The Ministry of Transport of Vietnam and national infrastructure development partners have finalized a major one-billion-euro commercial agreement with international transport engineering firm Siemens Mobility to construct high-speed rail infrastructure across key domestic corridors. Executed in partnership with VinSpeed High Speed Railway Investment and Development Joint Stock Company, the turnkey agreement introduces next-generation high-speed passenger services designed to enhance intercity transit and open coastal tourist destinations to domestic and international travelers.
The strategic development program involves the supply of ten advanced Velaro Novo high-speed trainsets, alongside complete electrification, telecommunications, and digital signaling installations. Project developers will manage civil engineering works, track construction, and station design, establishing modern transport corridors in both Northern and Southern Vietnam. By connecting major urban centers directly with coastal leisure ecosystems and airport hubs, the railway modernization program aims to elevate the nation’s overall tourism infrastructure and regional accessibility.
In Northern Vietnam, a dedicated standard-gauge high-speed line will span eastward from the capital city of Hanoi to the coastal city of Hạ Long in Quảng Ninh province. Encompassing four strategically placed stations, including a key interchange serving the planned Gia Bình Airport development, the express line will dramatically reduce travel times to World Heritage coastal landscapes. The enhanced connectivity allows travelers to transition seamlessly from international flight arrivals to high-speed rail journeys heading directly toward major northern tourism corridors.
In Southern Vietnam, a secondary fifty-four-kilometer high-speed corridor will connect the central district of Bến Thành in Ho Chi Minh City with the coastal coastal region of Cần Giờ. Designed with initial stations and planned future expansions, the southern line provides a fast, eco-friendly transit option for leisure visitors traveling between the metropolitan business hub and surrounding coastal ecological reserves.
The deployment marks a technological milestone for international rail transit, representing the world’s first implementation of Automatic Train Operation integrated with European Train Control System Level 2 digital signaling on a national high-speed line. The automated signaling architecture optimizes train spacing, improves operational precision, and enhances energy efficiency through automated speed control and regenerative braking systems.
Designed specifically for long-distance passenger travel, the seven-car, two-hundred-meter Velaro Novo trainsets reach maximum operating speeds of 350 kilometers per hour while accommodating up to 760 passengers. Featuring an aerodynamic lightweight structural frame, the advanced rolling stock consumes thirty percent less energy than previous-generation high-speed platforms while delivering expanded cabin capacity, wide-body seating, and reduced acoustic vibration for optimal passenger comfort.
Public statements from civil aviation, transport, and tourism authorities emphasize that modernizing rail transport infrastructure remains vital to sustaining long-term tourism growth and lowering carbon emissions across the travel sector. By establishing direct high-speed transit links between primary economic centers, regional airports, and premier coastal tourist zones, Vietnam is building a resilient, sustainable mobility network designed to serve growing visitor volumes over the coming decades.
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