“There is no more atmospheric way to haul into Vietnam’s twin metropolises as this train rattles through historic cities and swooshes beside spectacular coastlines,” according to Lonely Planet.

The agenda of the 4th working week of the 15th National Assembly (NA)’s 8th session from November 11-13 will focus on many important issues, with the highlight being a question-and-answer (Q&A) session taking place on November 1 and 12.

Six projects worth over 7.4 trillion VND (310.46 million USD) are expected to begin this year serving railway infrastructure upgrade.

The Ministry of Transport has approved the Vinh-Nha Trang railway renovation and upgrade project under the North-South railway with a total investment of over 1.2 trillion VND (51.3 million USD) from 2022 to 2025.

The railway sector will increase its capacity through increasing the number of trains, cars when a project to renovates and upgrades a number of routes on the North-South railway with a total investment of 7 trillion VND starts.

There is a trend of real estate developers moving their investments from big cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to other localities, experts have said.

Work on four projects along the North-South railway will begin in May and June, according to the Transport Engineering Construction and Quality Management Bureau.

The Ministry of Transport has approved a 1.95 trillion VND (83.85 million USD) project on upgrading weak bridges along the railway connecting Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.

A project to upgrade weak bridges and reinforce bridge pillars on the railway route connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will help increase their capacities and ensure safety for trains and passenger

Up to 131 weak bridges on the North-South railway will be repaired or replaced by 2021.

The new north-south high-speed railway connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City over a distance of 1.545km is expected to run mainly on elevated sections and below ground to avoid creating more level crossings.

Weaknesses of the railway sector and orientations for its development were mentioned by National Assembly (NA) deputies while grilling Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The on June 4.

Two historic steam locomotives that were repatriated to Switzerland from Da Lat in 1990 became part of the European country’s celebration of the restored Furka Pass rack railway last week.

The Government is concerned about the poor coordination and infrastructure undermining the major development potential of Vietnam’s 11 central localities, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue told 500 business people and officials at the 2nd Central Coastal Economic Forum in Da Nang on September 25.

The Vietnam Railway Corporation (VNR) has asked the Ministry of Transport for 7 trillion VND (308.2 million USD) in Government bonds to renovate the Hanoi – HCM City rail system from 2017 – 2020.

After being temporarily shut down due to landslides in the central province of Quang Binh, local sections of the North-South railway were reopened to traffic on October 17.

Most national highways in the central coastal province of Quang Binh were reopened to traffic on October 16 after the recent flood.

Landslides in the central province of Quang Binh has paralysed sections of the North-South railway, according to the Vietnam Railways (VNR).

The collapse of the Ghenh Bridge that shut down the North-South railway left businesses struggling with a big surge in transport costs.