Submitting to the National Assembly the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway project worth nearly 8.37 billion USD

Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway has a maximum speed of 160 km/h

The National Assembly heard the submission and report on the investment policy of the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway project. Accordingly, in the past time, the Party Central Committee and the Politburo have issued many Resolutions and Conclusions on the investment policy of the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway, in which, at the 10th Conference of the Party Central Committee (term XIII), it requested to strive to complete procedures and start investment in the project in 2025.

The Politburo has agreed on the project investment policy and assigned relevant agencies to complete the dossier to submit to the 15th National Assembly at the 9th extraordinary session for consideration and decision on the investment policy and some specific mechanisms and policies to implement the project.

The project aims to build a new, modern and synchronous railway line to meet the domestic and international transport needs between Vietnam and China; create an important driving force for rapid and sustainable socio-economic development, promote advantages on the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong economic corridor, ensure effective connection of domestic and international railway networks, associated with ensuring national defense, security and international integration, environmental protection, and response to climate change; promote the process of industrialization and modernization of the country.

Regarding the scope of investment, the starting point is at the rail connection point across the border between the new Lao Cai Station and Ha Khau Bac Station (China); the end point is at Lach Huyen wharf area, passing through 9 provinces and cities; the main line length is about 390.9 km and 3 branch lines are about 27.9 km.

Regarding the scale of investment, a new electrified railway line of 1,435 mm gauge will be built to transport both passengers and goods; the main line from the new Lao Cai Station to Nam Hai Phong Station will have a design speed of 160 km/h, the section through the Hanoi hub area will have a design speed of 120 km/h, and the connecting sections and branch lines will have a design speed of 80 km/h. Clearing the land for the main line will be on a double-track scale, and the immediate investment will be on a single-track scale.

The project uses centralized power train technology for passenger and freight trains; the information and signal systems are equivalent to those currently used on some railway lines transporting passengers and freight in the region.

Preliminary total land use demand is about 2,632 hectares, resettled population is about 19,136 people; proposed project investment form is public investment with preliminary total investment of about 203,231 billion VND (about 8.369 billion USD).

Presenting 6 specific policy groups for urban railway development in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

The National Assembly also heard a report on the review of the draft Resolution on piloting a number of specific and special mechanisms and policies to develop the urban railway network system in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Urban railways are considered the “backbone” of the urban public transport system. Therefore, investment in urban railway development is an objective necessity, an important and fundamental solution for modern and sustainable urban development, associated with environmental protection and climate change response.

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have coordinated with the Ministry of Transport to develop a project to develop an urban railway network system in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, along with groups of mechanisms and policies for implementation; the project has been reported to the Politburo and the Politburo has unanimously approved the project.

Implementing the Conclusion of the Politburo, the development and promulgation of specific and special mechanisms and policies to develop the urban railway network system in the two cities to solve institutional "bottlenecks", contributing to the goal of completing the urban railway network in the two cities is very necessary and urgent.

Accordingly, the development of the National Assembly Resolution aims to mobilize all legal resources, shorten the implementation progress to the maximum, effectively exploit land resources; strongly decentralize and delegate power to the two cities in implementing investment, promote the initiative and positivity of the two cities; realize the Resolutions and Conclusions of the Central Executive Committee and the Politburo.

The Draft Resolution on piloting a number of specific and special mechanisms and policies to develop the urban railway network system in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City was submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and standardization of 6 specific policy groups, including the policy group on: Capital mobilization; investment implementation procedures; urban development according to the TOD model; railway industry development, technology transfer and human resource training; construction materials and waste disposal policies and regulations specifically applicable to Ho Chi Minh City.