The 350-kph railway will stretch 1,541 kilometers, connecting 20 cities and provinces, namely Ha Noi, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thua, Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City.
The project will have total investment capital of around VND1,713.5 trillion (US$67.6 billion).
The construction of the first sections from Ha Noi to Vinh city in central province of Nghe An and Nha Trang city in the central province of Khanh Hoa to Ho Chi Minh City is expected to begin in late 2027.
The remaining section from Vinh to Nha Trang is scheduled to begin in 2028-2029.
The Government will strive to complete the whole project by 2035.
Once completed, the railway line will reduce travel time from Ha Noi capital to Ho Chi Minh City to about 5.5 hours./.