Currently, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and related units are urgently developing a pre-feasibility study report for the high-speed railway investment project on the North-South axis, preparing procedures and documents to submit to the National Assembly for consideration and comments at the October 2024 session.
According to the report of Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Danh Huy, the project investment policy will be approved before 2025; site clearance and construction will begin before 2030; and the entire route will be completed before 2045.
The investment scope of the project has its starting point in Hanoi: Ngoc Hoi Station Complex (the southern passenger and freight transport hub of the Hanoi railway hub). The end point in Ho Chi Minh City: Thu Thiem Station (the eastern passenger transport hub of the Ho Chi Minh City railway hub).
The project passes through 20 provinces and cities including: Hanoi, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien - Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Dong Nai, Ho Chi Minh City.
The pre-feasibility study report proposed a design speed of 350 km/h, load capacity of 22.5 tons/axle; length of about 1,541 km with 23 passenger stations, 5 freight stations...
At the meeting, delegates said that investing in a large project like the North-South high-speed railway requires "tightening the belt" to focus on investment and create leverage for development.
Concluding the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government requested the Ministry of Transport to continue updating and completing the pre-feasibility study report to submit to the National Assembly, focusing on issues with scientific and practical basis.
In addition to the investment scope from the project's starting point in Hanoi to the end point in Ho Chi Minh City, it is also necessary to consider and study the option of extending the high-speed railway line from Mong Cai to Ca Mau.
"The Ministry of Transport must analyze the advantages and benefits of investing in the entire route, which will be synchronously connected with other modes of transport compared to investing in some sections of the route in advance. Evaluate the effectiveness of high-speed railways specializing in passenger transport (or combined with freight transport when necessary) for the entire economy, not limited to the railway industry," the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government requested.
In addition, the pre-feasibility report needs to demonstrate the investment viewpoint of building a railway line with a design speed of 350 km/h "as straight as possible", "crossing mountains when meeting mountains, building bridges when meeting rivers".
Regarding the form of investment implementation, the Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Transport to clarify the advantages and disadvantages in the case of considering the entire route as one project or having many component projects.
At the same time, propose specific mechanisms and policies on investment phases, allocation of central and local capital sources once or every 5 years, use of bonds, ODA and other legal sources, and take advantage of the public debt ceiling.
The specific mechanisms and policies applied to urban railways in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City need to be considered for application to localities where railways pass through.
