The Ha Long – Mong Cai Railway is a proposed railway connecting Ha Long City in Quang Ninh Province to Mong Cai on the Vietnam-China border. There is also a proposed Mong Cai-Van Don high-speed railway, which is a shorter route connecting the Van Don economic zone to the border.
The proposal is not one of the priority railways for Vietnam, and it appears to have been postponed or abandoned.
China is building a high-speed railway from Fangchenggang and Dongxing, on the other side of the border of Mong Cai. This railway is also referred to in China as the China-Vietnam high-speed railway.
Van Don is about 50 km from Ha Long City, and there was a proposal for an urban railway (monorail) linking Ha Long to Van Don.
If the railway is built it will be the third railway connection between Vietnam and China (the others being Lao Cai-Hekou and Dong Dang-Pingxiang on the Hanoi-Nanning Railway).
Ha Long – Mong Cai Railway map
[Map of Ha Long – Mong Cai Railway.]
News Archive
2025
Vietnam, China ink seven transport cooperation deals – [15/04/25]
“Four of the seven agreements relate to railway development. These include a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint committee for Vietnam–China railway cooperation and technical support from China for feasibility studies and planning of several standard-gauge rail lines, including Lao Cai–Hanoi–Haiphong, Dong Dang–Hanoi, and Mong Cai–Ha Long–Haiphong.”
2024
Vietnam and China agree to build three key railway lines – [11/22/24]
“The agreement between the two governments to cooperate on the Lao Cai–Hanoi–Hai Phong, Lang Son–Hanoi, and Mong Cai–Ha Long–Hai Phong railway projects is seen as a major step forward in infrastructure development.”
President Xi Jinping hastens construction of 3 Vietnam-China rail routes – [19/11/24]
“Last month, the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport said it was drafting plans to invest $13 billion in building and upgrading two rail routes linking with China: the 156-kilometer Hanoi-Dong Dang route and the 187-kilometer Hai Phong-Ha Long-Mong Cai route.”
Vietnam invites China railway builder to join project linking 2 nations, begin in 2025 – [07/11/24]
“He also suggested CRCC join other key traffic projects of Vietnam, including the Hanoi-Lang Son railway, Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hai Phong railway, North-South high-speed railway, and border expressways linking Vietnam-China.”
Vietnam plans to invest $13 bln in 2 railways linking to China – [27/10/24]
“The 187-kilometer Hai Phong-Ha Long-Mong Cai is set to link Hai Phong city with Quang Ninh province and with China at the Mong Cai international gateway.
Running on 1,435-milimeter gauge, the project can have an investment of $7 billion and transport cargoes at 120 kilometers per hour and passengers at 160 kilometers per hour.”
Planning for two railway lines connecting China to be completed in 2025 – [25/10/24]
“Hai Phong – Ha Long – Mong Cai railway project, about 187km long, belongs to the railway line Quang Ninh – Hai Phong – Thai Binh – Nam Dinh; starting point at Nam Dinh Vu station (Hai An ward, Hai Phong city), ending point at the rail junction near Bac Luan bridge area (Mong Cai city, Quang Ninh province). The route connects the northern coastal provinces and international transit connection with China through Mong Cai international border gate.
Estimated investment scale: 1.435mm track gauge, electrification, passenger and cargo transport; passenger train speed 160km/h, cargo train about 120km/h; total estimated investment about 7 billion USD.”
PM requests prioritized investment into railways linking with China – [24/10/24]
“He suggested the two sides continue enhancing high-level exchanges and meetings, and foster practical collaboration in all areas, particularly pushing ahead the construction of the three standard-gauge railways of Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong, Lang Son – Hanoi, and Mong Cai – Ha Long – Hai Phong to promote connectivity between the two economies.”
Vietnam Party chief welcomes China’s engagement in 3 railway projects – [20/08/24]
“…Li showed China’s readiness to improve the rail linkage between Vietnam and Europe via China and accelerate the feasibility study of the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway. In addition, he agreed to make planning for the Dong Dang-Hanoi and Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hai Phong railways.”
Vietnam plans 3 railway links with China under Belt and Road Initiative – [27/06/24]
“Speaking at the Vietnam-China strategic transport infrastructure development cooperation conference held in Beijing, Chinh said the three railway routes under consideration are Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong, Lang Son-Hanoi, and Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hai Phong.”
[Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the Vietnam-China strategic transport infastructure development cooperation conference in Beijing, June 27, 2024. Photo courtesy of the government’s news portal.]
