Vietnam has announced a plan worth US$10.5 billion to build or upgrade 16 railways with a total length of 4,800 kilometers in the next 10 years. The plan was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Li Wencheng. It plans to renovate and upgrade 7 lines with a total length of 2,400 kilometers and build 9 lines with similar lengths.

The purpose is to improve the performance of the domestic system and better connect it with international routes. Priority will be given to the construction of North-South high-speed rail and high-speed rail linking seaports, international airports and major cities. The nine new routes include a 1,500-kilometer high-speed route connecting Hanoi Ngoc Hoi Station and Thu Thiem Station in Ho Chi Minh City.

There will also be many short-distance routes connecting important economic centers. These include: a 100-kilometer link between Hanoi and Haiphong Port; a 100-kilometer route connecting Vung Ang port and Mu Gia Pass along the Vietnam-Laos border; Bien Hoa province and southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province A 174-kilometer route connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho City in the Mekong Delta; a 128-kilometer route connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Phuoc province on the Cambodian border; and a route from Ho Chi Minh City’s Thu Thiem Railway Station to the large Long Thanh International Airport The 38 km long route is under construction in the southern part of Dong Nai Province. Keywords: international engineering news, foreign engineering project information

According to reports, it is estimated that by 2030, the volume of cargo transportation will reach 11.8 million tons, and the number of passengers will reach 460 million. The Vietnamese government hopes to encourage private sector investment by companies and individuals outside Vietnam. The government also hopes to explore international cooperation and learn from the experience of other countries in building modern railway systems.Editor/Baohongying