Hanoi requires preparation of routes and construction locations for five urban rail lines

Nhon - Hanoi Station urban railway line. Photo: Chi Cuong

The requirement was assigned by Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Vu Dai Thang in Notice No.1093/TB-VP issued on November 11.

According to the notice, the management board, as the investor, is assigned to organise the preparation of route plans and construction site locations at a scale of 1/500 for five urban railway lines, including No.1, No.2, No.8, No.10, and No.14. This is an important and urgent task that needs to be completed soon to create a basis for implementing investment and construction according to the plan.

In the notice, the chairman requested a study to select the most optimal route, minimising the need for the railway line to curve around existing projects and construction, thereby reducing the risk of increased investment costs.

The location and scope of the stations must be linked to the efficient utilisation of land for urban development according to the Transit-Oriented Development model, which is urban development oriented towards public transport, along the railway lines. This will also serve as the basis for studying and balancing investment capital for the construction and development of the urban railway system.

Regarding land acquisition, the chairman requested a study of areas currently classified as agricultural land where land acquisition, compensation, and clearance can be immediately implemented based on the approved route plan and project location documents at a scale of 1/2000.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment is assigned to take the lead and coordinate with the Department of Construction and the Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board to guide the relevant wards and communes to urgently implement compensation, land clearance, and land acquisition according to regulations, ensuring the conditions for handing over the land for construction.

Previously, on November 4, Hanoi People's Council passed a resolution piloting specific policies to invest in the construction of urban railway lines in the area. The resolution takes effect for five years from the date of signing.

These five projects have a total length of about 253 km, connecting many important areas, from Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi Station, Ngoc Hoi to Hoa Lac, Thu Lam, Co Loa and the Ocean Park urban area.

The construction cost of the five projects is $36 billion of a total $40 billion of the total capital demand for urban railway projects in the city for 2026-2030.

The city stated that the maximum contract value for underground sections was $120 million per km. The city will continue to review and control costs based on the design, total investment, audit results, and contract conditions, ensuring that the price does not exceed the capped limit.

Currently, Hanoi has two operational metro lines: the Cat Linh - Ha Dong line and Nhon - Hanoi Station line.

The Cat Linh - Ha Dong line is 13 km long, entirely elevated, with 12 stations. Each train has four carriages, a capacity of 960 passengers, a maximum speed of 80 km/h and an average operational speed of 35 km/h. It takes 23 minutes to travel the full length of the line.

The Nhon - Hanoi Station line spans 12.5 km, including an 8.5-km elevated section from Nhon to Cau Giay and a 4-km underground segment from Cau Giay to Hanoi Station.

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