MOFCOM provides RMB 10 million grant for Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong Railway Project Survey and Master Plan

Project narrative

On January 12, 2017, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and and the Government of Vietnam signed an RMB 10 million grant agreement for the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong Railway Project Survey and Master Plan. The purpose of the project was to conduct a survey and produce a master plan for a future project to rehabilitate the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway. With transportation capacity of 10 million tons per year, the rehabilitation project is ultimately designed to go through the eight provinces/cities of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Hung Yen, Hai Duong and Hai Phong. The rehabilitated railway is expected to run across 73 bridges with a total length of over 130 kilometers. Alongside the railway project, 96 bridges, 25 tunnels and 29 train stations are expected to be built. The existing railway running from Lao Cai to Hai Phong allows an average speed of 50 kilometers per hour and a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour. In November 2019, China Railway Fifth Survey and Design Institute Group complete a survey of the proposed project. A final handover certificate for the survey and master plan was issued in August 2024.