Vietnam’s National Assembly on Feb. 19 approved investment for the Haiphong-Hanoi-Lao Cai rail project, according to the Vietnam News Agency. The railway, worth $8.37 billion, stretches from Vietnam’s northern port city, Hai Phong, to Hanoi and on to Lao Cai, which borders Southwest China’s Yunnan Province. This will add to the Asian Railroad, which ties China to the Southeast Asia nations. Construction of the railway is scheduled to begin by the end of this year.
The project is expected to be completed between 2026 and 2030, and the railway will carry both passengers and cargo, according to a feasibility report submitted to the Vietnamese National Assembly, local media reported. It will be over 400 kilometers (248-plus miles) long, including three branch lines, passing through seven provinces. It will also allow Vietnam to ship to Europe through China.