Hanoi approves plans for two urban rail projects

The Hanoi authorities have approved plans for two new urban rail projects which are expected to help ease congestion in the capital city and reduce travel times between the city centre and suburban areas.

A station of Line 3 between Nhon and Hanoi Railway Station
A station of Line 3 between Nhon and Hanoi Railway Station

The first project will extend Hanoi Metro’s Line 3, which is currently under construction between Nhon and the Hanoi Railway Station, from the Hanoi Railway Station to Hoang Mai.

The extension, consisting of seven stations, covers nearly 8.8 kilometres with 8.13 kilometres running underground.

At an estimated cost of US$1.75 billion, of which nearly US$1.5 billion is funded through official development assistance, the project is expected to commence construction in 2022 and is scheduled for completion in 2028.

The Line 3 extension will have transfers with the planned Lines 1, 2, 4 and 8 of the capital city’s urban rail network as well as the national railway system.

The second project is a 38.4-kilometre-long rail line starting from Van Cao in central Hanoi and running westwards to serve Hoa Lac, a high-tech and new urban area to the west of the city centre.

Known as Line 5, the project will include 6.5 kilometres of underground tracks, 2 kilometres of elevated tracks and 29.9 kilometres of above-ground tracks, passing through a total of 21 stations.

Line 5 is scheduled for completion in 2025 and will connect with the planned Lines 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8. The cost is estimated at VND65.4 trillion (US$2.77 billion).

There are two metro lines currently under construction in Hanoi.