Vietnam's New 957-Mile, High-Speed Train Will Make Travel so Much Easier

The new high-speed rail will cover 957 miles (1,541 kilometers) and is expected to cost roughly $67 billion. That money is expected to come primarily from the Vietnamese government, though it said it would consider Chinese investments, given its proximity to the country. That cost is driving most of the opposition to the project, as the county’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023 was $429 billion — meaning that a spend of $67 billion is an enormously large figure.

When the idea for the high-speed rail was proposed a few years ago, some Vietnamese legislators expressed opposition to the project, stating that the fares would likely be too expensive for the average citizen, and that the route would do little to improve transportation options for people living in small and more remote towns. As with other projects like the Tren Maya through Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, opened in late 2023, some have also raised concerns about whether route planners will do their due diligence in ensuring construction doesn’t cause any negative environmental or cultural impacts.

Travel by road is the primary means for getting around most of the country. Photo: Jon Chica/Shutterstock

Currently, Vietnam’s infrastructure is rated fairly low for road safety, ranking below countries like Kazakhstan, Bosnia, Sierra Leone, and nearly 70 others. Vehicle accidents are low (and motorbikes are more common than cars), but there are many small, not-well-maintained roads through the countryside mountainous and hilly terrain, especially in the northern part of the country around Sapa. Supporters say the train will also help the country get to its ambitious goal of being zero net emissions by 2050.

Vietnam would not be the first country in the region to introduce a pricey high-speed rail project. Indonesia inaugurated Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail, in 2023. The 88-mile rail line connects the capital city of Jakarta with the town of Bandung, reducing travel time from just over three hours to approximately 40 minutes. In 2021, Vietnam’s neighbor Laos opened a 257-mile line between Vientiane and Bowen, making it easier to travel throughout Laos. And China is continuing to expand its high-speed railway, which currently totals more than 25,500 miles — representing 66 percent of all high-speed rail Lins in the world.

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