Deputy Prime Minister: 'High-speed railway route needs to be as straight as possible'

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha suggested that research agencies use bridges and tunnels to direct the North-South high-speed railway line as straight as possible, ensuring flood escape.

"Roads must limit impacts on conservation areas and community separation," the Government Office announced on December 4 the conclusion of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha at a meeting on the project to invest in a high-speed railway on the North-South axis.

The Government requested the Ministry of Transport to study a plan to develop a synchronous and effective high-speed railway, in line with world trends, with a design speed of 350 km/h and truly become a backbone; at the same time, effectively exploit the existing railway line.

The Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Transport to preside over and coordinate with ministries, branches, the State Capital Management Committee at enterprises, localities and enterprises to research and propose special policies and mechanisms as a package to report to the Politburo and submit to the National Assembly when approving the investment policy.

This mechanism includes mobilizing and using capital sources; using land use revenue in localities; training and using cadres and engineers; localization associated with the development of the railway industry; attracting PPP investment; cooperation mechanisms, attracting investment and transferring technology through FDI; operational and business organization models...

Due to the large scale of the project, technical and technological complexity, and long implementation time (over 10 years), the units are required to clarify that the total investment is only an initial estimate, the exact figures will continue to be updated in the next steps when qualified, to avoid misunderstandings about the total project investment increasing during the implementation phase.

High-speed railway in Laos. Photo: Xinhua — High-speed railway in Laos. Photo: *Xinhua*

At the end of October, the Ministry of Transport asked for opinions from the Steering Committee for the construction and implementation of the North-South high-speed railway investment policy project on three scenarios.

Scenario 1 is to invest in building a new double-track North-South high-speed railway, 1,435 mm gauge, 1,545 km long, designed speed 350 km/h, load capacity 17 tons per axle, only for passenger trains. The existing North-South railway is upgraded to transport goods. Total investment capital is about 67.32 billion USD.

Scenario 2: Build a new double-track North-South railway line, 1,435 mm gauge, 22.5 tons per axle, operate both passenger and freight trains, design speed 200-250 km/h, maximum freight train speed 120 km/h. Total investment capital is about 72.02 billion USD.

Scenario 3 is to invest in a double-track North-South railway line, with a gauge of 1,435 mm, a load capacity of 22.5 tons per axle, a design speed of 350 km/h, operating passenger trains and reserve for freight transport when needed. The total investment capital of the project is 68.98 billion USD. If investing in infrastructure, equipment, and vehicles to operate freight trains running North-South, the project investment capital is about 71.69 billion USD.

In early October 2023, the Prime Minister established a Steering Committee to develop and implement the North-South high-speed railway investment policy project, in which the Ministry of Transport was assigned as the standing agency to consult with members of the Steering Committee on investment scenarios.

The Politburo's conclusion sets the target of completing the approval of the investment policy for the North-South high-speed railway project by 2025 and starting construction before 2030. The Hanoi - Vinh and Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang high-speed railway sections are given priority to start construction in the 2026-2030 period; striving to complete the entire North-South high-speed railway route before 2045.

Mr. Duy

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