The event was also attended by former Party and State leaders, along with representatives from central ministries and local authorities.

The project, with a total investment of over 147 trillion VND (about 5.6 billion USD), excluding site clearance costs, is developed by VinSpeed, a subsidiary of Vingroup.

The railway, scheduled for completion by the end of 2028, will span 120.2 km, passing through Ha Noi, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, and Quang Ninh. Once completed, it is expected to shorten travel time between Ha Noi and Quang Ninh by five to seven times, to just around 23 minutes.

Designed as a fully electrified, double-track, 1,435 mm standard gauge line, it will support maximum speeds of up to 350kph, with sections in Ha Noi capped at 120kph. The line will start at Co Loa Station in Ha Noi and end at Ha Long Station in Quang Ninh, with intermediate stops at Gia Binh (Bac Ninh), Ninh Xa (Hai Phong), and Yen Tu (Quang Ninh), as well as a depot located at the Ha Long terminus.

The project is set to deploy the latest generation of high-speed trains, alongside advanced signalling and communications systems supplied by Germany’s Siemens Mobility, which will also gradually transfer technology to VinSpeed during operations.

Addressing the ceremony, Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, affirmed that the company would deliver world-proven high-speed rail technology that is highly efficient and safe. He also pledged long-term cooperation with Vingroup, including deep technology transfer, joint assembly, and maintenance, aimed at building a new high-speed rail ecosystem in Viet Nam.

Bui Van Khang, Deputy Secretary of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, described the project as a “mega-project” carrying high expectations. It reflects both the investor’s strong capacity and commitment, as well as the increasingly significant role of the private sector in developing the country’s critical infrastructure, he noted.

The official stated that Quang Ninh is committed to closely collaborating with central ministries and the investor throughout implementation, with a focus on swiftly addressing emerging challenges, ensuring site clearance, resettlement, and all necessary conditions for the project to proceed on schedule and meet the highest quality standards.

As the first inter-regional high-speed railway in Viet Nam, the line is expected to provide a strong boost to the northern key economic region, while marking a new phase of accelerated development and contributing to the country’s ambition to enhance national competitiveness, he added.

Nguyen Viet Quang, Vice Chairman and CEO of Vingroup, said the project’s groundbreaking underscores the group’s determination to contribute to infrastructure development and gradually build a modern, internationally standardised transport system, thereby supporting socio-economic growth and improving quality of life.