Vietnam hopes to match developed countries' infrastructure by 2045

According to the Party's highest decision-making body, the infrastructure will match other developing countries' by 2030, with major infrastructure projects connecting Vietnam with the region and the world completed.

Pilot studies of public investment - private management and private investment - public use models would be done, an urban development model with transit on demand perfected and a financial mechanism for cultural and social infrastructure works developed.

Resources would be prioritized for the North-South Expressway, international airports, infrastructure at ports, major inland waterways, and a high-speed north-south railroad.

Strong mechanisms and policies would be developed to create leading corporate entities with sufficient resources and modern management, and ability to access and then master advanced technologies for large, strategic construction works.

A database on socio-economic, environmental resources of each region and locality would be built and connected with the national database.

Related agencies would study mechanisms to speed up the process of land acquisition and compensation, and keep development separate from the tasks of acquisition and resettlement.

A train of HCMC's metro line No.1 conducts a test run in Binh Thanh District, August 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Nhu Quynh

Public funds would be prioritized for projects with inter-regional impacts, promoting fast and sustainable economic growth and projects that could not recoup capital or attract private investment.

According to plans that have been approved, Hanoi will have 10 metro lines with a total length of 417 km by 2030, including 75 km underground.

Only the Cat Linh - Ha Dong line in the capital operates commercially, the country's sole metro service.

Ho Chi Minh City will have eight metro lines and three monorail lines with a total length of around 220 km by 2030. They will cost an estimated US$25 billion.

Work is in progress to build Line Nos. 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) and 2 (Ben Thanh - Tham Luong) with a combined length of over 30 km.

The former will finally be up and running this year after long delays.