Thaco has submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister to directly invest in Vietnam’s North-South high-speed railway project, estimated at over VND1.5 quadrillion (US$61.35 billion). Thaco plans to fund 20% (US$12.3 billion) through equity and legal domestic capital, with the remaining US$49 billion borrowed from credit institutions, contingent on government loan guarantees and interest payments over 30 years. The proposal excludes land clearance and resettlement costs, which Thaco suggests the State handle separately. The project would span seven years, with priority given to high-demand sections (Hanoi–Ha Tinh and HCMC–Nha Trang) in the first five years, and the more complex central section built in the final two. Trains would run at up to 350 km/h, using international technology with partners from Germany, France, Japan, and South Korea. Thaco seeks a 70-year operating period, priority TOD land access, and tax incentives. The proposal follows the National Assembly’s investment approval, with project completion targeted by 2035. (ICE HO CHI MINH CITY)

Fonte notizia: The Saigon Times