HANOI (Xinhua): Vietnam plans to break ground on the North-South high-speed railway project by the end of 2026, local media Voice of Vietnam has reported.
Vietnamese Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh urged relevant units to accelerate progress, including site clearance, consultant selection, and the finalisation of specific mechanisms, to ensure that the construction begins on schedule.
The South-East Asian country is expected to invest at a massive US$67 billion in the project, which will span 1,541 km and run through 20 of Vietnam's 34 cities and provinces, local media VnExpress reported.
The ambitious major high-speed rail initiative is the North-South High-Speed Railway, a massive project connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, approved for construction starting late 2026 with a target completion by 2035, aiming for 350 km/h speeds to transform national transport, funded mainly by the state budget, not foreign loans, with Vingroup previously involved but now focusing elsewhere.
A second high-speed line from Hanoi to the northern province of Quang Ninh (124 km) is also planned, with construction potentially starting sooner, around late 2025 or 2026, and operations by 2028, developed by Vingroup's VinSpeed.
This project is Vietnam's most ambitious transport undertaking, aiming to boost economic growth, connect key regions, and position Vietnam as a leader in high-speed rail in South-East Asia, learning from global models like Japan, South Korea, and China.
