Becamex Group on January 14 released details of plans to develop railway links connecting Ho Chi Minh City with southern provinces.
Becamex, a state-owned enterprise, has been assigned by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee to prepare feasibility studies for several railway projects, including the Chon Thanh - Bau Bang - An Binh - Cai Mep line.
According to Becamex, the proposed railway would stretch nearly 154 km with an estimated total investment of about VND 168 trillion (USD 6.46 billion).
The strategic rail project is designed to link industrial parks in Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai with the Cai Mep - Thi Vai deep-water port complex, easing logistics bottlenecks, speeding up freight transport and reducing pressure on road networks.
The line is proposed as a double-track standard gauge railway with a track width of 1,435 mm, designed for speeds of up to 160 km per hour for passenger services and 120 km per hour for freight. Investment is expected to follow a public-private partnership model.
Once completed, the railway is expected to save more than USD 2 billion a year in logistics costs, according to project estimates.
