North–South railway (Vietnam)

{{short description|Trunk railway line in Vietnam}} {{For|the proposed high-speed railway|North–South Express Railway (Vietnam)}} {{Infobox rail line | box_width = 300px | name = North–South railway | other_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | color = {{rcr|Vietnam Railways|North-South}} | logo = | logo_width = | logo_alt = | image = VietnamRailway.jpg | image_width = 300px | image_alt = | caption = The North–South railway line through Quang Nam | type = {{ubl|Inter-city rail|Regional rail|Freight rail}} | system = Vietnam Railways | status = Operational | locale = Vietnam | start = Hà Nội | end = Sài Gòn | stations = 175 | routes = 16 trains per day (80-85 trains per day for holidays, Tết) | daily_ridership = | ridership2 = | planopen =  | open = 1936 | yearcommenced =  | yearcompleted =  | close =  | event1label = Built by | event1 = French Colonial Administration | event2label = | event2 = | event3label = | event3 = | owner = Vietnam Railways | operator = Vietnam Railways | character = At-grade | depot = Hà Nội Vinh Đồng Hới Đà Nẵng Diêu Trì Nha Trang Bình Thuận Sài Gòn | stock = D9E, D13E, D19E, D20E | linelength_km = | linelength_mi = | linelength = {{convert|1726|km|mi|abbr=on}} | tracklength_km = | tracklength_mi = | tracklength = | tracks = Single-track railway | gauge = {{Track gauge|1000mm|allk=on}} | old_gauge = | load_gauge = | minradius = ≥800m/≥400m | racksystem = | routenumber = ĐSBN | linenumber = | electrification = No | speed_km/h = 100 | speed_mph = 62 | speed = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = | elevation = | website = https://dsvn.vn/ | map = {{North-South Railway map}} | map_name = | signalling = ETCS Level 2 | maxincline = ≤6‰/≤9‰ | map_state = collapsed | embedded = }}

The '''North–South railway''' ({{langx|vi|Đường sắt Bắc–Nam}}, {{ipa|vi|ɗɯə̀ŋ ʂɐ̌t ɓǎk nāːm}}, {{langx|fr|Chemin de fer Nord-Sud}}) is the principal railway line serving the country of Vietnam. It is a single-track metre gauge line connecting the capital Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh City in the south, for a total length of {{convert|1726|km|mi|abbr=on}}. Trains travelling this line are sometimes referred to as the '''Reunification Express''' (Vietnamese: ''Đường sắt Thống Nhất'', referring to the Reunification of Vietnam), although no particular train carries this name officially.<ref name="seat61-vn">{{cite web|title=Train travel in Vietnam|url=http://www.seat61.com/Vietnam.htm|publisher=Seat61|access-date=22 June 2010}}</ref> The line was established during French colonial rule, and was completed over a period of nearly forty years, from 1899 to 1936.<ref name="adb-laocai" /> As of 2005, 191 of Vietnam's 278 railway stations were located along the North–South line.<ref name="vr-nsga">"Các ga trên tuyến đường sắt Thống Nhất" (Railway stations on the North–South railway), [http://www.vr.com.vn/Cacdonvi/Ga/tuyenthongnhat1.htm Page 1] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113103358/http://www.vr.com.vn/Cacdonvi/Ga/tuyenthongnhat1.htm |date=2011-01-13}}–[http://www.vr.com.vn/Cacdonvi/Ga/tuyenthongnhat2.htm Page 2] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113121047/http://www.vr.com.vn/Cacdonvi/Ga/tuyenthongnhat2.htm |date=2011-01-13}} {{in lang|vi}}</ref><ref name="vr-infra">{{cite web|url=http://www.vr.com.vn/English/infra.htm|title=Infrastructure Maintenance and Construction|publisher=Vietnam Railways|access-date=2010-06-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414011643/http://www.vr.com.vn/English/infra.htm|archive-date=2010-04-14}}</ref>

From World War II through to the Vietnam War, the entire North–South railway sustained major damage from bombings and sabotage.<ref name="lpviet" /> Owing to this damage, and to a subsequent lack of capital investment and maintenance, much of the infrastructure along the North–South railway remains outdated or in poor condition; in turn, lack of infrastructure development has been found to be a root cause of railway accidents along the line, including collisions at level crossings and derailments. Recent rehabilitation projects, supported by official development assistance, have improved the safety and efficiency of the line. As of 2007, 85% of the network's passenger volume and 60% of its cargo volume was transported along the line.<ref name="jica-bridgerehab">{{cite web|url=http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/evaluation/oda_loan/post/2008/pdf/e_project30_full.pdf|title=Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City Railway Bridge Rehabilitation Project|publisher=Japan International Cooperation Agency|year=2007|access-date=2010-06-30}}</ref> The national railway company, Vietnam Railways, owns and operates the line.

