Feasibility studies begin on inter-city express rail links

The Ministry of Transport has asked the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to start conducting feasibility studies on two portions of an express-railway linking Hanoi with Vinh City in central Nghe An Province and HCMC-Nha Trang.

Nguyen Huu Bang, director general of the Vietnam Railway Corporation, was expected to have an official meeting with JICA to discuss the issue Wednesday.

In an interview with VnExpress, Nguyen Minh Thuyet, vice chairman of the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children, said the decision to start a feasibility study for the Hanoi-HCM City express railway did not contradict an earlier National Assembly decision to block the national high-speed rail network.

The plan's implementation will still face a National Assembly vote prior to being enacted.

During discussions at the National Assembly's June session, a majority of legislators rejected the rail plan due to the prohibitive costs involved and perceived lack of social benefits.

The project would cost about US$56 billion. Japan has agreed to grant Vietnam Official Development Assistance to undertake the feasibility study.

According to Do Van Hat, director general of the Railways Investment and Construction Consultancy Company, the study would start sometime in November 2010. It is due for completion by the end of the first quarter of 2012.

In addition, the Vietnam Railway Corporation has asked JICA to help develop a feasibility study for the construction of a 25km express railway from Ngoc Hoi station (south of Hanoi ) to Noi Bai International Airport, Hat said.

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Feasibility studies begin on inter-city express rail links

The Ministry of Transport has asked the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to start conducting feasibility studies on two portions of an express-railway linking Hanoi with Vinh City in central Nghe An Province and HCMC-Nha Trang.

Nguyen Huu Bang, director general of the Vietnam Railway Corporation, was expected to have an official meeting with JICA to discuss the issue Wednesday.

In an interview with VnExpress, Nguyen Minh Thuyet, vice chairman of the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children, said the decision to start a feasibility study for the Hanoi-HCM City express railway did not contradict an earlier National Assembly decision to block the national high-speed rail network.

The plan's implementation will still face a National Assembly vote prior to being enacted.

During discussions at the National Assembly's June session, a majority of legislators rejected the rail plan due to the prohibitive costs involved and perceived lack of social benefits.

The project would cost about US$56 billion. Japan has agreed to grant Vietnam Official Development Assistance to undertake the feasibility study.

According to Do Van Hat, director general of the Railways Investment and Construction Consultancy Company, the study would start sometime in November 2010. It is due for completion by the end of the first quarter of 2012.

In addition, the Vietnam Railway Corporation has asked JICA to help develop a feasibility study for the construction of a 25km express railway from Ngoc Hoi station (south of Hanoi ) to Noi Bai International Airport, Hat said.

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Feasibility studies begin on inter-city express rail links

The Ministry of Transport on Aug. 31 asked the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) to start conducting feasibility studies on two
portions of an express-railway linking Hanoi with Vinh City
(the capital of central Nghe An province) and HCM City-Nha Trang.

Nguyen Huu Bang, director general of the Vietnam Railway Corporation,
was expected to have an official meeting with JICA to discuss the issue
on Sept. 1.

In an interview with VnExpress, Nguyen
Minh Thuyet, vice chairman of the National Assembly Committee for
Culture, Education, Youth and Children, said the decision to start a
feasibility study for the Hanoi-HCM City express railway did not
contradict an earlier National Assembly decision to block the national
high-speed rail network. The plan's implementation will still face a
National Assembly vote prior to being enacted.

During discussions at the National Assembly's June session, a majority
of legislators rejected the rail plan due to the prohibitive costs
involved and perceived lack of social benefits.

The
project would cost about 56 billion USD. Japan has agreed to grant
Vietnam Official Development Assistance to undertake the feasibility
study.

According to Do Van Hat, director general of
the Railways Investment and Construction Consultancy Company, the study
would start sometime in November 2010. It is due for completion by the
end of the first quarter of 2012.

In addition, the
Vietnam Railway Corporation has asked JICA to help develop a feasibility
study for the construction of a 25km express railway from Ngoc Hoi
station (south of Hanoi ) to Noi Bai International Airport ,
Hat said./.

