Hanoi – Ha Long Railway

The Yen Vien-Ha Long-Cai Lan railway project is a cancelled upgrade and new construction of the Hanoi – Ha Long Railway.

There is currently a railway from Hanoi (Yen Vien Station) to Ha Long via Kep. The train service on this line takes over 7 hours to cover 168 km. The line from Hanoi to Kep is on the duel-gauge railway line to Dong Dang on the border with China. The Kep–Ha Long railway is a standard-gauge line.

The new line was planned to branch off the Yen Vien-Kep line at Lin. The line would be 131 km from Yen Vien to Cai Lan (in Ha Long City), and travel time would be reduced to 1.5-2 hours.

The railway project was composed of four stages:

Yen Vien – Lim
Lim – Pha Lai
Pha Lai – Ha Long
Ha Long – Cai Lan

The project began in 2004 and was expected to be completed by 2010. The project was cancelled in 2011 due to a funding shortage.

The 5.67 km section from Ha Long to Cai Lan Port was completed, while the other sections remain unfinished.

The Yen Vien – Kep – Ha Long railway service is currently suspended due to low passenger numbers.

Hanoi – Ha Long railway map

[Map of Hanoi – Ha Long Railway.]

Photos

[Cai Lan Station in Ha Long City (18/09/20).]

[Cai Lan Station platform (18/09/20).]

News archive

2025

Vingroup wants in on stalled Hanoi – Ha Long railway project – [06/05/25]
“The Ministry of Construction has just issued a document requesting the Railway Project Management Board to review the investment plan for the Yen Vien – Pha Lai – Ha Long – Cai Lan railway line.”

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha listens to the report on the proposal for the Hanoi – Quang Ninh passenger railway route. – [16/04/25]
“On the afternoon of April 16, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha chaired a meeting with leaders of several ministries, branches and localities on the investment proposal to build the Hanoi – Quang Ninh passenger railway project of Vingroup Corporation.”

“Currently, Vingroup Corporation has proposed an investment project for a Hanoi – Quang Ninh passenger railway to facilitate tourists’ travel from Hanoi to Quang Ninh and vice versa, with a length of about 121 km, with a maximum design speed of 300 km/h.”

VND7.665 trillion railway project still unfinished after 20 years – [06/04/25]
“For two decades, the Yen Vien – Pha Lai – Ha Long – Cai Lan railway project, capitalized at VND7.665 billion, remains unfinished, and today needs an additional investment of about VND700 billion to resume.”

9 railway projects expected to start construction before 2030 – [02/04/25]
“The Yen Vien – Pha Lai – Ha Long – Cai Lan railway project starts at Yen Vien station (Hanoi) and ends at Cai Lan station (Quang Ninh). The total length is about 131 km, with gauges of 1,435 mm and 1,000 mm. This line was under investment but had to be delayed and delayed since 2011.

The Ministry of Construction has assigned the Railway Project Management Board to prepare a Pre-Feasibility Study Report to submit to competent authorities for consideration and continued investment in the route. The project is expected to start construction in 2027 and be basically completed in 2030.”

2024

Vingroup proposes to build Hanoi – Quang Ninh railway line with speed of 300 km/h – [29/12/24]
“If approved by competent authorities, the Hanoi – Quang Ninh railway line will be adjusted from 120 km/h to 300 km/h to shorten the travel time from Hanoi to Quang Ninh to about 30 minutes.”

2023

Hanoi-Quang Ninh railway project under reconsideration – [06/02/23]
“The Ministry of Transport is going to reconsider the Yen Vien – Pha Lai – Ha Long – Cai Lan railway project in 2024 after it has been suspended for nearly 20 years due to investment problems.”

2022

Bac Ninh seeks approval for elevated railway – [09/12/22]
“The northern province of Bac Ninh is seeking the prime minister’s approval for developing the Lim-Pha Lai railway on a viaduct instead of on the ground as planned to optimize the use of urban land.”

“The province began work on a 131-kilometer railway project linking Yen Vien Station with Cai Lan Port in 2005. It includes four subprojects: Yen Vien-Lim, Lim-Pha Lai, Pha Lai-Ha Long and Ha Long-Cai Lan.”

Railway delayed by two decades traps Quảng Ninh residents in deteriorating homes – [27/09/22]
“The 131-km-long railway project was approved in 2004, and construction started the following year. However, the project’s completion has been delayed several times.”

Unfinished railway station turned into parking space, market – [17/09/22]
“Ha Long Station is a part of Ha Long – Cai Lan, a sub-project of the Yen Vien – Pha Lai – Ha Long – Cai Lan railway construction project. Construction started in 2005, but by October 2011, only the 6-km section of Ha Long – Cai Lan Port – Ban Co Overpass was completed and put in use, while the remaining 120 km was left unfinished due to financial difficulties.”

Yen Vien – Cai Lan railway line brought back to life – [20/08/22]
“After stagnating for nearly 20 years, the 131-km Yen Vien – Cai Lan railway project, passing through Hanoi and Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, and Quang Ninh provinces, has been reborn, with a Project Management Board reviewing and adjusting the pre-feasibility study for investment in the 2026-2030 period.”

2020

Resumption of railway project remains in doubt – [26/02/20]
“The Yen Vien – Pha Lai – Ha Long – Cai Lan railway project are waiting for a final decision on whether it would continue to be implemented not.”

2019

Few passengers, mounting losses, but Vietnam train route remains on track – [27/07/19]
“Despite annual losses of VND1 billion ($43,000), the Hanoi-Ha Long train runs daily, preventing rail damage and serving small businesses.”

2018

Vietnam’s $330mn railway project becomes construction ruins after a decade abandoned – [15/11/18]
“A massive railway project in northern Vietnam faces an unclear future, having been deserted since 2011 due to a lack of capital, after consuming VND4,556.4 billion (US$195.93 million) funding from government bonds.”

Ministry wants to restart railway project – [21/03/18]
“The Ministry of Transport wants to secure investment from the private sector to complete the Yên Viên – Cái Lân Railway project, which connects Yên Viên Station in Hà Nội with Cái Lân Station in the northern province of Quảng Ninh.”

2017

Ministry eyes northern rail reboot – [08/06/17]
“The Ministry of Transport has proposed that the government invite investment from the private sector to complete the Yên Viên-Hạ Long-Cái Lân railway project.”