In 2024, Lonely Planet named the Reunification Express "one of Southeast Asia’s best-loved railways – and one of the most epic overnight train journeys in the world."<ref>{{Cite web |title=24 amazing train journeys for 2024 |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/worlds-most-amazing-train-journeys |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=Lonely Planet}}</ref>

== Overview == [[File:Hue Railway Station (12173532004).jpg|left|thumb|240x240px|A train stops at Huế station on North-South railway]] For the most part, this {{convert|1726|km|mi|abbr=on}} long metre gauge line follows the coastline of Vietnam, beginning in Hà Nội, passing through the provinces and municipalities of Ninh Bình, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Trị, Huế, Đà Nẵng, Quảng Ngãi, Gia Lai, Đắk Lắk, Khánh Hòa, Lâm Đồng and Đồng Nai before coming to an end in Ho Chi Minh City.<ref name="jica-bridgerehab" /><ref name="vr-network" /> Trains taking this route pass through a number of areas recognized for their beauty, such as the Hải Vân Pass and Lăng Cô Peninsula near Huế, and Vân Phong Bay near Nha Trang ward. Typical journeys from one end of the line to the other last about 30 hours.<ref name="vrweb">{{cite web|url=http://www.vr.com.vn/English/ |title=Vietnam Railways Website (English) |work=Vietnam Railways |access-date=2008-05-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510213804/http://www.vr.com.vn/English/ |archive-date=2008-05-10 }} Check the timetable from Ha Noi to Sai Gon (or vice versa) to see journey times.</ref> Passengers arriving in Hà Nội are able to transfer to several other railway lines, leading to Hải Phòng, Hạ Long Bay, Thái Nguyên, Lào Cai, Lạng Sơn and the People's Republic of China.

As of 2007, 85% of the network's passenger traffic and 60% of its cargo traffic was transported along the North–South line, corresponding to 3,960.6 million person-km and 2,329.5 million ton-km, respectively.<ref name="2007trafstats" group="nb">Transport statistics for rail transport in 2007 report a traffic volume of 4,659.5 million person-km for passenger rail traffic and 3,882.5 million ton-km for freight rail traffic. [http://www.gso.gov.vn/default_en.aspx?tabid=473&idmid=3&ItemID=10419 Volume of freight traffic by type of transport], [http://www.gso.gov.vn/default_en.aspx?tabid=473&idmid=3&ItemID=10433 Volume of passengers traffic by type of transport]. General Statistics Office of Vietnam.</ref> These proportions are only slightly different from those recorded in the early 1990s; 1993 figures reported 82% of passenger traffic and 66% of cargo traffic along the line.<ref name="jica-bridgerehab"/>

