Vietnam will build a second high-speed railway linking Hanoi and Quang Ninh, alongside the North-South line, under a newly revised national rail plan.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha signed a decision approving adjustments to the national railway network plan for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.
The Hanoi-Quang Ninh line, part of the national network, will be designed for speeds of 250 km/h or higher, dedicated solely to passenger services. It will use a 1,435 mm standard gauge and full electrification.
Under Vingroup’s proposal, the 120.9 km route will run from Co Loa Station in Hanoi, connecting with Metro Line 4, through Gia Binh near Gia Binh International Airport in Bac Ninh, to Ha Long Xanh Station in Quang Ninh, linking with the planned Haiphong-Ha Long-Mong Cai line.
The line will include four stations: Co Loa, Gia Binh, Yen Tu and Ha Long, with an optional stop at Yen Vien. Total investment is estimated at USD 5.4 billion, with implementation planned within the 2030 period.
The revised plan also adjusts the scope and timelines of several key routes. Two lines, Lao Cai-Hanoi-Haiphong and HCM City-Loc Ninh, will be rescheduled, while three others, Hanoi-Dong Dang, Haiphong-Ha Long-Mong Cai and Thap Cham-Dalat, will be fast-tracked.
Meanwhile, the government has removed the Thu Thiem-Long Thanh line from the national railway plan, reclassifying it as an urban line to be incorporated into HCM City and Dong Nai’s development plans.