Vietnam’s railway freight transport to Europe affected by Russia – Ukraine conflict
International railway freight transport between Vietnam and Europe along the route through China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Poland to Germany and Western European countries is likely to be affected if railways from Poland to Belarus stop operation, according to an official from the Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR).
Hanoi (VNA) – International railway freight transportbetween Vietnam and Europe along the route through China, Kazakhstan, Russia,Belarus and Poland to Germany and Western European countries is likely to beaffected if railways from Poland to Belarus stop operation, according to anofficial from the Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR).
In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency related toimpacts caused by the Russia – Ukraine conflict, Vuong Kha Son, head of the VNR’s transportdepartment said the transport of goods to Europe transiting Russia also faces the same problem, but freight transport from Vietnam to Russia willnot be affected.
According to the VNR, the director general of the InternationalUnion of Railways (UIC) has sent letters to its members to inform that UIC had suspended the membership of Russia and Belarus. This means that the Russian and Belarusian railways cannot participatein the union’s activities or benefit from its services.
Vietnam initially planned to organise a train to transport containers fromthe central city of Da Nang to Europe in early March but the plan has been shelveddue to the conflict.
Currently, railway freight transport between Vietnam andChina still remains normal, with high volume of container transport from China toVietnam.
Statistics of the VNR show nearly 1.16 million tonnes of goods were transported abroad by trains in2021, surging 34 percent compared to the same period last year.
Of note, the Dong Dang railway station of thenorthern border province of Lang Son witnessed increases of 82 percent in thevolume of goods in the fourth quarter oflast year.
Vu AnhMinh, Chairman of the Board ofMembers of the VNR said the railway sectorwill shiftto freight transport in the coming time to compensate for the decline inpassenger transport, focusing on promoting international transportation betweenVietnam and China, and to third countries such as Russia and those in Europe and Central Asia.
Last year, VNR launched a direct railway route from Vietnam to Belgium,and trains transporting containers to China’s cities, Minh said./.
Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has requested the Vietnam Railway Corporation (VNR) to make drastic reforms so as to address shortcomings and develop the sector further in the time ahead.
The Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) will reduce train ticket price for university students returning to school after a long period of online learning due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.
A key change in the draft decree is a provision requiring bank transfers for gold transactions valued at 20 million VND (765 USD) and above, to enhance transparency and verify customer identities.
In the first four months of 2025, trade turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia surpassed 3 billion USD, marking a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
On June 19 alone, a total of 2,005 trucks completed customs clearance at Lang Son’s border gates — the highest single-day figure ever recorded in the province. Of these, 634 carried exports and 1,371 imports.
The OECD Economic Surveys: Vietnam 2025 report focuses on analysing the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals, the impact of international integration on attracting foreign investment and trade, and the country’s prospects for developing a low-carbon economy.
Antoine Colin, Senior Vice President for Global Supply Chain Digital Transformation & Resilience at HP Inc., affirmed HP’s strategic commitment to building a supply chain and ecosystem in Vietnam and the region.
Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Trade Promotion Agency Bui Quang Hung emphasised that logistics has evolved from a technical function into a core capability for Vietnamese exporters to maintain their competitive advantage in the US market.
A trade official has suggested companies work closely with shipping lines, airlines, and freight forwarders to monitor routes, transit times, and potential surcharges while exploring broader cargo insurance to cover risks like war and terrorism.
In addition to institutional reform, the agency is also rolling out key solution groups to combat counterfeit goods, imitations, and intellectual property infringements in the digital environment.
The event, co-organised by the Vietnam Trade Office in the UK and TT Meridian, a local importer of Vietnamese fresh produce, aims to build a national lychee brand and encourage broader recognition of Vietnamese fruits in a competitive, high-end market.
The industry's performance has been powered by bold investments in modern production lines, enabling Vietnamese firms to produce complicated products which were exclusive to advanced economies.
Outcomes of ABAC III will shape ABAC’s final policy recommendations to be submitted to the ABAC-APEC leaders’ dialogue, scheduled to take place in the Republic of Korea this November.
This is the second year the magazine has released the ranking, which is based on total revenue and key financial indicators of enterprises from seven countries in the region: Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Cambodia.
At the summit, publishing, tech, and media sectors will discuss emerging trends, business models, and sustainable solutions for digital publishing development in Vietnam.
This year’s “Vietnam Goods Week” marks a significant milestone as it is being held simultaneously for the first time in four locations across Asia: Japan, Hong Kong (China), Cambodia, and Malaysia, from June 19 - 22.
According to NordCham Vietnam Chairman Thue Quist Thomasen, the Vietnamese Government’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses to contribute to green and sustainable growth.
The analysis from an investment perspective shows that the economy’s growth has been heavily capital‑driven, yet efficiency remains low as reflected by Vietnam’s Incremental Capital-Output Ratio (ICOR) being significantly higher than global and regional averages. This underscores the imperative to enhance capital‑use efficiency.
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) 
