The Government proposed the National Assembly to made decision on the investment policy of the North-South high-speed railway project with an estimated investment capital of VND1.7 quadrillion ($67.34 billion) during the legislature’s ongoing 8th session in Hanoi on November 13.

On behalf of the Prime Minister, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang presented the proposal, saying that the goal of the investment is to build a high-speed railway to meet transport demand, contribute to sustainably restructuring the transport market share along the North-South corridor, and lay the foundation for socio-economic development while ensuring national defence and security.

The projected 1,541-km North-South high-speed railway will run through 20 provinces and cities, with 23 passenger and 5 freight stations.

The Government proposed the construction of a new dual-track railway which has a gauge of 1,435 mm, and to be electrified, and designed for a speed of 350 km per hour, and a load capacity of 22.5 tons per axle. 

Regarding the project timeline, the minister said that the preparation and approval of the feasibility study report and FEED (Front End Engineering Design) are scheduled to be completed in 2025-2026, while land clearance, contractor selection through bidding, and project groundbreaking are planned for 2027, with the goal of completing the entire railway by 2035.

Delivering the verification report, Chairman of the NA’s Committee for Economic Affairs Vu Hong Thanh said that the committee basically agreed with the Government's proposal, as the project is in line with the railway network master planning scheme for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision until 2050.

During the feasibility study phase, the Government should direct relevant agencies to thoroughly review and select the optimal methods for connecting the high-speed railway line with the existing railway network, urban metro lines, other transport systems, and the regional and international railway networks, he said.