Vietnam to boost cross-border rail connectivity with China

The Ministry of Transport has submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister for the development of two new railway lines connecting with China: Hanoi-Dong Dang and Hai Phong-Ha Long-Mong Cai.

The Hanoi-Dong Dang railway line, stretching approximately 156 km, will connect Dong Dang Border Gate in northern Lang Son province to Yen Vien Station in Hanoi's Gia Lam district. It connects Hanoi with several provinces in the Northeast (Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, and Lang Son), and facilitates international transit with China through the Dong Dang International Railway Station Border Gate.

This line is estimated to cost $6 billion and will accommodate both passenger and freight trains. Passenger trains will operate at speeds of up to 160 km/h, while freight trains will run at 120 km/h.

The Hai Phong-Ha Long-Mong Cai railway line, spanning 187 km, connects Nam Dinh Vu Station in Hai An District, Hai Phong City, to a point near Bac Luan Bridge in Mong Cai City, Quang Ninh Province. This line will facilitate international trade and passenger travel between Vietnam and China through the Mong Cai International Border Gate, with speeds for passenger and freight trains to be designed similarly as those on the Hanoi-Dong Dang line.  

The Ministry of Transport is currently working on detailed planning for both projects, which will encompass route alignment, technical standards, and investment plans. The Vietnam Railway Corporation aims to finalize these detailed plans by 2025, paving the way for feasibility studies, investment decisions, and other necessary works.