VIETNAM Railways announced on June 1 that work had started on the creation of a 130 km rail link from Hanoi to the new deep-water port at Cai Lan.

Expected to cost 4bn dong, the project involves the reconstruction of DSVN’s residual standard-gauge line from Kep to Ha Long, together with the construction of a new bridge at Uong Bi. The line will be extended by 5 km along the coast from Ha Long to Cai Lan.

The remaining 35 km of new construction will provide a direct link from Yen Vien yard on the northern outskirts of Hanoi through Pha Lai in Bac Ninhn province to join the Ha Long line at Lim.

The metre-gauge lines are intended to permit the operation of passenger trains at up to 120 km/h and freight trains at 80 km/h. DSVN anticipates that the line will be handling 3·6 million passengers and 7·4 million tonnes of freight per year by 2020.

  • The Ministry of Transport & Communications is finalising a 15-year transport development plan for northern Vietnam which envisages investment of 252000bn dong by 2020. The plan includes construction of 1630 km of high speed railway as well as trunk highways and new airports and seaport facilities.

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