The construction of a high-speed railway system running from north to south is included in the master plan to develop Vietnam’s train transportation in the next 15 years.

The cross-country double-track railway will allow trains to travel at a maximum speed of 160kph – 200kph during its first stage, and will later be upgraded to allow speeds of up to 300kph, according to the plan recently approved by the Vietnamese government.

The system will be electrified and feature standard railroad gauge, or rails with a distance between the inside edges of 1,435 mm.

The government has requested that relevant agencies consider building the north to south railway in sections, with priority given to those with high transportation demand, such as Hanoi – Vinh or Ho Chi Minh City – Nha Trang.

The government has also set plans for the development of Vietnam’s train transportation from now to 2020 and from 2020 to 2030.

By 2020, the country’s current north to south railway, spanning 1,726km from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, must be upgraded to allow trains to travel at an average speed of 80 – 90kph, up from the current 60 – 70kmh.

The feasibility of constructing the new high-speed railway should be studied from now to 2020 so that construction can start in 2030.

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