Recently, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Le Wencheng signed a decision to approve the railway system plan for the period 2021-2030. The long-term view is to 2050, which sets the goal of building 9 new railways with a total length of 2,362 kilometers by 2030.

According to the plan, from 2021 to 2030, Vietnam will invest in upgrading and transforming 7 existing railway lines; give priority to investment in the construction of the North-South high-speed railway (Hanoi-Vinh City, Nha Trang-Ho Chi Minh City); give priority to the construction of Haiphong Port, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Port and other international ports railway lines; construction of Ho Chi Minh City-Can Tho railway; according to the investment progress of countries in the region, simultaneous construction of international railway lines from Vietnam to China, Laos and Cambodia. By 2050, Vietnam will complete the construction of the North-South high-speed railway, and will continue to invest in the construction of the Hanoi hub area, the hub area of Ho Chi Minh City, the seaport connection line, the coastal railway, and the Pan-Asian railway; continue to renovate and upgrade the existing railways to meet the needs of passenger and cargo Transportation needs.

By 2030, Vietnam expects that the total freight volume of the railway network will reach 11.8 million tons, accounting for 0.27% of the total, and the passenger volume of 460 million passengers, accounting for 4.40%. The government’s goal is to renew the existing 7 existing railway lines with a total length of 2,440 kilometers, as well as the two priority sections of the Hanoi-Vieng City and Nha Trang-Ho Chi Minh City North-South Express Railway.

A new railway line will be built to connect the railway to the international gateways of Haiphong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau; connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho as well as international destinations in China, Laos and Cambodia. By 2050, Vietnam will build a north-south high-speed railway starting from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, or connecting seaports, industrial parks, and economic zones. By 2050, the country will have 25 railway networks with a total length of 6,354 kilometers.

In order to achieve the planning goals, the government will continue to provide incentives for organizations and individuals to invest in the railway transportation business, including the use of land funds to develop the national railway network. Official development assistance and preferential loans from international donors will be the key to railway projects, and the government will further mobilize domestic and foreign resources to invest in transportation by ensuring a fair and healthy competitive environment for all economic components in this field. Vietnam will strengthen cooperation with international partners, especially countries with advanced railway industries, while using Industry 4.0 technology to manage the railway system. Editor/Xu Shengpeng