The North-South Expressway section passing through Nghe An province is expected to start collecting tolls in December 2024.

According to information from a representative of Phuc Thanh Hung Investment Joint Stock Company – one of the five enterprises investing in the North-South expressway project, the Dien Chau - Bai Vot section (Ha Tinh): Although it is the last section of the expressway to be completed from North to South (from Hanoi to Ha Tinh), almost the entire main route and the access road system of the project have been completed, ensuring smooth and safe traffic flow for vehicles.

Observations indicate that, along with the toll station located on the main North-South expressway through Dien Cat commune, the toll stations and toll station management buildings at the on/off ramps have also completed infrastructure construction. Currently, contractors are finalizing the installation of the electrical system and infrastructure, and equipment and machinery will be installed at the toll stations.

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The Dien Chau - Bai Vot Expressway is one of 11 component projects of the North-South Expressway Eastern section, Phase I (2017-2020), and one of three component projects invested under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Construction began in May 2021, and the first 30 km (from the intersection with National Highway 7A to the intersection with National Highway 46B, in Nghe An province) was opened to traffic on April 30, 2024. The remaining 19 km (from the intersection with National Highway 46B to the intersection with National Highway 8A) was opened to traffic on June 30, 2024.

In a conversation with us, a representative from the Department of Transport added: Although there is no official information from the Ministry of Transport confirming the start date for toll collection, with the active preparation of the project enterprises, if everything goes smoothly, toll collection on the Dien Chau - Bai Vot section of the expressway will begin as early as December 2024.

Along with the Dien Chau – Bai Vot expressway package, other packages of the North-South expressway from Hanoi, including the Cao Bo - Mai Son, Mai Son - National Highway 45, National Highway 45 - Nghi Son, and Nghi Son - Dien Chau packages, have also officially commenced operation to collect tolls from vehicles.

According to the signed contract, the toll rate for the Dien Chau - Bai Vot expressway is 1,700 VND/km for vehicles with fewer than 12 seats, trucks with a load capacity of less than 2 tons, and public passenger buses. Vehicles with 12 to 30 seats and trucks with a load capacity from 2 tons to less than 4 tons are charged 2,210 VND/km. Vehicles with 31 seats or more and trucks with a load capacity from 2 tons to less than 10 tons are charged 2,890 VND/km.

Trucks with a load capacity of 10 tons to under 18 tons, and vehicles carrying 20-foot containers, will be charged 4,590 VND/km. Trucks with a load capacity of 18 tons or more, and vehicles carrying 40-foot containers, will be charged 6,460 VND/km. The toll collection period for this expressway is 16 years and 6 months. The toll rates will be adjusted annually, with the lowest rate for vehicles traveling on this expressway being 3,000 VND/km and the highest being 11,400 VND/km.

Similarly, the Nghi Son - Dien Chau section of the North-South Expressway, which is invested in by the State, has lower toll rates. Specifically, according to the announcement, the toll rates for cars with fewer than 12 seats, trucks with a load capacity of less than 2 tons, and public passenger buses range from 900 to 1,300 VND/km; for vehicles with 12 to 30 seats, and trucks with a load capacity of 2-4 tons, the fee ranges from 1,350 to 1,950 VND/km; for vehicles with 31 seats or more, and trucks with a load capacity of 4 tons to less than 10 tons, the fee ranges from 1,800 to 2,600 VND/km; and for vehicles with a load capacity of 10 tons to less than 18 tons, and 20-foot container trucks, the fee ranges from 2,250 to 3,250 VND/km. For trucks weighing 18 tons or more, and vehicles carrying 40-foot containers, the fee ranges from 3,600 to 5,200 VND/km.

The North-South Expressway section through Nghe An province has a total length of 87.9 km, consisting of two sections. The section from Truong Vinh Tunnel (Hoang Mai town) to Dien Cat commune (Dien Chau district) and National Highway 7A is funded by the state budget, while the section from Dien Cat to Hung Duc Bridge (Hung Nguyen district) is invested under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. In Nghe An, there are five toll collection points on the expressway. One main toll station is located on the expressway in Dien Cat commune, near the junction between the Nghi Son - Dien Chau expressway package and the Dien Chau - Bai Vot package; the other four stations are located at the on/off ramps in Quynh Vinh (Hoang Mai town), Quynh My commune (Quynh Luu district), Dien Cat commune (Dien Chau district), Nghi Phuong commune (Nghi Loc district), and the intersection with National Highway 46B in Hung Tay commune (Hung Nguyen district).

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Previously, in order to prepare the legal basis for collecting expressway operating fees, the Government issued Decree No. 130/2024/ND-CP, effective from October 10, 2024, according to which the expressway usage fee for vehicles traveling on expressways ranges from 900 VND/vehicle/km to 5,200 VND/vehicle/km. There are 5 groups of subjects liable for expressway usage fees, including:
- Group 1: Vehicles with fewer than 12 seats, trucks with a load capacity of less than 2 tons; public passenger transport buses.
- Group 2: Vehicles with 12 to 30 seats; trucks with a load capacity of 2 tons to less than 4 tons.
- Group 3: Vehicles with 31 seats or more; trucks with a load capacity from 4 tons to less than 10 tons.
- Group 4: Trucks with a load capacity from 10 tons to under 18 tons; container trucks with a capacity of less than 40 feet.
- Group 5: Trucks with a payload of 18 tons or more; container trucks with a capacity of 40 feet or more.

Nguyen Hai