HANOI: The Ministry of Transport aims to start the construction of the HCM City-Can Tho railway route before 2030.
The 174-kilometre railway will traverse six cities and provinces in the southern key economic region, enhancing connectivity between HCM City and the Mekong Delta.
As part of the 2021-2030 railway network plan, with a vision for 2050, the ministry is finalising a pre-feasibility study for submission to relevant authorities.
According to the draft study by the TEDI SOUTH-TRICC-TEDI consulting consortium, the railway will start at An Binh Station in Di An City in the southern province of Binh Duong, and end at Can Tho Station in Cai Rang District, Can Tho City.
The railway will traverse six localities, including Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City, Long An, Tien Giang, Vinh Long and Can Tho.
The railway is planned to be a double-track electrified system with a 1,435mm gauge.
In the first phase, a single track will be built from An Binh to Can Tho, spanning 175.2km, including 76.6km (43.72 per cent) on embankments and 98.6km (56.28 per cent) over bridges and viaducts.
Designed for speeds of up to 120kph for freight and 160kph for passenger trains, the project’s first phase is estimated to cost in the region of VNĐ173.64 trillion (about US$7.16 billion), including VNĐ45.67 trillion for land clearance and resettlement.
In the second phase, the railway will be upgraded to a double-track system, requiring an additional VNĐ64.97 trillion (approximately $2.7 billion).
The total estimated investment for both phases is VNĐ238.62 trillion ($9.84 billion), to be implemented as a public investment project.
The planned route will feature 19 stations and three depots, including An Binh, Tan Kien and Can Tho), along with four maintenance and inspection stations, namely Thanh Duc, Tam Hiep, Cai Lay and Binh Minh, and three infrastructure maintenance facilities.
The project is set to be funded from the State budget. The projected timeline includes investment approval in 2025 and the groundbreaking for the first phase before 2030. Operations are expected to commence in 2035, with full completion of the second phase expected after 2055. — Vietnam News/ANN
