Tunnel Excavation Planned for June 2026
Following the groundbreaking ceremony in December 2025, contractors on the Hoang Lien Pass road tunnel project, a key connection between Lao Cai and Lai Chau, are accelerating preparations for mountain excavation in June 2026.
The project is considered one of the region’s major transport investments, strengthening interprovincial connections and creating new momentum for tourism, trade and local economic development.
Almost 8.8 Kilometres and Approximately VND 3.3 Trillion
Under the plan, the project has a total investment of approximately VND 3.3 trillion and an overall route length of almost 8.8 kilometres. Its components include:
- A 2.63-kilometre main tunnel.
- A 2.65-kilometre auxiliary tunnel.
- A road designed to Class III mountainous-road standards.
- An operating speed of 60 kilometres per hour.
- A nine-metre roadbed.
Bridges, drainage, road safety systems and associated technical infrastructure are included to support reliable operation in the region’s challenging terrain.
Vietnamese and Japanese Engineering Standards
The tunnel design combines Vietnamese and Japanese technical standards. The main tunnel is 9.75 metres wide, with two lanes for two-way traffic and five metres of vertical clearance. A parallel auxiliary tunnel is 4.7 metres wide, connected through cross-passages for rescue and emergency evacuation.
The project also includes an operations centre, ventilation, intelligent lighting, fire prevention and firefighting systems, traffic monitoring and rescue facilities. These systems are expected to improve safety and operational efficiency once the tunnel opens.
Reducing Travel Time to Approximately 11 Minutes
The planned alignment runs to the right of National Highway 4D in the Lai Chau–Sa Pa direction, following the mountainside below the existing road before passing beneath Hoang Lien Pass.
Scheduled for completion in 2027, the project is intended to replace approximately 22 kilometres of winding mountain road. Journey times between the two ends are expected to fall from 50–120 minutes to approximately 11 minutes.
Shorter journeys could reduce transport and logistics costs and limit exposure to accident risks on steep mountain roads affected by changing weather.
New Opportunities for Tourism and the Regional Economy
As Northwest Vietnam develops ecological, cultural, resort and wellness tourism, transport infrastructure is a foundation for long-term growth.
The tunnel is expected to strengthen the strategic Sa Pa–Tam Duong–Lai Chau corridor, improve access to attractions, broaden economic development opportunities and attract investment. Beyond transport benefits, it could help localities make more effective use of their tourism, cultural and natural resources.
Accelerating Construction
At the western portal, site clearance, vegetation removal and slope reinforcement have been completed in preparation for excavation. Work on bridge piers connecting to the portal is proceeding in parallel, and tunnelling machinery has been assembled.
Project participants are concentrating resources on the schedule, with the aim of opening the facility in 2027. The Hoang Lien Tunnel is expected to narrow the distance between Lao Cai and Lai Chau and support new development opportunities across the Northwest in the coming decade.
