On November 3, VinSpeed, a high-speed rail subsidiary of Vingroup, Vietnam’s largest private conglomerate, officially proposed a construction plan for the Hanoi-Ha Long Bay high-speed railway, with a total investment of approximately 138.9 trillion Vietnamese dong (about US$5.3 billion). The line is designed for speeds up to 350 kilometers per hour and is planned to connect the Vietnamese capital Hanoi with Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province, aiming to alleviate traffic congestion in the northern Red River Delta and the northeastern region.
Vietnam’s first privately-owned high-speed railway will be built in northern Vietnam
According to the environmental impact assessment from VinSpeed, the Hanoi-Ha Long Bay high-speed railway will span 120.4 kilometers. Construction will start at the end of 2025. Trial operations will begin by the end of 2027, with commercial service launching in the first quarter of 2028.
The Vietnamese government included this project in its “Railway Network Plan 2021-2030 (Vision 2050).” However, they have not yet selected a developer.
The route will connect four provinces and cities: Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, and Quang Ninh. It will pass through 22 communes and urban districts. The journey starts at the Vietnam Convention Center in Hanoi’s Dong Anh District. It then passes through Gia Binh Station in Bac Ninh and An Du Station in Quang Ninh, ending at Ha Long Station in Ha Long City.
The railway will use standard gauge and full electrification. The Hanoi section has a speed limit of 120 km/h. The rest of the line will allow speeds up to 350 km/h.
VinSpeed plans to operate four 16-car trains from 2028 to 2035. After 2035, it will increase the fleet to eight 32-car trains. Trains will run 18 hours daily, from 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Initially, service will run every 60 minutes. The company expects to reduce this headway to 30 minutes from 2030.
Industry experts note that this project will be Vietnam’s first high-speed rail line funded primarily by local private capital. They expect it to boost development in the Red River Delta economic zone. It will also greatly improve access to the Ha Long Bay tourist area. This project will move Vietnam’s high-speed rail industry from planning into active construction.
