Vietnam's Ministry of Construction has set a target to commence construction of the nation's first high-speed railway, designed to run the length of the country, in December 2027. This timeline represents a one-year delay from an earlier target. The project, which will span approximately 1,541 kilometers from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, is designed for operational speeds of 350 kilometers per hour. The preliminary total investment for this ambitious infrastructure project is estimated at $67.34 billion. Procedures are currently underway to select consultants for the investment preparation phase, with project management boards tasked with developing detailed implementation plans. The Nikkei reported that the journey time between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is expected to be reduced to 5.5 hours, a significant decrease from the current approximately 30 hours.