Hanoi to study railway project to connect Gia Binh International Airport with city centre

Hanoi to study railway project to connect Gia Binh International Airport with city centre

Hanoi People's Committee proposes to study a plan to connect Gia Binh International Airport with the city centre by the shortest railway line.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc (centre) worked with relevant authorities about Gia Binh International Airport. Photo: chinhphu.vn

On November 9, Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang chaired a meeting to listen to a report on the plan to connect Gia Binh International Airport, and the planning of routes and locations of urban railway stations.

Chairman Thang stated that according to the plan, Gia Binh, located in Bac Ninh city, is expected to be completed in 2027. Thus, the implementation time is not long, in less than a year, this will become an important airport.

“To date, traffic connection options with Gia Binh by road and rail have been researched and proposed. However, the route direction and connection from the centre of Hanoi to the airport are still not really clear, and need to be further researched and completed,” the chairman said.

“This is a critical requirement, contributing to facilitating travel and transportation of passengers and goods between the airport and the capital centre and localities in the region,” he said.

Deputy Minister of Construction Bui Xuan Dung proposed to study the route from Gia Binh through Gia Lam Station to the centre of Hanoi; and at the same time clearly define the central railway station of the city and the location of stations in the plan. In which, it is necessary to clarify the role of Gia Lam Station as a national railway station, a connecting point for national railways, local railways, specialised railways and urban railways.

“The goal is to choose a plan with the shortest distance and travel time, striving from the centre of Hanoi to airports in about 30-45 minutes. It is necessary to study organising trains running directly to the airport, limiting stops at intermediate stations to shorten travel time, similar to the operating model in some countries,” Deputy Minister Dung said. “It should study a plan to connect from Gia Binh airport to the centre of Hanoi in the shortest route, through the Gia Lam station area; consider adding a branch line connecting with central stations. At the same time, study organising a connecting route from the central area in the south direction to Noi Bai International Airport, ensuring intercommunication between national railway, urban railway and specialised railway hubs."

Previously, on November 6, DPM Tuc assigned Hanoi People's Committee to take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Construction and other relevant authorities to review and study options for developing the urban railway network.

“The research must ensure scientific rigour, synchronisation, interconnectedness, efficiency, and alignment with the development orientation of the capital region and the socioeconomic development goals of the inter-regional area,” said the relevant notice.

In the document, he required clarification of the relationship between urban railway lines and the national railway system, inter-regional railways, and other modes of transport, while also drawing on the experience of developing and organising transportation connections in countries such as Germany, Japan, and South Korea.

“It needs to study options for positioning Hanoi's central station to become a direct hub connecting with national transport routes, international gateways such as airports, and major urban centres,” the notice said.

VIR