Vietnam’s National Assembly has voted to approve a $67 billion investment into high-speed rail for the country, boosting its infrastructure, adding eco-friendly transportation options, and courting future investments.
The railway system should span more than 930 miles and connect Hanoi, the country’s capital in the north, with its business hub Ho Chi Minh City in the south, as South China Morning Post reported.
This would constitute an upgrade to the country’s relatively weak transportation infrastructure, which includes a road system struggling to keep up with demand and an underdeveloped railway system, as the report explained.
Construction on the project is expected to commence in 2027, with hopes that trains will begin running on the new line by 2035, as the AP noted, although frequent delays have plagued similar projects.
Details are scant on the proposed system, but it should pass through 20 provinces and cities, with 23 passenger stations and five specifically for freight.
The AP further detailed that the train is expected to run at 217 miles per hour, reducing a journey that’s currently 30 hours down to just five.
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Trains have some of the lowest carbon impacts in the transportation sector, which, at least in the U.S., accounts for 29% of planet-warming pollution. Simply choosing a train over driving for medium-length distances could reduce that pollution by 80%.
Right now, Vietnam has some of the highest road transportation costs, while its existing roadway density is fairly low, as SCMP explained. Adding more comprehensive public transportation, such as high-speed rail, could help the country and its inhabitants lower costs.
Reducing car traffic can also help the environment in a surprising way. Every year, tires shed approximately 6 billion fragments of plastic through wear and tear, according to Phys.org. That translates to 28% of all microplastics entering the environment globally.
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Nearby communities will also benefit from reduced pollution with more sustainably-powered trains available.
Plus, the country is especially vulnerable to changes in the climate, with its economic centers densely packed along the coastline, and the region frequently suffering extreme weather events. Infrastructure improvements and green technologies could help improve its situation.
This high-speed railway investment could lower the area’s carbon impact and even garner help from foreign governments that see the potential for positive change in the country.
“This project is pivotal for restructuring transport shares and serves as a cornerstone for Vietnam’s leap into a new era of growth,” deputy minister of transport Nguyen Danh Huy shared via state media, per the AP.
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