According to a consultancy consortium of Vietnamese firms TEDI, TRICC, and TEDIS, the high-speed railway will begin at Ngoc Hoi Station in Thanh Tri District, Hanoi.
From there, the route will follow a designated corridor through Thuong Tin District, bypassing the Dong Van industrial zone in Duy Tien District of the neighboring Ha Nam Province, before crossing National Highway 1 to reach the province's Phu Ly City.
Ngoc Hoi Station will serve as a major transportation hub, featuring passenger and freight stations along with a depot for train storage and maintenance.
Hanoi plans to allocate around 250 hectares for this station, which will integrate three urban rail lines and four national rail lines, ensuring efficient transportation for high-speed rail passengers. By 2050, the station is expected to handle a daily passenger load of 170,000, with approximately 46,000 (27%) traveling to the city center and the remaining 124,000 (73%) traveling to other districts and provinces.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the railway will span 13 kilometers, entering the city after crossing the Dong Nai River. The line will pass through intersections with Ring Road No. 3, Ring Road No. 2 and a couple streets before reaching Thu Thiem Station in Thu Duc City.
Thu Thiem Station will cover 17.2 hectares, with HCMC allocating a total of 77.7 hectares for the station and a nearby depot located near the intersection of the Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway between HCMC and Dong Nai, and Ring Road No. 3.
By 2050, Thu Thiem Station is expected to handle 137,000 passengers daily, with 41,000 (30%) traveling to the city center and the remaining 96,000 (70%) heading to other districts and provinces. The station will be connected to the city via the planned metro line No. 6, which will help gather and distribute passengers.
Vietnam's proposed north-south high-speed railway will stretch 1,541 kilometers, connecting 20 cities and provinces through 26 stations, boosting transportation efficiency and economic growth nationwide. The consultancy consortium has proposed 23 passenger stations, with at least one in each locality. Additionally, there will be five cargo stations, with two passenger stations doubling as cargo hubs.
The consortium also explained their decision not to place the final stations in the city centers of Hanoi and HCMC. They highlighted two common models for high-speed rail station placement: the city-center model, seen in cities like Berlin, Tokyo, and Seoul, which offers convenience by directly connecting to the city core but requires significant land and synchronized urban planning.
The second model, seen in cities like Beijing and Paris, places stations near the city center without crossing through the urban core, allowing for large terminal stations and future urban growth but with reduced passenger accessibility.
Vietnam's high-speed railway is estimated to cost VND1.713 trillion (US$67.34 billion), with funding sourced mainly from the central budget, government bonds, contributions from localities, and low-interest loans, as the government aims to avoid dependence on foreign funding and technology.