North-South high-speed rail tickets equal 75% low cost airline tickets

Passengers on a high-quality train of the Việt Nam Railways Corporation.— VNA/VNS Illustrative Photo Tiến Lực

HÀ NỘI — The anticipated North-South high-speed rail line, measuring 1,545km, with a completion date set for 2035, will have ticket prices equal to 75 per cent of the average fare for low-cost flights.

Tickets priced were mentioned in a draft proposal that the Government has submitted to the National Assembly regarding the pre-feasibility study for the high-speed rail line project along the North-South corridor.

Under the draft, the line will connect Ngọc Hồi Station in Hà Nội to Thủ Thiêm Station in HCM City, featuring a double track with a gauge of 1,435mm.

The ticket prices will be categorised into three tiers, reflecting different target demographics and levels of comfort to accommodate passengers’ budgets and attract ridership.

The proposed fares are not significantly different from countries with similar conditions to Việt Nam or for other long-distance high-speed rail services.

They will be lower than air travel and higher than road transport, but will offer superior service quality, saving time and ensuring safety and comfort to encourage the public to utilise high-speed rail services.

The high-speed rail line is set to consist of 23 passenger stations, passing through 20 provinces and cities of Hà Nội, Hà Nam, Nam Định, Ninh Bình, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên - Huế, Đà Nẵng, Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi, Bình Định, Phú Yên, Khánh Hòa, Ninh Thuận, Bình Thuận, Đồng Nai, and HCM City.

Each locality will be allocated one station.

However, provinces of Hà Tĩnh, Bình Định, and Bình Thuận designated two stations each.

Five freight stations will be established at major logistics hubs along the route to ensure national security and facilitate the transportation of goods.

Additionally, the project will feature five depots for the assembly, repair and maintenance of passenger trains located in Hà Nội, Nghệ An, Đà Nẵng, Khánh Hòa and HCM City and four depots for freight train maintenance in Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Nam, Khánh Hòa and Đồng Nai.

Maximum speed of 350km/h

The choice of a maximum speed of 350km/h is based on insights from the draft proposal.

The draft said the speed of 250km/h was developed around 50 years ago and was most common in the past 25 years, suitable for shorter to medium-length routes.

In the meantime, the speeds of 350km/h and higher are becoming the global standard for long-distance lines exceeding 800km, particularly in regions with dense urban populations, such as the country’s North-South corridor.

International experience also showed that for routes longer than 800km, speeds of 350km/h attract significantly higher passenger numbers compared to 250km/h.

According to consultancy calculations, the journey from Hà Nội to HCM City at 350km/h could attract an increase of 12.5 per cent of passengers than at 250km/h.

The investment required for a speed of 350km/h is around only 8-9 per cent higher than for 250km/h, therefore, the Government has recommended a design speed of 350km/h for the North-South high-speed rail line to ensure modernity, coherence, long-term viability and alignment with the country’s economic conditions and global trends.

The entire route is expected to use three main types of structures, consisting of bridge structure, tunnel structure and ground structure.

The bridge structure accounts for 60 per cent of the entire structure, applying for urban areas and densely populated regions, as well as river crossings and intersections with existing rail and road infrastructure.

The tunnel structure accounts for around 10 per cent of the entire structure, applying for mountainous areas.

The ground structure makes up 30 per cent of the entire, applying for sparsely populated regions, away from other infrastructure and with stable geological conditions, minimising vulnerability to flooding and earthquakes.

Four sub-projects

The North-South high-speed rail project, spanning over 1,500km, consists 70 per cent of bridges and tunnels requiring complex design surveys.

Thus, the Government plans to divide the project into four sub-projects, which will be implemented simultaneously to expedite execution and optimise resources.

The sub-project 1, will connect Ngọc Hồi Station in Hà Nội to Vinh Station in Nghệ An Province, approximately 281km in length.

The sub-project 2 will stretch from Vinh Station in Nghệ An Province to Đà Nẵng Station in Đà Nẵng City, approximately 420km.

The sub-project 3 will connect Đà Nẵng Station in Đà Nẵng City to Diên Khánh Station in Khánh Hòa Province, approximately 480km.

The sub-project 4 will stretch from Diên Khánh Station in Khánh Hòa Province to Thủ Thiêm Station in HCM City, approximately 360km.

Based on preliminary technology and investment scale assessments as well as a review of high-speed rail projects both completed and underway globally, the total investment requirement for the project is estimated at around US$67.34 billion.

Funding

With an estimated total investment of approximately $67.34 billion, the project is expected to require funding over 12 years, averaging about $5.6 billion annually, which accounts for around 16.2 per cent of the mid-term investment plan for 2026-30, assuming public investment remains at 5.5-5.7 per cent of GDP as currently projected.

The Government proposed to allocate public investment funds for the project.

After completion, the Việt Nam Railway Corporation will be entrusted with all rolling stock and equipment necessary for operations and will be responsible for repaying the investment costs associated with the assets.

Throughout the construction and operational phases, private enterprises will be invited to invest in service and commercial facilities at stations as well as to provide additional rolling stock as needed.

The anticipated timeline includes the selection of international consultancy for the feasibility studies in 2025-26, with land clearance, contractor selection and project commencement targeted for late 2027, aiming for full completion of the line by 2035.— VNS