CONSTRUCTION of the 120km high-speed line from Hanoi to Halong in the northern Vietnamese province of Quang Ninh has officially started, marked by a groundbreaking ceremony on April 12 that was attended by the prime minister of Vietnam, Le Minh Hung.
The Dong 147 trillion ($US 5.6bn) project is being delivered by Vingroup subsidiary Vinspeed and is now expected to become the first high-speed line to enter service in Vietnam, ahead of the 1541km North-South Railway from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.
Designed for operation at up to 350km/h, the new line will start at Co Loa station in Hanoi and run via intermediate stations at Gia Binh, Ninh Xa and Yen Tu. A rolling stock depot will be built at Halong. Due for completion by the end of 2028, the line will cut the journey time between Hanoi and Halong to 23 minutes.
Under a strategic partnership and framework agreement signed with Vinspeed in December 2025, Siemens Mobility will supply Velaro Novo high-speed trains as well as railway systems including ETCS Level 2 with automatic train operation (ATO), telecommunications, and electrification. Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony, Siemens Mobility CEO, Michael Peter, said that the partnership will include technology transfer as well as jointly undertaking production and maintenance, with the objective of building a high-speed ecosystem in Vietnam.
According to Bui Van Khang, deputy secretary of the Quang Ninh Party Committee and chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, the Hanoi - Halong project reflects the strong capacity and commitment of Vingroup, as well as the increasingly significant role of the private sector in developing critical infrastructure in Vietnam.
He added that Quang Ninh province is committed to closely collaborating with national ministries and Vingroup in order to ensure that site clearance and resettlement are completed on time, so that the project proceeds on schedule.
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