The 60 km - Principle in Urban location theory and Vietnam’s North South HSR

Abstract

The paper examines the correlation between the 60-kilometer distance and the formation of traditional urban networks in Vietnam. By analyzing mobility patterns in a pre-modern environment, where boats, pack horses, and mountain trails determined travel speeds - the study reveals a natural urban positioning logic emerging at "one-day journey" intervals. Through the theoretical frameworks of Alfred Weber, Walter Christaller, and Central Place Theory, the paper demonstrates that the principle of transport cost optimization underpins the development of linear urban systems. In the final section, the study connects this spatial logic to the siting of stations along the North-South High-Speed Railway.

Keywords: 60 km, urban positioning, railway.