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Feasibility studies begin on inter-city express rail links

HA NOI —The Ministry of Transport yesterday asked the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) to start conducting feasibility studies on two portions of an express-railway linking Ha Noi with Vinh City (the capital of central Nghe An Province) and HCM City-Nha Trang.

Nguyen Huu Bang, director general of the Viet Nam Railway Corporation, was expected to have an official meeting with JICA to discuss the issue today.

In an interview with VnExpress, Nguyen Minh Thuyet, vice chairman of the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children, said the decision to start a feasibility study for the Ha Noi-HCM City express railway did not contradict an earlier National Assembly decision to block the national high-speed rail network. The plan's implementation will still face a National Assembly vote prior to being enacted.

During discussions at the National Assembly's June session, a majority of legislators rejected the rail plan due to the prohibitive costs involved and perceived lack of social benefits.

The project would cost about US$56 billion. Japan has agreed to grant Viet Nam Official Development Assistance to undertake the feasibility study.

According to Do Van Hat, director general of the Railways Investment and Construction Consultancy Company, the study would start sometime in November 2010. It is due for completion by the end of the first quarter of 2012.

In addition, the Viet Nam Railway Corporation has asked JICA to help develop a feasibility study for the construction of a 25km express railway from Ngoc Hoi station (south of Ha Noi) to Noi Bai International Airport, Hat said. — VNS

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National Day tour bookings up

Tourist boats cruise in the World Heritage-listed Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh - Photo: Bach Lien

HCMC – Most of the tourism companies have reported a rise in tour bookings for the long National Day holiday this week.

The Government has allowed state agencies and mass organizations an extra day off this Friday, thus prolonging the National Day (September 2) holiday to four. The decision is believed to fuel demand for travel.

Strong demand usually drives up tour prices but travel firms said the would try to stabilize prices and that if they were forced to increase prices for some reasons, the hikes would be confined to the 5-10% range.

Saigontourist has reported a 15% year-on-year improvement in bookings, mainly for three to five-day tours in Vietnam or abroad.

Pham Duc Hoa, deputy manager of the domestic section of Saigontourist, said in a statement, “For the National Day holiday, our company has 35 domestic tours of two to five days for tourists to choose.

“We expect to attract 2,500 domestic tourists during the holiday. Local tourists mostly go for two or three-day tours, while overseas Vietnamese people prefer longer tours, five to six days.”

Pham Thu, manager of the outbound section of Saigontourist, said over 800 tourists had booked overseas tours, mostly to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Cambodia. These tours last four to six days departing from Hanoi and HCMC.

Vietravel has also seen tour bookings surging 15% year-on-year. Vietravel prepares to take 1,250 guests around the country and 2,000 others to foreign countries.

TST Tourist said it expected the number of people taking its tours could jump 72% from the same period last year.

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Camping out in Cat Tien

The park rangers take the campers around the park in pick-up trucks - Photo: Ngoc Tram

Located in the south of Vietnam, approximately 150 km north of HCMC, Cat Tien National Park or Nam Cat Tien is home to 600 species of flora, hundreds of precious medicinal herbs, over 60 kinds of orchids, 240 species of birds, and over 50 species of animals, including the endangered Javan rhino, one of Asia’s rarest mammals. It is also home the golden cheeked gibbon. Cat Tien has a primate rescue center to rehabilitate gibbons that were kept as pets or mascots so they can re-enter the wild.

The 35,000-hectare primeval forest has attracted researchers, archaeologists, explorers and tourists from all over the world who want to take an adventurous trip and experience nature.

The forest landscapes are beautiful, abounding in hills, waterfalls, rivers and centuries old trees. Some winding river sections form sandy beaches beside deep ponds where people can swim. Legends say that these were places where angels descended on earth to frolic and enjoy pure cool streams, so it was named Nam Cat Tien, meaning angels descend on the southern land.

From HCMC, take National Highway 20 for 125 kilometers and turn left, go another 24 kilometers and take a ferry-boat to cross Dong Nai river to the main headquarters of Cat Tien National Park.

When you camp or walk on the tracks in the Park, you have to be careful to avoid leeches. Wearing long trousers and socks helps. Cat Tien is mostly wilderness, so it is a great destination for campers and nature lovers.

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