Express railway through HCMC likely to be elevated

The 33-kilometer express rail section that runs through Ho Chi Minh City, operated by the HCMC-Can Tho railway project, is proposed to be elevated for ease of implementation.

The proposal was presented by Phan Cong Bang, deputy director of HCMC's Department of Transport at a meeting Friday on the 174.7-kilometer HCMC-Can Tho express railway, which will cut the travel time between the two cities from 4-5 hours to 75-80 minutes.

The 13-station railway will pass through six southern localities namely Binh Duong, HCMC, Long An, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, and Can Tho.

It will begin at An Binh station in Di An town of Binh Duong province, and end at Cai Rang station in Cai Rang district of Can Tho city.

The elevated section in HCMC was previously estimated to be only 12 kilometers long.

However, since the city contains numerous metropolitan areas with population density, it is difficult to manage traffic at the junctions of trains and roads, potentially causing congestion, according to Bang. "As a result, the city proposed that all 33 kilometers of railway crossing HCMC be elevated."

"Although it is more costly, this solution is simple to implement and has long-term efficacy," the deputy director said.

The VND169,000 billion ($7.27 billion) project will see more than 916 hectares of land cleared. The double rail line will have a gauge of 1,435 millimeters, which is the standard for the world's popular high-speed rails. Passenger trains travel at 190 kph, while freight trains run at 120 kph.

The train will reach a top speed of 200 kph once completed, at a cost that is expected to be 5-10% more than regular rail transportation.

Land site, train investment, and urban station construction are the three primary categories to concentrate on, according to Phan Van Mai, Chairman of HCMC People's Committee.

"The project consultant must identify what category needs budget funding, which requires private investment, and which may be funded by revenue generated from the land fund surrounding the stations," he added.

The project will pave the path for growth by contributing to the Mekong Delta area's development and providing a new driving force for the Southern Key Economic Zone.

Mai called for the project to be deployed soon, completing the paperwork before 2025 in order to implement it between 2025 and 2030.

To make the most of train transportation, Nguyen Ngoc Dong, Deputy Minister of Transport suggested that cities and consulting units pay attention to the location of railway stations, particularly cargo stations that connect with product suppliers and logistic hubs.

A representative of consulting consortium Tedi South-Tricc-Tedi previously stated that its aim is to complete the project's pre-feasibility study this year for the Ministry of Transport to submit a proposal to the government before seeking National Assembly investment policy approval.

Can Tho authorities in mid-May proposed construction of the HCMC-Can Tho express railway before 2030 to catch up with Mekong Delta transport demand.

The project has attracted the interest of more than 20 foreign companies and international investment funds in recent years.

Hitachi, a Japanese conglomerate, has expressed interest in participating in the project, which the Prime Minister has authorized to be developed in the form of a public-private partnership (PPP).