Da Nang Urban Railway: Opportunities and Challenges

In the vision of developing Da Nang into a new growth pole of the country, modern urban transport is considered the "backbone" for breakthroughs. As the development of the economy and society is beginning to put great pressure on the infrastructure, traffic and living environment of the city's people, a big question is being asked: What can Da Nang do to create a breakthrough in connectivity and sustainable development? The answer is being found from a vision called "Urban Railway".

It is one of the two main roads that people and tourists have been using to travel from Da Nang city center to Hoi An ancient town. However, in the near future, there will be an urban railway connecting Da Nang airport to My Khe beach and Hoi An ancient town, and even connecting to Tam Ky and Chu Lai airport in the future.

The Da Nang - Hoi An route is one of 16 routes in the Da Nang urban railway network planning with a total length of nearly 300 km. If there is an urban railway, both locals and tourists will have a faster, safer and less strenuous choice. But the story is not just about technology but also about economics, society and travel habits.

Mr. Mario Valerio Dattola - International railway expert said: "Vietnam as well as Da Nang have a special feature from the traffic volume of motorbikes. People can park their motorbikes anywhere they want, such as on the sidewalk, so it is difficult to make comparisons with other countries. With international experience, there will not be a system that can be applied and solve this problem. Different systems need to be applied to meet different needs."

Da Nang is prioritizing research on two routes: the route connecting Da Nang International Airport - Hoi An - Tam Ky - Chu Lai and the route connecting the high-speed railway station to the Central Urban Railway Station, expected to be completed in 2030. Other routes have also been scheduled for investment.

Dr. Nguyen Quoc Hien - Deputy Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board shared: "The city government should also select a few key railway lines to focus on development. Personally, I think we can prioritize tourism development routes. The railway line can run both freight trains and passenger trains to connect areas and industrial parks in Quang Nam province with Lien Chieu and Tien Sa seaports."

Dr. Ji Taek Oh - Office of Global Technology Commercialization, Korea Railway Research Institute commented: "If due to cost issues, the city chooses a small-scale urban railway model, such as designing stations with few and narrow platforms to save costs, then later, when Da Nang's population increases and the number of tourists coming to the city increases, expanding the stations will be very difficult. Therefore, if looking at the vision of the next 20 years, 50 years, I think that designing Da Nang's urban railway platforms with long length and spacious space from the beginning will help maximize the efficiency of the urban railway system in the future."

A modern urban railway system is not only a solution to traffic congestion, but also a measure of urban development vision. More than a transportation project, this is a work of vision, demonstrating the aspiration to bring Da Nang to regional stature, connecting functional areas, promoting economic growth and creating a greener, cleaner, and more beautiful living environment for future generations.

Source: https://vtv.vn/duong-sat-do-thi-da-nang-co-hoi-va-thach-thuc-100251111131122258.htm