Chinese giants keen on Vietnam metro railway projects – [25/06/24]
“Chinh also mentioned current bilateral cooperation in building transnational railway routes, including one connecting Hanoi, Lao Cai province and Hai Phong city; another linking Lang Son province and Hanoi; and yet another between Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city.”
‘Determined to implement the Northern high-speed railway project – [25/06/24]
“Vietnam wishes to exchange and find opportunities for cooperation, and hopes that China will support Vietnam in design, construction, and technology transfer, especially in developing railway projects from Yunnan through Lao Cai to Hai Phong, Lang Son route to Hanoi, Dong Hung route to Mong Cai, to Hai Phong.”
Vietnam encourages Chinese investment in railway, energy projects – [24/06/24]
“In particular, the two sides agreed to connect standard gauge railways across the border by developing standard gauge railway routes of Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong; Dong Dang – Hanoi; and Mong Cai – Ha Long – Hai Phong, so as to create an important infrastructure system to promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation.”
2023
Vietnam, China to enhance railway connectivity under Belt Road Initiative – [14/12/23]
“They will also study the Dong Dang-Hanoi and Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hai Phong standard-gauge routes at appropriate times.”
Ha Long-Mong Cai railway proposed – [25/10/23]
“The northern province of Quang Ninh has just proposed to the Ministry of Transport to add a railway project connecting Ha Long and Mong Cai cities into the list of projects to be carried out by the Vietnam Railway Authority.”
PM calls for expansion of railway links between Vietnam, China – [16/09/23]
“He suggested that the Power China explore cooperation in Vietnam’s priority areas, including infrastructure – one of Vietnam’s three strategic breakthroughs. Specifically, he proposed exploring the possibility of investing in China – Quang Ninh – Hai Phong and Lang Son – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway lines, with the commitment to translating these ideas into concrete actions and achieving tangible results.”
China begins construction of high-speed railway link to Vietnam – [09/08/23]
“The railway between Fangchenggang and Dongxing, in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, spans a distance of 46.9 kilometers (km), and has a designed speed of 200 km per hour. Infrastructure is being built with conditions to upgrade the travel speed to 250 km per hour in the future.”
Quang Ninh will have 3 urban railway lines – [27/03/23]
China-Vietnam high-speed railway to be completed before end of year – [24/02/23]
2021
China’s first high-speed railway connecting port bordering Vietnam cuts through all tunnels – [10/11/21]
2019
Adjusted master plan of Ha Long city to 2040, vision to 2050 – [30/06/19]
“Exploiting and using Yen Vien – Cai Lan railway, arranging corridors to reserve Ha Long – Mong Cai railway along Ha Long – Van Don – Mong Cai expressways to develop passenger and cargo transport.”
Billion-USD projects make 2019 promising for property market – [04/01/19]
“In the northeast province of Quang Ninh, the Vision Transportation Group (VTG), Hai Dang JSC, and Sunny World Property Development Corp Businesses proposed three large-scale projects with total investment amounting to 10-15 billion USD, in Van Don island, which is targeted to become a special economic zone.
Those include a high-speed railway route linking Mong Cai and Van Don, the Hon Net – Con Ong complex of seaport, industrial and urban areas, and the urban complex in the north of Cai Bau island.
The proposed Van Don – Mong Cai railway will have a length of 100km, connecting Mong Cai border gate with Van Don special economic zone, with the central station located at the North Cai Bau urban complex. It will be used for passengers and improve transportation.”
2018
$15-billion projects proposed for Van Don – [02/05/18]
“The three super projects in Van Don Special Administrative-Economic Zone are Mong Cai-Van Don high-speed railway, Hon Net-Con Ong deep seaport and industrial urban zone, and complex urban area in the north of Cai Bau Island.”
“…the Van Don-Mong Cai high-speed railway project will have the length of 100km, connecting Mong Cai border gate to Van Don special administrative economic zone with the central station located at an urban complex in the north of Cai Bau Island. It will be used for passengers and cargo transportation, as well as strengthen connectivity of transportation and urban infrastructure not only in Van Don but also across provinces.”
2017
Current status and strategy to development Viet Nam railway by 2020, vision to 2050 – [13/06/17]
This report from Vietnam Railway Authority mentions the railway in the section for the national railway network 2020-2030.
“To study the plan on building new routes connecting seaports, industrial parks and tourism”.
Ha Long – Mong Cai 150 km.
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