Proposed $700 mln investment in new Hai Van Pass railway

The Vietnam Railways Corporation (VRC) has proposed a project to the Ministry of Transport for renovating and modernizing the Hai Van Pass tunnels to enhance railway operation capacity and relocate all railways in Da Nang out of the city center.

The railway line through the Hai Van Pass, spanning 20 km and including numerous bridges and tunnels, was constructed by the French nearly 100 years ago.

According to the VRC, of the six existing tunnels on the Hai Van railway section, three were repaired in 2006, primarily reinforcing and replacing the old tunnel shells that had been damaged and eroded over time. The remaining three have not yet been renovated or repaired and are planned for reinforcement similar to the previous three.

The proposed project aligns with the railway network planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision extending to 2050, as outlined in the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1769/QD-TTg dated October 19, 2021.

It aims to alleviate capacity bottlenecks along the train route from Vinh in central Nghe An province to Nha Trang  in south-central Khanh Hoa province via the Hai Van Pass (bordering Thua Thien-Hue province and Da Nang city). The project includes the construction of new tunnels, the renovation of the railway line, the relocation of all railways away from the center area of Da Nang city, and the resolution of transport bottlenecks caused by the railway passing through the Hai Van Pass.

The total investment for the project is estimated at VND19 trillion (nearly $770 million), proposed to be sourced from the medium-term public investment capital for the period 2026-2031.