finalizing the plan to build the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway with a length of 419km

According to the report, the project starts at the rail connection location across the border (Lao Cai province), ends at Lach Huyen station (Hai Phong city); the main route is about 390.9 km long; the length of the branch routes is about 27.9 km; runs from West to East, passing through the Red River economic corridor and 6 provinces and cities: Lao Cai, Phu Tho, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Phong.

The scale of investment in the construction of a new electrification railway line, single track, 1,435 mm gauge; general transport of passengers and goods; design speed 160 km/h for the main route from the new Lao Cai station to Nam Hai Phong station; design speed 120 km/h for the section passing through the Hanoi city unit; design speed 80 km/h for the remaining sections.

According to the pre-feasibility study plan, the section through Lao Cai province is 143.069 km long, passing through 11 communes and wards with 9 stations, including 1 border station (new Lao Cai), 6 intermediate stations (new Bao Thang, Sa Pa, Van Ban, Dong An, An Thinh, Yen Bai), 2 train avoidance stations (Chau Que Thuong, Y Can).

The total land acquisition area is about 1,467.25 hectares; the total number of households needing to be resettled is about 1,848 households; the number of resettlement areas is 45; the total estimated cost of site clearance is about VND 8,229 billion, of which the investment cost of the resettlement area is about VND 928 billion.

Component project 1 of infrastructure construction for station connection and station square has been surveyed since the beginning of August 2025, expected to complete the technical design and select contractors in the fourth quarter of 2025, to start the construction of all packages on December 19, 2025.

At the meeting, representatives of the Railway Institute No. 4, the consulting unit, presented the route plan to adjust the location and station arrangement of the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong Railway Project.

The proposed plan includes 9 stations, including 1 border station (Lao Cai Nam), 5 intermediate stations (Bao Thang, Van Ban, Dong An, An Thinh, Yen Bai Nam) and 3 train avoidance stations (Sa Pa, Chau Que Thuong, Y Can). Compared to the plan in the Initial Pre-Feasibility Study Report, the route of Lao Cai section has 10 major changes, mainly in the areas, such as: Lao Cai Nam, Bao Thang Station, Sa Pa Station, Van Ban Station, Dong An section, An Thinh Station, Y Can section and Yen Bai Nam Station.

The reason for the adjustment is to avoid landslides, minimize site clearance, optimize construction conditions, avoid broken banks, adjust location, scale and station arrangement.

Giving his opinion on the plan to adjust the route and station location, Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee Tran Huy Tuan said that each plan has different advantages and disadvantages. The proposal of a new location will create a large-scale Yen Bai station, convenient for connecting infrastructure, however, it is necessary to relocate the station to comply with the planning for the development of the province's industrial park.

Therefore, the Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee requested the Ministry of Construction to direct units to coordinate with departments, branches and localities of Lao Cai province to conduct field surveys, clearly identifying the location, coordinates, and route direction to find the most suitable solution, ensuring favorable conditions for the locality during the project implementation process.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Danh Huy acknowledged the efforts of the Railway Project Management Board and Lao Cai province in coordinating preparation.

Mr. Nguyen Danh Huy requested to focus on removing obstacles in site clearance, urgently completing resettlement areas, green areas, and access roads to ensure progress and quality in the stations.

In particular, the focus is on the need for the collective to review and assess the impact, difficulties and challenges in project implementation, especially site clearance and urban planning.