Vietnam Railways
Vietnam's state-owned national railway operator and the principal provider of passenger and freight rail services across the country.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Vietnam Railways, also known as Vietnam National Railways or VNR, is the state-owned operator of Vietnam's national railway system. Its network is centered on the North–South Railway, a roughly 1,727-kilometre metre-gauge route linking Hanoi with Ho Chi Minh City. The line follows the country's long, narrow geography and serves major population centers, industrial areas, ports, and tourism destinations including Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang, and the wider central-coast region. Passenger journeys between the two principal cities generally take approximately 29 to 34 hours, making rail slower than air travel but useful for affordable intercity transportation, overnight travel, and access to destinations along the coast. The core railway infrastructure originated during the French colonial period, when the main north–south route was constructed in the metre gauge during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The network suffered extensive damage during the Vietnam War, after which the principal route was repaired and progressively rebuilt. Rehabilitation and upgrading continued into the 2000s. Vietnam Railways therefore operates a system whose historical engineering, gauge configuration, and alignment reflect several distinct periods of development rather than a single modern network design. In addition to the metre-gauge north–south corridor, the system includes standard-gauge and mixed-gauge track around Hanoi. These lines provide connections toward the Chinese border, including routes associated with Dong Dang and Lao Cai, and enable or have enabled cross-border services toward China. The railway system also includes routes toward Hai Phong and other regional destinations, freight sidings, and a range of local services. Freight operations are important to the company and include regular container movements, supporting domestic logistics and trade. Passenger services are sold in several accommodation classes, commonly including hard seats, soft seats, four-berth sleepers, and six-berth sleepers. The best-known long-distance service is commonly marketed as the Reunification Express, a name associated with trains operating on the Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City corridor rather than with a single high-speed train. Rail travel is also used by domestic and international tourists because the network reaches historic cities, coastal resorts, and scenic areas. The former railway area around Da Lat retains an approximately eight-kilometre tourist operation between Da Lat station and Trai Mat, representing a surviving fragment of a historic rack-railway connection. Vietnam Railways has operated within a broader national debate about railway modernization. Proposals have included new standard-gauge lines, international links to Cambodia and Laos, light-rail development in Hanoi, and a dedicated high-speed north–south railway. The most ambitious high-speed proposal envisioned a new approximately 1,630-kilometre standard-gauge corridor capable of substantially reducing travel times between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. An earlier version of that proposal was rejected in 2010 after concerns about its scale and funding. Later planning and discussion have continued in various forms, but the supplied sources do not establish completion or a final operating date. The brand's role is consequently broader than that of a passenger carrier. It represents a national transport institution responsible for operating passenger trains, freight services, cross-border links, railway infrastructure activities, and associated commercial services. Its public positioning is based on national connectivity, affordability, tourism access, and the continued strategic value of rail in a country where road and air transport have expanded rapidly.
History
Vietnam Railways is the state-owned organization responsible for operating Vietnam's national railway system. The system's principal route is the North–South Railway, linking Hanoi in the north with Ho Chi Minh City in the south. Its physical and commercial identity is closely tied to this corridor, which follows the country's main north–south population and economic axis. The foundations of the network were laid under French colonial rule. The main north–south route was built in metre gauge during the late nineteenth century and subsequent periods, producing a railway whose track standard differs from the standard gauge used in much of the world's modern mainline railway infrastructure. The historical network also included lines serving northern border areas, ports, and regional centers. Around Hanoi, some routes combine metre gauge and standard gauge, allowing connections toward China and creating a technically mixed railway environment. The railway was heavily affected by the Vietnam War. Bridges, track, stations, and other infrastructure sustained damage, and the reunification of the country created a major need to restore a continuous north–south railway service. Repairs and reconstruction eventually re-established the principal connection between the two largest cities. Further rebuilding and upgrading continued through the 2000s, although the system remained constrained by single-track infrastructure, inherited alignments, and the limitations of metre-gauge operation. Passenger rail became an important part of domestic mobility and tourism. Trains on the north–south corridor provide a range of seating and sleeping accommodations, from hard seats to soft seats and berths in four- and six-person compartments. The approximately 29- to 34-hour journey is substantially longer than air travel, but rail offers access to intermediate destinations and an overnight travel option. Cities and resorts along the route, including Hue, Da Nang, and Nha Trang, generate significant visitor traffic. The service popularly known as the Reunification Express has become the best-known expression of this long-distance passenger role. Vietnam Railways also carries freight, including container traffic. This function gives the railway strategic importance beyond passenger transportation, particularly where rail can connect inland production areas with ports or reduce dependence on roads. The network includes the north–south main line, northern routes toward Lao Cai and Dong Dang, the Hanoi–Hai Phong route, and other local or regional lines. Cross-border railway links toward China are associated with the northern network, although international travel involves border and visa requirements. Several historical branches have acquired tourism significance. Da Lat was once connected to the main north–south railway by a scenic rack railway through the highlands. Most of that connection is no longer in regular operation, but an approximately eight-kilometre section between Da Lat station and Trai Mat survives as a tourist railway. Its continued operation links Vietnam Railways' heritage with the country's broader tourism economy. Modernization has been a recurring policy objective. A 2005 parliamentary resolution proposed inviting foreign investment into Vietnam Railways. Subsequent proposals included new standard-gauge lines, expanded links with China, a possible Cambodia connection through Loc Ninh, and light-rail systems in Hanoi. In 2010, the government announced plans for possible standard-gauge sections between Hanoi and Vinh and between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang. The most consequential proposal was a new standard-gauge high-speed railway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The approximately 1,630-kilometre project was conceived as a staged development, initially targeting a journey of about nine hours and later seeking to reduce travel time further. Its estimated cost was described in the supplied material as approximately US$33 billion, with a significant role proposed for Japanese assistance and engineering. The plan faced repeated approval delays and was rejected in 2010. The rejection placed the project on hold, although the broader need for faster and more reliable rail infrastructure remained part of Vietnam's transport policy debate. More recent regional proposals have looked beyond Vietnam's borders. A planned Laos–Vietnam railway is intended to connect Laos's central region toward the Vietnamese frontier and to strengthen links with Southeast Asian trade routes. The supplied material identifies 2028 as an expected public-use date, but does not establish that the project has entered service. Vietnam Railways therefore remains both an operating railway brand and a participant in long-term infrastructure planning involving new gauges, international corridors, and higher-speed passenger operations.
