Illustration photo of the North-South high-speed railway project. — Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Construction

HCM CITY — Việt Nam is considering a 174-km railway project to link its largest metropolis, HCM City, with Cần Thơ City in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta.

The Ministry of Construction is preparing a pre-feasibility report on the railway project, which will be submitted to relevant authorities for approval.

The goal is to facilitate the railway’s simultaneous operation alongside the national North-South high-speed railway.

If approved, construction of the railway is set to begin by 2030.

As part of the railway network plan by 2030 with a vision extending to 2050, the railway will pass through six localities: Bình Dương, HCM City, Long An, Tiền Giang, Vĩnh Long, and Cần Thơ.

The railway will start at An Bình Station in Dĩ An City in Bình Dương Province, and end at Cần Thơ Station in Cái Răng District, Cần Thơ City.

It is designed as a double-track electrified system with a 1,435 mm gauge.

In the first phase, a single track will be constructed from An Bình to Cần Thơ, spanning 175.2 kilometres, including 76.6 kilometres on embankments and 98.6 kilometres on bridges and viaducts.

The project is designed for speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour for freight trains and 160 kilometres per hour for passenger trains.

The estimated cost of the first phase is VNĐ173.6 trillion ($7.16 billion), including VNĐ45.7 trillion allocated for land clearance and resettlement.

In the second phase, the railway will be upgraded to a double-track system, requiring an additional VNĐ65 trillion ($2.7 billion).

The project is expected to be funded by the State budget.

The planned route will comprise 19 stations and three depots, as well as three infrastructure maintenance facilities.

The proposed timeline includes investment approval in 2025, with ground-breaking for the first phase anticipated before 2030.

Operations are projected to begin in 2035, with full completion of the second phase expected after 2055.

The North-South high-speed railway project has already been approved by the National Assembly, beginning at Ngọc Hồi Station in Hà Nội and ending at Thủ Thiêm Station in HCM City.

The line is expected to span 1,541 kilometres with a track gauge of 1,435 mm, and construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with a target completion time of 2035. — VNS