HANOI VIETNAM, SEPTEMBER 2025 —Vietnam is increasingly making moves to modernize its transportation infrastructure, and South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem has expressed serious interest in participating. On September 9, Lee Yong-bae, CEO of Hyundai Rotem, met with Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc to discuss collaboration on Vietnam’s high-speed railway ambitions.

Hyundai Rotem intends to contribute through technology transfer, localizing manufacturing, and providing operation & maintenance services. The company highlighted its experience in high-speed train, locomotive, coach, and signaling system production, seeking to support Vietnam’s goals in infrastructure modernization, green transition, and enhanced productivity.

Vietnam has approved a plan for a North-South high-speed railway project that will run approximately 1,541 kilometers from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. The project is estimated at about US$67 billion, with designs targeting a speed of 350 km/h, 23 passenger stations, and 5 freight stations. Construction is expected to begin around 2027, and operations are planned for 2035.

In addition, the government has passed a resolution to ensure the implementation of the railway project proceeds promptly, including completing necessary approvals and legal frameworks. The government also sees high-speed rail as part of its larger vision to build a comprehensive national rail system, which by 2050 is expected to include over 6,300 km of rail lines (new and upgraded), incorporating high-speed, regional, and urban rail networks.

Source: Businesskorea