- 2010
High-speed railway plan rejected
[1]The proposed Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City high-speed railway was rejected after repeated delays in approval and debate over its scale, cost, and financing.
- 2010
New standard-gauge sections considered
[1]Plans were announced for possible standard-gauge railway sections from Hanoi to Vinh and from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang.
- 2008
Phnom Penh–Loc Ninh connection announced
[1]Cambodian authorities announced a proposed 257-kilometre railway between Phnom Penh and Loc Ninh in Vietnam, intended to connect with the Vietnamese network.
- 2005
Foreign investment proposed for railway development
[1]A parliamentary resolution proposed inviting foreign investors to participate in Vietnam Railways and the modernization of the national railway system.
- 2000
Post-war rebuilding and upgrading continue
[1]Repair and upgrading of the Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City railway continued into the 2000s after extensive war damage had been repaired and the main corridor restored.
- 1880
Construction of the metre-gauge railway foundations
[1]The core railway network, including the route that later became the North–South Railway, began taking shape during French colonial rule using metre-gauge infrastructure.
Expected public-use date for Laos–Vietnam rail project
[1]The supplied reference identifies 2028 as the expected opening period for a proposed Laos–Vietnam railway connection, subject to project completion.
Products and positioning
A national rail system and state-owned transport brand emphasizing nationwide connectivity, economical long-distance travel, freight logistics, tourism access, and the preservation and modernization of Vietnam's historic railway network.
Intercity passenger rail
North–South Railway passenger service
Vietnam Railways' principal passenger offering runs along the approximately 1,727-kilometre corridor between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Services connect major cities and tourism destinations along Vietnam's coast and provide hard-seat, soft-seat, four-berth sleeper, and six-berth sleeper accommodations. The journey generally takes around 29 to 34 hours, making the service particularly relevant for overnight travel, budget-conscious passengers, and travelers visiting intermediate destinations.
Passenger rail service
Reunification Express
The Reunification Express is the commonly used name for long-distance trains operating on the Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City route. It functions as the brand's most recognizable passenger-service identity and symbolizes the physical and historical connection between Vietnam's northern and southern metropolitan centers. The name refers to a service family or operating concept rather than a separately established high-speed railway.
Rail freight
Freight and container services
Vietnam Railways operates multiple freight services, including container movements. Freight trains contribute to national logistics by moving goods along the north–south corridor and other connected routes. This business provides the railway with a role in trade and transport infrastructure in addition to its visible passenger operations.
International and regional rail
Northern border and China-connected services
The railway system includes standard-gauge and mixed-gauge infrastructure around Hanoi and routes toward northern border points such as Lao Cai and Dong Dang. These routes support or have supported cross-border rail connections toward China. International passengers must satisfy border and visa requirements, and service availability may vary by route and period.
Tourist railway
Da Lat–Trai Mat tourist railway
An approximately eight-kilometre remnant of the historic Da Lat railway connection operates between Da Lat station and Trai Mat. The surviving section is primarily a tourist attraction and preserves part of the former scenic rack-railway heritage that once linked Da Lat with the main north–south line at Thap Cham.
Brand decisions
2010
Reject the proposed Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City high-speed railwayStrategyBackground
The proposed new standard-gauge line was designed to cover approximately 1,630 kilometres, initially reduce the journey to about nine hours, and eventually achieve a substantially shorter travel time. The project faced repeated approval delays and major funding and implementation questions.
Action taken
The Vietnamese government rejected the proposal in 2010, placing the high-speed project on hold.
Aftermath
The decision preserved the existing conventional railway as the operating backbone while longer-term modernization and new-line proposals continued to be discussed.
2010
Consider new standard-gauge railway sectionsStrategyBackground
Modernization proposals sought to supplement or eventually replace limitations associated with the existing metre-gauge network.
Action taken
The government announced plans to consider standard-gauge sections linking Hanoi with Vinh and Ho Chi Minh City with Nha Trang.
Aftermath
The supplied sources do not establish that these proposed sections entered service.
Recent events
Vietnam Railways adds Vietnam–Belgium freight link[2]
Reported:
Vietnam Railways added a rail freight link from Vietnam to Belgium, with the first train departing Hanoi and expected to reach Liège; containers were then to be delivered to Rotterdam by truck.
VNR launches train-ticketing app[3]
Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) launched a smartphone application for buying train tickets and paying online.
Sources5 sources
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