As one of the key infrastructure projects being actively promoted and implemented, the North-South high-speed railway project is strategic, set against the backdrop of the country's transformation into a new era, an era of national progress, in response to the call of General Secretary To Lam .
 |
| The North-South high-speed railway line (illustrated by AI). (Source: chinhphu.vn) |
The mega-project, currently under the unanimous approval of the Politburo and the Central Committee of the Communist Party, is awaiting consideration and approval by the National Assembly. According to the agenda, the National Assembly will vote on the Resolution on the investment policy for the high-speed railway project on the North-South axis on November 30th, before the closing of the eighth session of the 15th National Assembly.
In fact, high-speed rail has become commonplace worldwide . Japan's Shinkansen, built since 1964, France's TGV since 1981, Germany's ICE intercity high-speed rail system since 1991, and China's high-speed rail since 2008... compared to other modes of transport, they all demonstrate superior carrying capacity, high efficiency, time savings, and especially outstanding safety, including environmental safety.
Previously, on November 13th, during the first phase of the eighth session, the National Assembly discussed the investment policy for the project in the plenary hall with 117 opinions expressed. The summary report by the Secretary General of the National Assembly indicated that 101 opinions agreed on the necessity of investing in the high-speed railway project on the North-South axis; the investment in the project was assessed as playing a crucial role in realizing the Party's guidelines and directions, and the State's policies, creating a breakthrough in the development and modernization of transportation infrastructure.
Currently, the proposed project has a length of 1,541km, passing through 20 provinces and cities, with a double track of 1,435mm gauge, electrified, with a design speed of 350 km/h, and 23 passenger stations with an average distance of approximately 67km, and five freight stations connected to cargo hubs. The preliminary estimated total investment for the project is approximately 67.34 billion USD.
At a recent seminar titled "High-Speed Rail - Opportunities and Challenges," industry experts analyzed that high-speed rail transport, once established, will play a crucial role in synchronizing and connecting the five main modes of transport: road, rail, maritime, air, and inland waterways, along the North-South axis. Thus, the creation of the North-South high-speed rail optimizes the transportation system, reduces logistics costs, and enhances the competitiveness of the economy. A flexible, fast, and cost-effective mode of transport will significantly contribute to socio-economic development.
Notably, initial calculations suggest that the North-South high-speed railway will reduce travel time from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City to 5.5 hours, a six-fold saving compared to regular trains. The projected fare for the entire route is expected to be 75% of the average airfare from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. The highest fare is 6.9 million VND, and the lowest is 1.7 million VND.
These figures are compelling for a project with high social impact and strong competitiveness in all aspects. We are confident in the project's success, meeting the needs of freight and passenger transport businesses on the North-South route by 2050, projected at over 18.2 million tons/year and 122.7 million passengers, according to forecasts by the Vietnam Railways Corporation.
Source
Comment (0)