment in railways connecting seaports and economic zones in Hai Phong is crucial.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Son stated that, in accordance with the assignment of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the Economic Committee, in coordination with the National Ethnic Council and other National Assembly Committees, is reviewing the investment policy for the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway construction project, which is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and approval at an extraordinary session in February 2025.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Son, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly's Economic Committee - Head of the survey delegation and members of the delegation, leaders of Hai Phong City listened to Mr. Vu Hong Phuong, Director of the Railway Project Management Board clarify the contents of the investment project to build the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway line passing through the Hai Phong area (Photo: Ta Hai).

At Lach Huyen port, Mr. Dao Ngoc Vinh, General Director of the Transport Engineering Design Consulting Corporation (TEDI), representing the consulting consortium that prepared the pre-feasibility study report for the project, stated that the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway line is expected to pass through 9 provinces and cities, with a total investment length of approximately 403.1km, including: a main line of 388.1km and 2 branch lines of 15km.

In Hai Phong city, the line runs parallel to the expressway to Hai Phong South Station (Kien Thuy district). This is the main station for passenger and freight trains. The line continues to the Lach Huyen port area, which is the end point of the route. Between Hai Phong South Station and Lach Huyen Port Station, there is a railway branch connecting to Dinh Vu Port.

Regarding connection, from Nam Hai Phong station, it connects to the urban railway according to the planning of Hai Phong city to collect and release passengers to the city center. Also from the station area, there is a railway branch connecting to Nam Do Son port, about 12.63km long, with a capital demand of about 4,200 billion VND; however, according to the consultant, it will be invested in phase 2 when the demand is large enough.

Contributing to the project research, Mr. Le Tien Chau, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Hai Phong City Party Committee, Head of the Hai Phong National Assembly Delegation, proposed investing in a railway branch to Nam Do Son station at the same time as the project, to meet the transportation needs here.

According to Mr. Chau, in addition to the two "start-up" ports that will be operational around 2030, Nam Do Son port is attracting investment interest from many large domestic and foreign partners because it is a deep-water port, very convenient for receiving large ships.

Also in this area, according to the plan, a new economic zone of more than 20,000 hectares will be developed, attracting the attention of many investors, and progress will be implemented soon.

The Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway route passes through Hai Phong and is expected to be at Lach Huyen port station according to the pre-feasibility report (Photo: Ta Hai).

The Secretary of the Hai Phong City Party Committee proposed that, if it is not yet possible to include this railway branch in the project's capital, Hai Phong is ready to invest in this railway branch using local funds to ensure it is operational in conjunction with the entire line from 2030. Hai Phong also requested a change in the location of the Lach Huyen port station to avoid the road behind the port that Hai Phong is currently constructing.

Clarifying the contents, Mr. Vu Hong Phuong, Director of the Railway Project Management Board, said that in the railway network planning with a vision to 2050, it has been determined that on the East-West corridor, there will be a new railway line with a gauge of 1,435mm, operating passenger and freight trains for international connections. The 1,000mm gauge railway line Hanoi - Hai Phong will also be upgraded to transport passengers for tourism and transport freight for some cargo routes.

Regarding the location of Lach Huyen port station, learning from international experience, the railway does not "go" deep into the wharf, but connects to the cargo yards, convenient for transport exploitation, especially the operation of classifying goods before loading onto ships.

"The Board and consultants will accept Hai Phong's proposal and consider it for further research," said Mr. Phuong.

Speed ​​up investment progress and complete Hanoi railway hub area

At Yen Vien station, Mr. Dao Ngoc Vinh said that the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway line passing through Hanoi is 44.65km long, passing through Bac Ninh province is 1.31km long. In Hanoi, there are 3 stations: Bac Hong, Dong Anh, Yen Thuong and a technical station (Kim Son). From Kim Son, there will be a section of the Eastern belt railway connecting to Ngoc Hoi and Thuong Tin areas to connect to the Southern railway. Currently, this section is planned to be invested after 2030.

Mr. Vu Hong Phuong, Director of Railway Project Management Board, clarified the contents of the Project in Hanoi area (Photo: Ta Hai).

Regarding the railway connection in the Hanoi hub area, from Dong Anh station there is an existing 1,000mm gauge railway to Yen Vien station, from Yen Vien station to Gia Lam station, then to Lac Dao station on the Gia Lam - Hai Phong route, running passenger and freight trains. From Yen Vien station to Ngoc Hoi complex to connect the North - South high-speed railway, there is urban railway line No. 1 running through the center along the existing 1,000mm gauge railway.

Mr. Do Viet Hai, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Transport, said that Hanoi highly agrees with the proposal in the pre-feasibility study report. However, to align with the Hanoi planning recently approved by the Prime Minister, Hanoi requests the Ministry of Transport to adjust the location of the rolling stock and locomotive factories at Yen Vien station to the currently vacant land area. Regarding the area at Yen Vien station, Hanoi intends to develop a TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) zone, consistent with the connection hub for urban railway line 1 and the national railway network.

Hanoi also requested the Ministry of Transport to soon invest in the Eastern beltway section from Kim Son to Thuong Tin, to complete it at the same time as the project so that the national railway will no longer run through the city center. Hanoi will deploy investment in the urban railway line No. 1 Yen Vien - Ngoc Hoi, which will only run urban passenger trains, ensuring the goal of reducing urban traffic congestion and reducing environmental pollution in the city center.

Yen Vien station area and general plan of Yen Vien station and Yen Thuong station (Photo: Ta Hai).

Regarding Hanoi's proposal, Mr. Vu Hong Phuong stated that the Ministry of Transport has assigned the Railway Project Management Board to conduct early research on this section of the line to expedite investment progress, even though the railway network plan for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, stipulates that investment in this line will be made after 2030. Regarding the proposal to consider the location of the locomotive and rolling stock factory, Mr. Phuong requested that the consultants conduct urgent research and incorporate it into the project study.

According to the Pre-feasibility Study Report for the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong Railway Project, the project starts at the border crossing point between the new Lao Cai station and Ha Khau Bac station (China), located in Lao Cai city; and ends at the Lach Huyen terminal area, located in Hai Phong city. The total investment length is approximately 403.1 km, including: a main line of 388.1 km and two branch lines totaling 15 km.

Project implementation locations in 9 provinces and cities: Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Hai Phong.

Investment scale: Construction of a new electrified railway line, single track, 1,435mm gauge, for the general transport of passengers and goods. The design speed of passenger trains is less than 200 km/h, the design speed is reduced for difficult sections; the section through the Hanoi hub area, the design speed is 120 km/h; the connecting sections, branch lines, the design speed is 80 km/h. The first phase is to invest in information systems, signals and means to operate at a speed of 160 km/h for passenger trains and 120 km/h for freight trains.

The preliminary total investment is approximately VND 194,929 billion (USD 8.027 billion); investment form: public investment. Funding sources: diverse sources of budget funds, increased revenue from expenditure savings, revenue from land development, bond issuance, ODA funds, and preferential loans with reasonable interest rates.

The implementation progress is expected to start investment in 2026 and basically complete construction in 2030.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/doan-cong-tac-cua-quoc-hoi-khao-sat-du-an-duong-sat-lao-cai-ha-noi-hai-phong-192250204180924591.htm