Traveling through Vietnam is about to get a whole lot more convenient and environmentally friendly, as officials have announced that two sections of high-speed rail connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are slated to begin construction in 2027, VnExpress International reported.
The entire planned north-south high-speed rail network — including a third section that will get started in 2028 or 2029 — is expected to be completed by 2035.
Vietnam's high-speed trains will travel at speeds of up to 217 miles per hour, the transport ministry said. The entire project will cost around $67.34 billion and will not rely on foreign loans, as reported by VnExpress (although The Investor magazine suggested that Vietnam is considering borrowing from Japan and South Korea to complete the train lines).
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Studies have shown that high-speed rail is an efficient and planet-friendly form of long-distance travel, producing less heat-trapping air pollution per passenger than either cars or airplanes. Trains also demand less overall space than roads and highways, while creating less noise pollution.
As an added bonus, people really seem to love traveling on very fast trains. In countries that already have robust high-speed rail systems, most notably China, visitors are frequently left in awe after zipping quickly, comfortably, and cheaply from city to city.
While the United States is still a very car-centric country, high-speed rail has finally started to gain some traction here as well. One project in Florida is already running, and another in California is on the way. Others are still in the process of hopefully getting approval.
While countries like the United States and Vietnam still have a long way to go to catch up with China in terms of planet-friendly, passenger-friendly public transportation options, the fact that large-scale projects of this nature are starting to get built is a huge step in the right direction.
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