In the context of the rapid development of the transportation sector, the railway system plays a crucial role in connecting and promoting socioeconomic development. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of railway construction and maintenance standards in Vietnam, updated according to the latest regulations of 2025.

1. Railway Construction Standards 

1.1. National Technical Standards 

Railway construction must strictly adhere to national technical standards, including:

• QCVN 08:2018/BGTVT Railway operation
• QCVN 16:2023/BGTVT Technical requirements for diesel locomotives and specialized self-propelled vehicles
• QCVN 18:2023/BGTVT Inspection of wagons, specialized non-self-propelled vehicles during production
• QCVN 15:2023/BGTVT Technical safety requirements for railway vehicles

1.2. Infrastructure Requirements 

Railway infrastructure includes: (Clause 15, Article 3, Railway Law 2017)

• Railway structures
• Protection zone for railway structures
• Railway traffic safety corridor

Protection of railway infrastructure (Article 23, Railway Law 2017):

1. Protection activities:

• Ensuring safety for railway structures.
• Prevention of natural disasters, accidents, and handling sabotage acts.
• Preventing encroachment on the protection zone of railway structures and the railway traffic safety corridor.

2. Railway structure protection zone: Includes the protection zone for railways, railway bridges, tunnels, stations, depots, communication and signal works, power supply systems, and other structures.
3. Railway traffic safety corridor: Ensures traffic safety, rescue, and visibility for traffic participants.
4. Construction and exploitation of resources near railways:

• Must not affect the safety of railway structures and traffic.
• If there is an impact, the investor must take safety measures.
• The investor must compensate for damages if the actions negatively affect railway structures and traffic safety.

Railway infrastructure business must ensure: (Article 20, Decree 65/2018/ND-CP)

• A department in charge of safety tasks. The head of the safety department must have a university degree in railway civil engineering and at least 3 years of direct experience in one of the following fields: Construction, management, maintenance of railway infrastructure.
• At least one business manager must have a university degree and at least 3 years of direct experience in one of the following fields: Construction, management, maintenance of railway infrastructure.
• The railway infrastructure managed by the business must comply with the current technical standards (refer to the National Standards: TCVN 11854:2017 (IEC 61133:2016) on Railway Applications – Railway vehicles – Testing of complete railway vehicles before use; TCVN 11297:2016 on Railway Bridges – Inspection procedures).

1.3. Material Standards 

Materials used in construction must meet:

• High durability and lifespan
• Good load-bearing capacity
• Suitability for Vietnam’s climate conditions 

Material standards according to TCVN 13566-1:2022 (Section 5) 

• General regulations:
  • All materials must comply with the standard or an equivalent standard.
  • Material selection must ensure concrete durability, freeze resistance, surface defects, and abrasion resistance.
  • Preventing alkali-silica reaction when silica is present in aggregates.
• Cement:
  • Use CEM I Portland cement with a minimum strength grade of 42.5.
  • Check the chemical and physical properties of cement.
• Aggregates:
  • Comply with EN 12620 or TCVN 7570:2006 standards.
  • Perform petrological and chemical analysis of aggregates.
  • Provide related information like gradation curves, sensitivity to alkali-silica reaction.
• Concrete mixing water: Use potable water or tested non-potable water according to TCVN 4506:2012.
• Additives:
  • Comply with TCVN 8826:2011.
  • Do not use rapid-setting additives containing calcium chloride.
• Concrete:
  • Minimum compressive strength C45/55 MPa.
  • Water/cement ratio less than 0.45.
  • Minimum cement content 300 kg/m3.
• Steel:
  • Prestressed steel must comply with prEN 10138 or ASTM A881/A881M, ASTM A416/A416M.
  • Reinforcing steel must comply with EN 10080 or TCVN 1651:2018.
• Embedded parts:
  • Must follow the specifications and design drawings of the system.
  • The contact surface with concrete must be free from contaminants.

2. Maintenance Regulations 

2.1. Routine Maintenance Procedures 

Railway construction maintenance tasks (Article 8, Circular 03/2021/TT-BGTVT) include inspection, monitoring, quality assessment, maintenance, repairs, and upgrades without changing the function or scale of the project. 

