HCMC – The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has proposed developing an express rail line connecting the country’s north and south, with a maximum speed of 350 km per hour and an estimated cost of around US$70 billion.
The proposed North-South high-speed railway will have a total length of 1,541 kilometers, and feature double tracks with a width of 1,435 millimeters and electrification to support the maximum speed of 350 km per hour. It will include 23 passenger carriages and five freight carriages.
The project aims to reduce travel time between Hanoi and HCMC to 5.5 hours. It will start at Ngoc Hoi Station in Hanoi and end at Thu Thiem Station in HCMC, passing through 20 provinces and cities.
The MoT plans to prioritize the construction of the Hanoi–Vinh and HCMC–Nha Trang sections, totaling around 642 kilometers, with construction set to begin by the end of 2027. The section from Vinh to Nha Trang, covering approximately 899 kilometers, is expected to start construction before 2030, with the entire line scheduled for completion by 2035.
Nguyen Danh Huy, deputy minister of Transport, stated that the MoT has conducted extensive research on high-speed railways over the years, drawing from international experiences and assessing Vietnam’s specific conditions to make well-informed investment decisions, reported by the Government news site (baochinhphu.vn).
He added that Vietnam is ready to invest in this high-speed railway not only as a transportation initiative but also as a catalyst for economic development and to meet the demand for fast mobility.
