In 2025 and beyond, the Vietnamese government is prioritizing the deployment of key national infrastructure and transportation projects, including the much-anticipated North-South high-speed railway project and the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway. This ambitious plan aims to enhance connectivity across the country and modernize the transportation landscape.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed the Ministry of Construction to coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to review and resolve issues related to construction norms and pricing. This initiative is crucial as Vietnam embarks on these groundbreaking projects, which are associated with advanced technology and are being implemented for the first time in the country.
During a recent meeting of the National Steering Committee for Major Railway Projects, the Prime Minister tasked the Ministry of Construction with collaborating with the People's Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. They are to finalize and submit to the government a resolution that implements Resolution No. 188/2025/QH15 of the National Assembly, which outlines the framework for these infrastructure efforts.
Nguyen Pham Quang Tu, Deputy Director of the Institute of Construction Economics (Ministry of Construction), emphasized the importance of collecting data on norms, unit prices, and construction investment rates from similar railway projects worldwide. This data will serve as a benchmark for comparing and contrasting with Vietnamese regulations, ensuring that the country adopts best practices in construction.
Furthermore, the Ministry has assigned the Institute of Construction Economics to review foreign technologies and norms. If deemed suitable, these can be applied to determine costs in the total investment and bidding estimates for the railway projects. This proactive approach reflects Vietnam's commitment to adopting innovative solutions in its infrastructure development.
Nguyen Quoc Hiep, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Construction Contractors (VACC), has suggested that the Ministry of Construction should innovate the cost management system. Instead of issuing detailed pricing norms, he advocates for the establishment of a system of aggregate unit price norms to determine bid prices, total estimates, and total investment. "The aggregate unit price is fundamentally similar to investment rates used by countries worldwide," Hiep noted.
As Vietnam embarks on these high-speed railway projects, Hiep cautioned that the country lacks established technologies and standards. He warned that adhering to traditional cost management methods may not provide sufficient time to develop detailed pricing norms due to the introduction of numerous new technologies and standards.
In response to the challenges, the Ministry of Construction is revising and supplementing several pricing norms related to the railway sector. Nguyen Trong Hoang, a specialist at the Vietnam Railway Department, acknowledged that some pricing norms in the railway sector are still lacking. The Ministry is actively reviewing and amending these norms to align them with current industry needs.
Tran Ba Viet, former Deputy Director of the Institute of Construction Science and Technology (Ministry of Construction), recommended studying the investment rates from China for each project item. He suggested referencing the investment rates from the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, which was inaugurated in 2024 and financed by China, covering a distance of 140 kilometers. Viet stressed the importance of detailing project components such as tracks, trains, control systems, and stations to ensure comprehensive investment planning.
Architect Tran Huy Anh from the Hanoi Association of Architects highlighted that Vietnam is undertaking numerous large-scale projects within a short timeframe. These include the Hanoi urban railway project and the development of hundreds of kilometers of high-speed railways, such as the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong and North-South high-speed railway projects. He described this as a significant leap not only for the railway sector but for society as a whole.
Reflecting on the rapid development of China's railway system over the past three decades, Anh noted that Vietnam can learn from China's experience in adopting economic and technical standards from developed countries like Japan and European nations. He believes that Vietnam can leverage its international collaborations and past experiences to establish appropriate pricing norms and standards for its railway projects.
Moreover, Anh pointed out that the integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) can enhance project management and cost assessment. Through BIM, stakeholders can access economic and technical indicators, as well as details about the origin and properties of materials used in construction. He mentioned that with the ISO 19650 standard, it is possible to identify competitive pricing from various suppliers, thereby fostering a more efficient procurement process.
In a related development, the Ministry of Construction has also been focused on enhancing road infrastructure. The road connecting the Hanoi - Hai Phong expressway with the Cau Giie - Ninh Binh expressway is approximately 48 kilometers long, traversing the provinces of Hung Yen and Ha Nam. This road has been constructed to a level 2 standard with four lanes.
To optimize the use of resources and expedite the project, the Ministry plans to upgrade this section to expressway standards, maintaining a four-lane configuration. The Ministry has agreed to report to the Prime Minister for approval to assign the Ha Nam Provincial People's Committee as the investment management agency for the section from the Thai Ha intersection to the Phu Thu intersection in Ha Nam province.
Ha Nam province has proposed that the section from the Hung Ha bridge to the Thai Ha intersection (approximately 2.6 kilometers) be fully developed into a six-lane expressway according to the regional plan. For the segment from the Thai Ha intersection to Binh Nghia, the Ha Nam Provincial People's Committee has requested the Ministry of Construction to direct its affiliated units to calculate the total investment based on a six-lane expressway plan, which includes utilizing existing roads, constructing new access roads, bridges, underpasses, and addressing site clearance costs.
As Vietnam progresses with these ambitious infrastructure projects, the government's commitment to modernizing transportation networks is evident. The focus on high-speed rail and upgraded roadways is expected to significantly enhance connectivity and stimulate economic growth across the nation.
