The timeline was outlined in a conclusion notice issued by Construction Minister Tran Hong Minh following a recent review meeting on the North–South high-speed railway project and the Lao Cai–Hanoi–Hai Phong railway line.

Minh said current conditions require “the highest level of focus and decisiveness” to speed up implementation of nationally significant rail projects. He identified land clearance as the decisive factor for meeting the construction schedule, calling for the full handover of the route’s centreline, boundary markers and land acquisition scope to local authorities once legal requirements are met.

He also stressed the need for early coordination on relocating technical infrastructure such as power and water systems to avoid delays.

For the North–South high-speed rail project, the Ministry’s Planning and Finance Department was instructed to urgently complete reports on special policy mechanisms, investment models and investor selection criteria.

Meanwhile, the Construction Investment Economics and Management Department will work with project owners to develop a detailed implementation timeline to ensure construction begins as planned, including the early application of special mechanisms to select consultants for the feasibility study.

The minister also requested proposals to establish ministerial steering committees to oversee the implementation of national railway projects.

Turning to the Lao Cai–Hanoi–Hai Phong railway, Minh said the project has entered a critical phase and must strictly adhere to agreed milestones to maintain technical compatibility and scheduling alignment with China.

Any delays could affect bilateral commitments and the overall efficiency of the cross-border route, he warned.

He urged the Railway Project Management Board to complete surveys and designs for the remaining 16 stations under the project’s first component and to select construction contractors by the first quarter of 2026.

Relevant agencies were also tasked with finalising the feasibility study by March 2026 to facilitate joint appraisal by Vietnam and China and to complete rail-connection plans in time for negotiations and signing of a bilateral agreement on a cross-border railway bridge between Lao Cai station in Vietnam and Hekou North station in China.

The ministry also directed the completion of contractor selection for technical design consultancy for the project’s second component by January 2026, alongside plans to shortlist four to five major Chinese contractors to form joint ventures with capable Vietnamese firms.

Authorities were instructed to finalise consultancy contracts before Jan. 20, 2026, to review and adapt Chinese technical standards for use in the project, forming the basis for regulations on cost management and unit pricing.

The ministry emphasised the need for close coordination among consultants, contractors, land clearance investors and local authorities to promptly address issues arising during project implementation, particularly those related to site clearance and intersections with local infrastructure.

Vietnam prioritises North–South high-speed rail after completing expressway backbone

VOV.VN - The Ministry of Construction will shift its infrastructure development focus to the North–South high-speed railway after completing continuous expressway connectivity from Cao Bang to Ca Mau in 2025, marking a new strategic phase aimed at boosting economic growth and national transport capacity.