North-South high-speed railway, priority given to building Hanoi-Vinh and Nha Trang-Saigon routes
According to the Ministry of Transport, the development roadmap of the North-South high-speed railway is expected to be divided into 3 phases, with the goal of becoming a high-speed railway after 2050.
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| After 2050, the North-South high-speed railway could be converted into a highway. Illustration photo. |
Accordingly, the first phase from now until 2020: Focus on researching the plan to build a new high-speed railway line, with a double track of 1,435 mm gauge, electrification. In which, prepare the necessary conditions to gradually prioritize the construction of sections with high transportation demand, such as Hanoi - Vinh, Nha Trang - Saigon.
Phase 2 from 2020 to 2030: Deploy the construction of a new high-speed railway line (in the immediate future, train speeds will be from 160-200 km/h), double-track 1,435 mm gauge, electrification; the infrastructure of the line can meet the speed of 350 km/h in the future; prioritize the construction of sections with high transport demand on the North-South axis according to the ability to mobilize capital.
Phase 3 vision to 2050: Strive to complete the entire 1,435 mm gauge high-speed double-track railway on the North-South axis; after 2050, deploy the organization of exploitation at a speed of 350 km/h (high-speed).
The TEDI-TRICC-TEDIS consulting consortium believes that in the period from 2020 to 2030, Vietnam will have to operate trains at a speed of 200km/h, to familiarize itself with technology and train organization; when increasing the speed to 350km/h, it is necessary to have an accompanying system for operation and exploitation, and highly qualified human resources to ensure safety.
The Ministry of Transport is working with provinces where the railway passes through to determine the route, such as Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam...
The North-South high-speed railway has a total length of more than 1,500 km, passing through 20 provinces and cities, of which nearly 60% goes through bridges and tunnels; there are 23 stations on the route. The route is expected to pass through Cu Mong Pass, Ca Pass...
It is expected that the Ministry of Transport will submit the project to the Government for consideration and report to the National Assembly for approval of the investment policy in 2019.
