Vietnam to raise railway competitiveness

Vietnam is making a plan on raising the standard of its railway industry to the level of Southeast Asia, mainly by calling for stronger foreign and domestic investment, and offering better services, according to local newspaper Vietnam News on Monday.

The State-owned Vietnam Railway Corporation will appeal for foreign and domestic investment in new carriages, locomotives and on-train services, and launch more express train trips.

The industry will focus on manufacturing diesel-powered locomotives and carriages by itself, instead of importing them. After Vietnam joins the World Trade Organization, the industry would be competing with Chinese companies specializing in train repair and maintenance services, said the corporation's general director Nguyen Huu Bang.

He said Vietnamese private companies will be encouraged to invest in major rail routes, including Ho Chi Minh City-Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City-Phan Thiet (in central Binh Thuan province).

A private firm has already invested in a luxury express train from southern Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang beach city, central Khanh Hoa province, which will begin operating in mid-December.

The corporation plans to offer online ticket booking, improved food, drink and security services, and train more technical workers and rail managers.

Source: Xinhua