The Southern Transport Design Consulting Corporation estimates it will cost more than US$13 billion to build the planned double track high-speed railway from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang.

For the first stage, $6.4 billion will be needed to build a track for trains that will reach a speed of 200 kph and make the journey in two hours.

After that, a further US$6.9 billion must be spent to build a parallel track, one where the trains can cruise at 350 kph and cut the journey’s time down to 75 minutes.

According to the preliminary study for the line, Nha Trang’s existing station will be expanded while at the other end of the 1.435-meter gauge track a new station will be built at Thu Thiem in District 2, Ho Chi Minh City.

Still on the same subject, the advertising agency Truong Sinh is getting into the railway business by teaming up with the Saigon Railway Passenger Transport Company to operate an express train between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang starting in November or December.

The train has been given the name “5 Star express” and will comprise six passenger carriages of varying degrees of comfort, two dining cars and an entire carriage outfitted as a medical clinic. Each carriage will have an LCD screen, internet connection, a bar and an “intelligent toilet”.