This Asian country is building a high-speed train from the capital to the most beautiful bay in the world

Share the article

After Europe unofficially declared its rail renaissance and Latin America followed suit with several exciting new train routes, it was only a matter of time before Southeast Asia finally jumped on the bandwagon.

This time, it is Vietnam that does the honorsand if you’ve ever traveled cross-country by train, you know how painfully slow they can be.

We are talking about serious delays, an average speed of only 50 km per hour and outdated infrastructure that largely dates back to colonial times.

It’s been a long time coming, but soon you’ll be able to board one new high-speed train in Hanoi, Vietnam’s vibrant capital, and travel directly to Ha Long Bay:

A direct train from Hanoi to Ha Long will soon be a reality

A natural wonder of Vietnam and the world’s most beautiful bay, Ha Long is a popular weekend getaway for travelers in Hanoi.

Dotted with imposing limestone karsts, which protrude from the water like pillars, and famous for its unique floating villages and paradise islands, covered in dense jungle, this UNESCO protected reserve is currently best reached by bus from the capital.

Usually tourists book tours that start early in the morning from Hanoi and return late in the evening, although that can be quite tiring:

Depending on traffic, it can take 2.5 hours to 4 hours to travel the 160 kilometers between Hanoi and the entrance to the bay. As feasible as it is, it still leaves you working on a tight schedule, with very little to no flexibility.

When will the train leave?

Luckily for us tourists, Vietnamese billionaire and head of VinSpeed ​​Phan Nhat Vuong is keen to build a Hanoi-Ha Long Bay high-speed train, worth VND138.93 trillion (about US$5.3 billion).

The project is expected to be approved and construction will take place this quarter The planned start is immediate and completion is planned for the last quarter of 2027. The official commercial launch has already taken place set for the first quarter of 2028.

The 120-kilometer railway line will connect the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Hanoi with the Tuan Chau district, the escape route to Ha Long Bay. The route will also pass through Bac Ninh province and Hai Phong city, increasing connectivity in Vietnam’s underdeveloped north.

The train will have a maximum speed of 350 km/h and will have departures every 60 minutes when launched in 2028.

VinSpeed ​​plans further from 2030 onwards doubling the frequency for everyone 30 minutes.

More train routes are coming your way

The ambitious project is already included in the Vietnamese government’s rail network planning for the rest of the decade, so there is a good chance it will not go ahead or be seriously delayed. Tren Maya saga? – are currently slim.

In addition to the Hanoi-Ha Long line, VinSpeed ​​is confident that national authorities will give the green light for a high-speed train between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, in the south of the country.

Although there are several trains on this route, they run much slower.

There are 957 miles separating the Vietnamese capital from the more southern metropolis, and believe it or not, trains average about 27 to 35 miles per hour.

Americans must obtain a visa before flying to Vietnam

If you visit Vietnam in the future as a U.S. passport holder, be aware that there are certain rules that make traveling a bit more bureaucratic than you may be used to.

In short, unlike your European friends, you can’t just show up at the airport and board a flight to Vietnam without having a passport in your possession. pre-authorized eVisa. This could take days, if not weeks, depending on their backlog, so don’t wait until the last minute.

View the latest entry requirements for Americans traveling to Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia.