New $7-billion railway line to boost transport capacity across ten provinces in northern region

Rolling stock of Vietnam Railways. — Vietnamplus.vn Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Railway Authority has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Transport for the review and approval of the planning for the Lào Cai-Hà Nội-Hải Phòng-Quảng Ninh railway line.

This railway will extend approximately 427km, beginning at Lào Cai station, where it connects with the Chinese railway, and ending at Hạ Long station, part of the Kép-Hạ Long line.

The route will cover 41 stations and cross ten provinces and the cities of Lào Cai, Yên Bái, Phú Thọ, Vĩnh Phúc, Hà Nội, Bắc Ninh, Hưng Yên, Hải Dương, Hải Phòng and Quảng Ninh.

The planning consortium, TRICC-TEDI, has organised the railway into two main lines and two branch lines.

The main line from Lào Cai to the north of Hải Phòng to Lạch Huyện Port measures 391.06km, while the segment from the north of Hải Phòng to Cái Lân is 50.59km long.

The branch line from the north of Hải Phòng to Nam Đồ Sơn Port is 12.632km, and the branch line from Nam Đình Vũ to Đình Vũ extends 7.418 km.

Projected transport demand for the railway is significant. By 2030, it is expected to handle 12.77 million tonnes of cargo and 4.65 million passengers. This demand is expected to grow to 14.94 million tonnes of cargo and 6.22 million passengers by 2040, and reach 17.48 million tons of cargo and 8.31 million passengers by 2050.

The consultancy recommends that investment in the Lào Cai-Hà Nội-Hải Phòng section should be in made by 2030, with plans for the Hải Phòng-Quảng Ninh section to be explored afterward. This will align with the investment strategy for the coastal railway connecting Nam Định, Thái Bình, Hải Phòng and Quảng Ninh.

The total funding requirement for the Lào Cai-Hà Nội-Hải Phòng-Quảng Ninh railway is estimated at VNĐ179,126 trillion (US$7.17 billion). This includes VNĐ23.448 trillion for land clearance, VNĐ107.26 trillion for construction and equipment, with the remainder allocated for consultancy, project management and contingencies.

Once operational, the Lào Cai-Hà Nội-Hải Phòng-Quảng Ninh railway is expected to enhance transport capacity and connectivity with seaports, industrial zones and tourist areas, thus contributing to the country’s industrialisation and modernisation efforts. — VNS