Inter-regional Transport: The Driving Force for Economic Development

Phu Tho province has been continued to construct numerous inter-regional transport routes of vital significance to its socio-economic development. These are considered a “leverage” for socio-economic growth between regions and for fostering connectivity with other localities.

The Noi Bai – Lao Cai Expressway section passing through Phu Tho serves as a vital inter-regional artery connecting Phu Tho with Hanoi and the Northwestern provinces, providing a key momentum for socio-economic growth.

Following the merger of the three provincial administrative units—Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, and Hoa Binh—the newly formed Phu Tho province serves as the Northwestern gateway to Hanoi and the Red River Delta. With its strategic location, Phu Tho possesses immense potential for breakthrough development in the future, particularly in high-tech industries, supporting industries (electronics, semiconductors, automotive), tourism, logistics, and high-tech agriculture.

The province is actively focusing on developing inter-regional transport infrastructure to link the Capital Region with the Northern Midlands and Mountains. This is one of the primary drivers for expanding development space, attracting investment, enhancing competitiveness, and achieving rapid, sustainable growth to become a new growth pole.

Great importance is placed on planning to ensure multi-modal inter-regional connectivity (road, rail, and waterway). By leveraging its position on key economic corridors and developing synchronized modern infrastructure (expressways, national highways), the province aims for seamless connection with Hanoi and neighboring provinces. This development is directed toward green and sustainable goals to bolster socio-economic progress.

Furthermore, the province has enacted various preferential mechanisms and policies to prioritize resources for transport infrastructure. In addition to Central Government funding and local reciprocal capital, many policies have been issued to encourage and attract investors into the transport sector through BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer), PPP (Public-Private Partnership), and BT (Build-Transfer) models.

In recent years, numerous key inter-regional transport projects with multi-trillion VND investments have been rapidly deployed across the province. Notable examples include the inter-regional road connecting Ho Chi Minh Road with National Highway 70B and National Highway 32C (linking Phu Tho to Yen Bai, now part of Lao Cai province); the road parallel to the Hanoi - Lao Cai Railway (the National Highway 2C - Hop Thinh - Dao Tu section); the Tuyen Quang - Phu Tho Expressway; and the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau Expressway.

Currently, over 50km of the main route of the inter-regional link between Phu Tho and Lao Cai (total investment of 2,120 billion VND) has been put into operation. This project has created a new “backbone” transport axis, opening up vast development potential for the three former districts of Tam Nong, Cam Khe, and Ha Hoa. Notably, it has strengthened the connection between industrial parks and clusters within the province and neighboring areas, as well as between Phu Tho and Lao Cai. Additionally, the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau Expressway, with a phased investment of nearly 10,000 billion VND, is under urgent construction. This route holds strategic significance by offloading traffic from National Highway 6, removing infrastructure bottlenecks, and enhancing regional connectivity to boost tourism, agriculture, logistics, and investment attraction, while ensuring national defense and improving people’s lives.

According to the Department of Construction, Phu Tho currently possesses over 31,000 km of roads, nearly 680 km of inland waterways, and approximately 113 km of national railway with 13 stations. Specifically, the road network includes over 131 km of expressways, 941.9 km of national highways, 1,898.5 km of provincial roads, 1,438.8 km of urban roads, and 25,435 km of rural roads; the rate of hardened (concrete/asphalt) rural roads has reached 81.5%.

Looking ahead, the province will continue to prioritize resources for key inter-regional and inter-provincial routes, such as: the Viet Tri - Hoa Binh Expressway; the Hoa Lac - Hoa Binh road; the renovation and upgrading of National Highway 6 (Xuan Mai - Hoa Binh section); the Capital Ring Road 5 project (from Vinh Thinh Bridge to the IC5 interchange); and the expansion of vital national highways and the Ho Chi Minh Road. Alongside road development, regional rail infrastructure is also receiving robust investment from both the Central Government and the province. Notably, the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway line passing through Phu Tho has commenced construction of the Phu Tho Station—a crucial link in this key rail route that will enhance investment attraction, logistics, and tourism.

With a long-term strategic vision and substantial investment, Phu Tho is forming a modern, interconnected transport network. This infrastructure development will unlock new growth spaces, driving industry, trade, services, logistics, and tourism. It aims to soon realize the goal of becoming a growth pole of the Capital Region and a multi-sector development hub, playing a pivotal role in ensuring energy security, national defense, and regional connectivity.

Quoc Hoi