The Government of Vietnam has directed the Ministry of Construction to begin work on the USD67.3 billion North-South high-speed railway by late 2026, a year earlier than scheduled. The ministry must also submit updated bidding mechanisms this month to facilitate legislative review in May 2025. The project will link Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, covering 20 provinces and cities with 23 passenger and five cargo stations.
The line will run at 350 km/hr, mainly serving passengers but capable of carrying light freight. Chinh also ordered the start of construction for the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Lang Son railway by December and urged accelerated negotiations with China for the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong route. For urban transit, Hanoi and HCMC must review funding strategies for metro lines, while the Finance Ministry will assess ODA termination for HCMC’s Ben Thanh-Tham Luong metro section.
