Hanoi has been plagued by congestion for years, and urban expansion has forced the rapid implementation of rail transit. Vietnam has launched a grand 2035 road network construction plan, and Russia has expressed its intention to cooperate. In addition, Chinese enterprises are deeply involved in local road construction, and multiple countries are working together to help Vietnam improve its modern public transportation system in the capital.

Russia releases intention to cooperate

The Vietnamese President revealed during a parliamentary meeting that Russia is willing to participate in the construction of the Hanoi Metro project, viewing it as an important carrier of friendly cooperation between the two countries. According to Hanoi's centennial urban plan, a total of 18 rail transit lines with a total length of 979 kilometers are planned throughout the city. A 500 kilometer road network will be built from 2026 to 2035, relying on the TOD model to leverage the overall development of the city. At present, Hanoi only has 21.5 kilometers of rail lines in operation, and an additional 478.5 kilometers will be added in 9 years, with an average annual construction of over 53 kilometers. Compared to previous years where the average speed was only 1.3 to 1.4 kilometers per year, there is a huge construction gap, and external technical and financial support is urgently needed.

Multiple lines have been accelerated and put into operation

Currently, multiple subway projects in Hanoi are progressing simultaneously. The Wengao to Hele section of Line 5, which is jointly constructed by Chinese enterprises, will start construction by the end of 2025 and has entered the underground construction phase. In June 2026, five subway lines with a total length of 303.5 kilometers will resume construction in the local area, covering Line 1, Line 2, Line 8, Line 10, and Line 14. They will be contracted by Vingroup, a large private enterprise in Vietnam, and are planned to be basically opened by 2030, significantly expanding the existing rail transit scale. Keywords: Hanoi Rail Transit, Russian Infrastructure Cooperation

Road network empowers urban upgrading

Vietnam admits that there is a prominent gap in Hanoi's rail transit construction, and Russia's cooperation statement injects new momentum into the project's progress. Once the 500 kilometer rail transit network is successfully formed by 2035, it can greatly alleviate the normalized traffic congestion in Hanoi, optimize the urban spatial layout, drive the development of surrounding satellite towns, improve the daily travel efficiency and living quality of the people, and lay a solid transportation foundation for the long-term sustainable development of the Vietnamese capital.Editor/Min Jing