In a press release issued on Saturday 30 November, the Vietnamese parliament announced the construction of the country's first high-speed rail line on the north-south axis, between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Construction work will start in 2027, with commissioning scheduled for 2035. The estimated cost is $67 billion (€63 billion).
A great battle lies ahead at international level to respond to invitations to tender for the construction of the line and its engineering structures, then for the supply of rolling stock and finally for its operation. China's big neighbouran economic and political partner of the first rank, and which also possesses the world's leading high-speed rail networkcould be in a strong position to win the bid by also contributing to the financing of the project.
A route serving 20 towns across the country
The 1,500-kilometre line will link Vietnam's two main cities, Hanoi, the capital and centre of the Communist regime's political power in the north, and Ho Chi Minh City, the economic capital in the south. The benefits for business passengers will be considerable, with journey times reduced to 5 hours instead of the current 30. No fewer than 23 stations are planned along the route, serving some twenty towns. The Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Tran Quoc, welcomed the project, estimating that it would contribute almost 1% per year to Vietnam's GDP.
