Prime Minister orders commencing construction of North–South high-speed railway in 2026

Pham, who is head of the Steering Committee for key national railway projects, made the above call while chairing a meeting with the steering committee in Ha Noi on April 26.

The meeting drew the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son, and Minister of Justice Nguyen Hai Ninh.

The Government expects construction of the US$67 billion North-South high-speed railway will begin on December 2026, aiming to revolutionize national transportation and boost economic growth.

The high-speed railway, covering 1,541 kilometers, will connect Ha Noi's Ngoc Hoi Station with Ho Chi Minh City's Thu Thiem Station, and include 23 passenger stations and 5 freight stations.

The projected double-track railway will have a design speed of 350 km/h and an axle load of 22.5 tons.

As a national key project, the North-South high-speed railway is Viet Nam's first large-scale high-speed rail initiative, requiring advanced technology and rapid implementation.

For the Lao Cai–Ha Noi–Hai Phong railway project, the relevant agencies were asked to discuss and urge the Chinese side to expedite the loan agreement negotiations.

The new railway line will span approximately 390.9 kilometers for the main route and include 27.9 kilometers of branch lines. The project will traverse nine localities of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Ha Noi, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Duong and Hai Phong. Starting at the border crossing point in Lao Cai Province, the line will end at Lach Huyen Station in Hai Phong City.

The main line from the new Lao Cai Station to Nam Hai Phong Station will be designed for speeds up to 160 km/h, while sections through Ha Noi will operate at 120 km/h and the remaining will run at 80 km/h.

The costs of the project is estimated to be VND203.2 trillion (about US$8.369 billion), or about US$15.69 million for each kilometer of the project./.