Improving freight transport capacity by rail

As a key international trade gateway between Vietnam and China, the railways passing through Lao Cai province have long played an important role in transporting goods, promoting import and export activities, and contributing significantly to the economic development of the area.

Xuan Giao A Station aims to transport 1.4 million tons of goods in 2025.

Lao Cai Station is one of the international transit stations managed by Vietnam Railways Corporation . Lao Cai Station and Dong Dang Station (Lang Son Province) are two border stations that ensure the trade of goods and means of import and export by rail between Vietnam and China.

Mr. Ngo Vu Quang, Head of Lao Cai Station, said: Lao Cai Station is currently operating pairs of international transit trains transporting goods to Son Yeu Station (China); in which, the main export items are transit sulfur and imported DAP fertilizer. To facilitate the import and export of goods by rail, every month, the two heads of Lao Cai (Vietnam) and Son Yeu (China) border stations hold meetings to assess the situation of train operations, goods communication between the two stations and discuss solutions for the following month. In the recent meeting, the two sides discussed the content of continuing to strengthen the organization of freight transport, promoting the growth of the volume of international transit import and export goods.

Accordingly, the two sides agreed that the Vietnamese side will continue to strengthen the organization of loading and unloading goods in Hai Phong and Lao Cai, and arrange human resources and equipment to transfer goods onto trains departing to China. The Chinese side will increase the use of empty wagons and empty containers to transport goods. Lao Cai station and Son Yeu station also discussed and agreed to actively seek and exploit sources of goods, increase information to attract customers to transport goods by international intermodal trains with preferential railway rates to promote the growth of international intermodal transport volume.

According to statistics, from the beginning of 2025 to now, Lao Cai station has operated 652 international intermodal trains, with the volume of exported goods reaching 126,691 tons and imported goods reaching 7,852 tons. Statistics in recent years also show that the export and import turnover through Lao Cai station accounts for an increasingly large proportion of the total border trade value of the province. In addition, the railway also creates favorable conditions for local businesses and neighboring provinces to reduce transportation costs and improve competitiveness in the international market.

According to Mr. Ngo Vu Quang, besides the advantages, import and export by rail through Lao Cai station also faces certain difficulties, including the fact that China has synchronously deployed all railway lines with a standard gauge of 1,435 mm, while Vietnam's railway is 1,000 mm. Although China still maintains a 1,000 mm gauge railway that can run trains from Lao Cai station to Son Yeu station and from Son Yeu station to Ha Khau Bac station, it must then continue to transfer loads before being able to transport to the next stations. Along with that, China does not invest in building new 1,000 mm gauge wagons, and the Vietnamese railway industry also limits the building of this wagon, which affects the volume of goods transported.

To improve transportation productivity, Lao Cai station has implemented many solutions such as: Coordinating with Son Yeu station to report to superiors to bring containers into the freight transport, contributing to increasing the volume of transport; at the same time, arranging empty vehicles to Hai Phong for loading and unloading, minimizing time and costs for reloading. In addition, applying digital technology in managing and processing procedures. Currently, Lao Cai station has deployed all administrative procedures on a digital platform, then sent them online to the Chinese side. In particular, after switching to the method of running trains using tail signals, three personnel including the train captain, interpreter and inspection staff have been reduced.

Ms. Luu Thi Quyen, Captain of Lao Cai International Railway Station Customs, under the Customs Sub-Department of Region VII, said: The unit always creates favorable conditions in all aspects for businesses to carry out customs procedures via railway quickly and conveniently. At Lao Cai International Railway Station Customs, 100% of businesses participating in import and export activities carry out electronic customs declarations to help reform administrative procedures, shorten customs clearance time, and save time and costs for businesses.

Currently, Lao Cai International Railway Station Customs handles customs procedures on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and Tet. In addition, the unit closely coordinates with Lao Cai Station and inter-sectoral functional forces at the border gate to effectively carry out state management of customs in the area, strengthen prevention and combat of smuggling, trade fraud and illegal transportation of goods across the border. The unit also constantly improves and applies information technology in management, operation and handling of customs procedures at the border gate, improving work efficiency.

Located near Tang Loong Industrial Park - a national key industrial park for chemical, fertilizer and metallurgy production, Xuan Giao A Station, Gia Phu Commune has the advantage of transporting goods by rail to many localities across the country. After a period of renovation and operation, Xuan Giao A Station has shown clear effectiveness in improving transportation capacity. With a synchronous rail system, scientifically arranged and spacious loading and unloading yards and warehouses, the station has attracted more and more businesses to register for freight transport.

Mr. Trinh Huy Thang, Head of Xuan Giao A Station, said: The station upgrade has helped the unit better serve transportation needs, especially for customers with large volumes of goods and long journeys. The loading and unloading of goods and wagons is organized more reasonably and effectively. In recent times, many businesses have proactively surveyed and cooperated to build transportation plans here.

Despite positive results, the amount of goods transported by rail through Lao Cai province is still not commensurate with the position and role of this important route. In the near future, the project to build a standard gauge railway from Lao Cai to Hanoi to Hai Phong will be implemented in a modern and synchronous manner, expected to create a breakthrough in the transport of goods by rail. In particular, with a standard gauge of 1,435 mm, the railway will be synchronously connected across the border, contributing to further improving the capacity of exporting and importing goods by rail ■

Article and photos: HAI CONG and TAM THOI

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nang-cao-nang-luc-van-tai-hang-hoa-bang-duong-sat-post894694.html