The National Assembly delegation led by Mr. Nguyen Minh Son - Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly's Economic Committee - recently met with localities about the investment project to build the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway line.
On February 4-5, 2025, the National Assembly's Economic Committee chaired the coordination with the Ethnic Council and the National Assembly Committees conducted a field survey in localities to serve the appraisal of the investment project to build the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway line. If eligible, this project will be presented at the extraordinary session of the National Assembly from February 12, 2025.
Through the survey and opinions of the locality, delegates all agreed with the necessity of investing in the project to concretize the policies, Resolutions, Conclusions of the Politburo and deploy plans, strengthen regional connectivity, growth poles, spread, open up new development space, and meet the needs of socio-economic development associated with national defense and security.
Sharing about the project, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Danh Huy said that the early investment and completion of this strategic railway line is to realize the policies and orientations of the Party, Resolutions, Concluding the Politburo and implementing related plans.
The invested railway line will also help realize strategic cooperation agreements and strengthen international connections. The existing 1,000mm railway line was built during the French colonial period, while the railways of other countries serving international transport train runs were 1,435mm.
After building a new route, imported goods can be transported by intervention ships to Europe, reducing transportation costs and logistics costs.
Regarding transportation needs, according to Deputy Minister Huy, there are currently 3 transportation methods on this route: Roads, railways, and inland waterways. However, according to forecasts, although the existing road, waterway and railway capacity has been fully exploited, by 2040 it will not be able to meet transportation needs, especially freight transport.
Therefore, it is necessary to build a new mode of transport, which is a 1,435mm gauge railway, because the cost is cheaper, safer, the land area is less occupied and is environmentally friendly. The investment in the new route also creates a construction market, thereby affecting economic growth.
"The 1,435mm gauge railway, electrification is a sustainable, modern, friendly mode of transport, contributing to reducing traffic accidents, environmental pollution, responding to climate change and contributing to ensuring national defense and security", Deputy Minister Huy emphasized.
According to the project's pre-feasibility study report, the entire railway line is about 400 km long with 36 stations, passing through 9 provinces and cities. In which, the section through Hai Phong includes the main route, 46.1 km long and 2 branch routes, 20.5 km long. Design speed of the main route is 160 km/h; branch route 80 km/h. The total estimated investment capital is more than 8 billion USD.
