Vingroup has proposed to the Government and relevant ministries permission to relocate the national railway section from Hanoi Station to Ngoc Hoi Station. This move aims to clear land for the expansion of National Highway 1 to 16 lanes. The proposal suggests that the relocation and site handover could be completed in 2026.

Opened in 1902, Hanoi Station (also known as Hang Co Station) serves as the capital's central station and a crucial hub on the North-South railway line. From this station, trains connect Hanoi with many provinces and cities, including the Thong Nhat trains that travel across Vietnam to Ho Chi Minh City.

After more than a century of operation, Hanoi Station remains one of the busiest stations on the national railway network.

Leaving Hanoi Station, the North-South railway runs along Le Duan and Giai Phong streets, passing through many densely populated residential areas. In several locations, the railway safety corridor faces encroachment, with sections used for commercial activities or as public pathways.

Running parallel to National Highway 1, this railway line intersects several key Hanoi beltways: beltway 1 at the Kim Lien tunnel, beltway 2 at Nga Tu Vong intersection, beltway 2.5 at the Kim Dong - Giai Phong underpass, and beltway 3 at the city's southern gateway.

The dense vehicle traffic and rapid urbanization have made the railway corridor one of the capital's most traffic-stressed areas.

At these intersections, congestion frequently occurs during peak hours due to heavy vehicle flow and waiting for trains to pass. During holidays, the influx of vehicles to Hanoi's southern gateway often overloads National Highway 1, causing prolonged traffic jams.

With increasing demand for travel and transport, expanding the route is deemed essential to enhance traffic capacity, reduce congestion, and improve connectivity between Hanoi and southern provinces.

Beyond Hanoi Station, Giap Bat Station and Van Dien Station are also located along this section. Giap Bat Station is a significant freight transport hub on the North-South railway line, responsible for collecting and transshipping goods for Hanoi and neighboring provinces. According to Vietnam Railways Corporation, relocating the Hanoi - Ngoc Hoi section will ensure no disruption to national railway transport. Upon project completion, passengers traveling on the southern railway line will depart from Ngoc Hoi Station, while freight trains from Thuong Tin and Ngoc Hoi stations will use the eastern beltway route of Ngoc Hoi - Kim Son. Hanoi Station is planned to become a central urban railway station.

Van Dien Station, located on the proposed relocation section, is also slated for clearance to facilitate the National Highway 1 expansion project and reorganize railway infrastructure in southern Hanoi.

From Van Dien Station to Ngoc Hoi Station, the railway line continues to run parallel to National Highway 1. This section of the highway has already been expanded to 8 lanes.

Along the route, only passages equipped with barriers, signal lights, and safety signs remain. At intersections with heavy traffic or complex operational conditions, railway staff are still stationed to operate barriers and manage traffic whenever a train passes.

Despite the installation of barriers and warning signals, many railway crossings still pose safety risks due to some road users intentionally crossing when a train is approaching. Most recently, around 20:00 on 7/6, at Km14+700 between Van Dien and Thuong Tin (Hanoi), passenger train SE19, traveling from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, collided with an oto, with the driver narrowly escaping.

In Ngoc Hoi commune, the Ngoc Hoi Station complex project, spanning approximately 251 ha, is accelerating land clearance and infrastructure completion, with a clean site handover expected by 30/6. Under the national railway network plan, Ngoc Hoi Station is set to become the largest northern railway hub, taking over the functions currently performed by Hanoi Station. Once the project is completed, North-South passenger trains will terminate their journeys at Ngoc Hoi Station, located approximately 13 km from Hanoi Station. *The Bang*