HCMC – The Vietnam Railway Authority has proposed a VND184-trillion railway project to connect Quang Ninh Province in northern Vietnam and China through Lao Cai Province.
The project, which has gone before the Ministry of Transport, outlines a 400-kilometer rail line linking Lao Cai on the China border and Cai Lan station in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh. The railway would pass through 10 provinces and connect to China’s rail network at Lao Cai.
The project encompasses main and branch lines reaching ports in Haiphong and Quang Ninh. The Haiphong portion would include a 46.25-kilometer line to Lach Huyen Port and additional branches to Nam Do Son, Dinh Vu ports, and Quang Ninh. A new 25.95-kilometer line in Quang Ninh, along with upgrades to 10.67 kilometers of existing track, is also proposed.
The project includes 145 bridges totaling 106 kilometers over rivers and highways and 42 tunnels spanning 23.2 kilometers through mountainous areas.
Forty-one stations are envisioned, including a key international terminal at Lao Cai and four freight stations at Haiphong’s primary ports. The railway is intended for both passenger and cargo transport, enhancing trade and travel between Vietnam and China.
The first phase, targeted for completion by 2030, would establish a standard-gauge, single-track, electrified rail system from Lao Cai to Haiphong. The Haiphong-Quang Ninh extension would be developed after 2030 as part of a broader coastal rail strategy.
To fund the project, the railway authority recommended prioritizing national budget allocations within medium-term and annual public investment plans and considers concessional loans for large-scale, regionally important infrastructure. Private investment in transport facilities, logistics, warehouses, and cargo handling is also encouraged.
