A consortium has put forth a proposal to develop a 103-kilometer section of the Vietnam-Laos railway project with an investment cost of VND27,485 billion.

A ceremony was held in Hanoi’s Yen Vien station on August 2 to welcome the first freight train on Shijiazhuang (China) – Yen Vien (Vietnam) railway route.

A report on the planning of railway routes and stations in Hanoi was published by the Transport Design Consultancy Corporation (TEDI) and the Centre for Transport Development and Investment Consulting (CCTDI).

As much as 17 billion USD is needed to build two railway routes connecting to seaports, namely Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong and Bien Hoa-Vung Tau, according to the Ministry of Transport (MoT).

Two passenger trains from the capital city of Hanoi to the northern port city of Hai Phong will be organised at the Hanoi station on all days in the week starting July 13, instead of just weekends and holidays like now.

According to Vietnam Railways (VNR), since the beginning of this year, the country saw 68 railway accidents, of which 31 occurred at illegal crossroads.

Vietnam Railway Corporation has proposed two railway routes connecting Cao Xa Station in the northern province of Hai Duong to China.

With Song Than railway station’s international intermodal transport services, businesses can conduct import-export procedures right at the terminal instead of transporting goods to ports in HCMC or Vung Tau for export to China and Europe.

A total of 16,377ha of land will be used for railway projects in the period through 2030, an increase of 5,644ha compared to today.

Many foreign investors have expressed their interest in railway projects of Vietnam amid the Ministry of Transport (MoT)’s efforts to attract private and foreign investment in railway infrastructure.

As Vietnam aims to build the longest flower path of its kind in the country, many experts and residents have applauded the plan as a potential tourist draw, though concerns over railway safety have also been raised.

The Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) and its affiliated companies will focus on core business operations and have solutions to handle less effective projects in the coming time.

Foreign investors are being urged to explore funding railway lines linking seaports as part of the country’s railway development plan – despite high costs, few successful projects, and a lengthy period to see returns.