A train of the Vietnam Railways Corporation. The Government has issued an action plan for the development orientation of Việt Nam's railway transport system. — Photo courtesy of baodautu.vn

HÀ NỘI  The Government has unveiled a comprehensive action plan to steer the development of the country’s railway transport system, setting ambitious goals and clear directives to modernise and expand the network.

The Government has issued Resolution No 178/NQ-CP on an action plan for implementing the Politburo’s Conclusion No 49-KL/TW on the development orientation of railway transport by 2030.

The action plan sets out tasks including perfecting institutions and policies, completing railway planning and related plans, and mobilising resources to invest in rail transport.

Accordingly, from 2024 to 2026, the Ministry of Transport (MoT) will preside over the review, amendment, and supplementation of the Railway Law and related legal documents, while the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MoPI) is tasked with revising the Law on Investment regarding the public-private partnership mode to attract investment.

From 2023 to 2025, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) will prioritise the allocation of the State budget to science and technology related to the railway sector. The Ministry of Science and Technology will take charge of devising and issuing mechanisms and policies to promote research, application, and transfer of science and technology in the railway sector.

The MoPI, provincial-level People’s Committees, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism are tasked with devising, reviewing, and adjusting regional development plans in alignment with the railway system planning for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.

During 2025-2045, the MoPI is authorised to prioritise the allocation of medium-term and annual State budgets to invest in railway infrastructure, especially in the North-South high-speed railway project, while the MoF should give priority to increasing State budget allocation for railway infrastructure maintenance.

From 2023 to 2045, the MoT is assigned to call on economic sectors to participate in railway business and transport support services.

In the conclusion issued in February 2023 on orientations for railway transport development by 2030 and vision to 2045, the Politburo identified the North-South high-speed railway as the backbone railway of the country.

The conclusion’s objective is to complete the approval of the investment policies of the North-South high-speed railway project and start the construction of priority sections in 2026-30, including the Hà Nội - Vinh section and the HCM City - Nha Trang section.

According to the pre-feasibility report, the project will pass through 20 provinces. It has a length of 1,545 km, with a maximum operating speed of about 320 km per hour. The total estimated investment of the whole project is about $58.71 billion.

Việt Nam currently has 2,440 km of railway. — VNS