Vietnam transport

Vietnam Roads

Vietnam’s roads have a total length of about 210,000 kilometers which are paved, however only about 13.5% are in good condition. 10% of the Vietnamese villages have impassable roads. They correspond to a small extent, often in the vicinity of large cities. The larger part is very bad.

There are only a few miles of road of a quality that could be described as a motorway. The main road in Vietnam cuts across the 2100 kilometers on a traffic engineering backbone of the entire country from the Chinese border to the Mekong Delta (often called Highway 1 or National Road 1) meaning there is an ordinary country road.

Currently being built is a second north-south route, the Ho Chi Minh Highway, which at long distances runs along the route of the famous Ho Chi Minh.

Once completed (expected in 2010) it will be a 1690 kilometers long road and will cost 500 million U.S. dollars. It will connect Hanoi with Ho Chi Minh City. In 2006, there was already a 960km route between the towns of Khe Co (Province Ha Tinh) and Ngoc Hoi (Kon Tum province) in the form of a mostly 2-lane asphalt road.

Upon completion, this route will provide an attractive alternative to the National road 1. Firstly, the traffic will be less dense, secondly, the route will pass through beautiful landscapes. Unfortunately through some of the last, previously untouched wilderness areas and national parks on the Laotian border.

Crossings are regulated by traffic lights and are found only in large cities. Road signs are interpreted by the market participants as the best proposal. The most important means of transport is the moped, even if the government tries to promote the bus services.