Railway maintenance documentation (Article 9, Circular 03/2021/TT-BGTVT):

• Documents serving maintenance activities (maintenance procedures, completion drawings, equipment records, maintenance and repair documents).
• Annual maintenance plans from the Ministry of Transport.
• Inspection results (routine, periodic, extraordinary).
• Annual maintenance, repair results.
• Monitoring, quality assessment results.
• Load-bearing safety and operational evaluation results.
• Other related maintenance documents. 

Application of standards, technical regulations, and economic-technical norms in maintenance work (Article 14, Circular 03/2021/TT-BGTVT):

• Maintaining the works: Apply standards, technical regulations, and economic-technical norms issued by competent authorities. If unavailable, use industry or local norms with the Ministry of Transport’s approval.
• Periodic repairs, emergency repairs: Apply regulations of the law on investment in construction works and related regulations. 

Organizing railway maintenance (Chapter III, Circular 03/2021/TT-BGTVT):

• Develop, approve, and adjust the national railway maintenance plan.
• Implement the railway maintenance plan.
• Inspect, maintain, repair, and assess the safety of railway structures.
• Manage the quality of railway maintenance work.
• Submit regular reports during the management and maintenance of railway infrastructure.

2.2. Inspection and Evaluation 

Evaluation of load-bearing safety and operational safety during railway exploitation (Article 10, Circular 03/2021/TT-BGTVT):

• Large-scale and technically complex railway projects affecting public safety must be evaluated for load-bearing and operational safety periodically or unexpectedly, as per legal requirements.
• The evaluation content and procedure are regulated by laws on quality management and construction maintenance.
• Railway infrastructure businesses must inspect, monitor, and propose safety evaluation plans to the Vietnam Railway Department for verification and processing according to the law.

3. Safety Corridor 

The railway safety corridor is specifically regulated: (Articles 16-22, Decree 56/2018/ND-CP)

• Corridor width:
  • High-speed rail: 5m in urban areas, 15m outside urban areas, with a safety fence.
  • Urban railways and other types: 3m.
  • The height of the railway traffic safety corridor is measured vertically from the ground to the upper limit of the railway’s overhead protection zone.
• At level crossings:
  • Train drivers must see the level crossing from a distance of 1000m.
  • For level crossings without attendants, traffic participants must have enough visibility to recognize trains from afar.
• When railways are near other structures:
  • If overlapping with roads, waterways, maritime, or high-voltage power lines, prioritize the railway safety corridor.
  • When renovating or repairing structures near railways, ensure that it does not affect railway safety.
• Near important works and historical-cultural sites:
  • The railway safety corridor must be outside the protection zone of these structures.
  • Railway renovation and repair must not affect historical-cultural monuments as per legal provisions.

4. Network Planning 

According to the Ministry of Construction’s electronic portal, the planning of Vietnam’s railway network for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, focuses on the following main goals:

• Modernize existing railway lines: Upgrade and improve current railway lines to meet growing transport demand and improve operational efficiency.
• Build high-speed rail lines: Invest in high-speed rail lines, especially the North-South route, to shorten travel time and enhance connectivity between key economic regions.
• Integrate with multimodal transport systems: Integrate railways with other transport modes such as roads, waterways, and aviation, creating a seamless transport network for passengers and goods.

Important note: Compliance with railway construction and maintenance standards and regulations ensures safety and contributes to the sustainable development of Vietnam’s railway sector.

5. Conclusion 

Railway construction and maintenance standards are key factors determining the sustainable development of the railway industry. Strict adherence to these regulations will help build a modern, safe, and efficient railway system for Vietnam.

For further information, please refer to:

• Ministry of Transport’s Electronic Portal
• Vietnam Railway Corporation
• Vietnam Railway Department

Note:

• The content of this article is for informational purposes and should not be considered as official legal advice. 
• The information provided in the article is based on the laws effective at the time of publication and may change due to any amendments or updates to the law.

Harley Miller Law Firm

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