===Passenger service=== Daily passenger service is provided along the entire North–South railway by state railway company Vietnam Railways. Express service links Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, making stops at major stations; local service is also provided along shorter portions of the line, such as from Hanoi to Vinh, Vinh to Đồng Hới, Vinh to Quy Nhon, and so on. The following trains run regularly along the line (each line represents a pair of trains, one southbound and the other northbound):<ref name="vnr-passerv">[http://www.vr.com.vn/English/hientai_hoatdong_hanhkhach.html Passenger Transport Business] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629143226/http://www.vr.com.vn/English/hientai_hoatdong_hanhkhach.html |date=2011-06-29 }}. Vietnam Railways.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" ! Train ! Type ! From ! To ! Length ! Notes |- | SE1/SE2 | Express | Hà Nội | Hồ Chí Minh City | 34 hrs, 40 mins | Stops at Nam Định, Thanh Hóa, Vinh, Đồng Hới, Đông Hà, Huế, Lăng Cô, Đà Năng, Tam Kỳ, Quảng Ngãi, Diêu Trì, Tuy Hòa, Nha Trang, Tháp Chàm, Bình Thuận |- | SE3/SE4 | Express | Hà Nội |style="white-space:nowrap"| Hồ Chí Minh City |style="white-space:nowrap"| 29 hrs, 30 mins | Stops at Vinh, Đồng Hới, Huế, Đà Nẵng, Diêu Trì, Nha Trang |- | SE5/SE6 | Express | Hà Nội | Hồ Chí Minh City | 32 hrs | Stops at Phủ Lý, Nam Định, Ninh Bình, Thanh Hóa, Vinh, Đồng Hới, Huế, Đà Nẵng, Quảng Ngãi, Diêu Trì, Nha Trang, Tháp Chàm, Bình Thuận, Biên Hòa |- | TN1/TN2 | Local | Hà Nội | Hồ Chí Minh City | 40 hrs, 50 mins | |- | TN3/TN4 | Local | Hà Nội | Hồ Chí Minh City | 40 hrs, 45 mins | |- | TN5/TN6 | Local | Hà Nội | Hồ Chí Minh City | 40 hrs, 10 mins | |- | TN7/TN8 | Local | Hà Nội | Hồ Chí Minh City | 40 hrs, 25 mins | |- | NA1/NA2 | Local | Hà Nội | Vinh | | |- | NA3/NA4 | Local | Hà Nội | Vinh | | |- | TH1/TH2 | Local |style="white-space:nowrap"| Giáp Bát | Thanh Hóa | | |- | VD31/VD32 | Local | Vinh | Đồng Hới | | Out of service |- | DH41/DH42 | Local | Đồng Hới | Huế | | Out of service |- | VQ1/VQ2 | Local | Vinh | Quy Nhon | | |}

===Freight service=== Vietnam Railways provides daily freight transport, mainly between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; freight service ending at Da Nang is also offered. The following trains run regularly along the line (each line represents a pair of trains, one southbound and the other northbound):<ref name="vnr-freightserv">[http://www.vr.com.vn/hientaihoatdong_vantai.htm Vận tải hàng hoá (Cargo transport)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604150432/http://www.vr.com.vn/hientaihoatdong_vantai.htm |date=2011-06-04 }}. Vietnam Railways.</ref> {| class="wikitable" ! Train ! From ! To ! Notes |- | GS1/GS2 | Giáp Bát (Hà Nội) | Sóng Thần (HCMC) | 4-day itinerary |- | SBN1/SBN2 | Giáp Bát (Hà Nội) | Sóng Thần (HCMC) | 4-day itinerary |- | HBN1/HBN2 | Giáp Bát (Hà Nội) | Sóng Thần (HCMC) | |- | HBN3/HBN4 | Giáp Bát (Hanoi) | Sóng Thần (HCMC) | |- | ASY1/ASY2 | Giáp Bát (Hanoi) | Sóng Thần (HCMC) | |- | AH1/AH2 | Giáp Bát (Hanoi) | Sóng Thần (HCMC) | |- | HSD1/HSD2 | Da Nang | Ho Chi Minh City | |- | HSK1/HSK2 | Kim Lien (Da Nang) | Sóng Thần (HCMC) | |- | 4 digits number | Giáp Bát (Hanoi) | Sóng Thần (HCMC) | |}

== History == thumb|200px|The progressive construction of Vietnam's railway system, 1881–1966. In 1895, outgoing Governor-General of French Indochina Jean Marie de Lanessan, convinced of the necessity of building railways to connect the different parts of Indochina, urged his successors to give priority to the construction of a north–south railway connecting Hanoi and Saigon, calling it "the backbone of Indochina" from which all other routes would radiate.<ref name="backbone" group="nb">"De la voie principale s'étendant ainsi de la frontière de Chine à Saïgon et représentant en quelque sorte l'épine dorsale de l'Indo-Chine, toutes les autres routes ou voies ferrées partent naturellement pour s'enfoncer en toutes directions jusqu'aux limites du pays, les unes pénétrant du côté de la Chine, les autres vers le Mékong, à travers le Laos." ([http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k551652/f338.image La Colonisation française en Indo-Chine]. Jean Marie Antoine de Lanessan. 1895. p.329.)</ref> It was Paul Doumer, appointed as Governor-General in 1897, who put de Lanessan's call into action. Soon after his appointment, Doumer submitted an overarching proposal for railway development in Indochina, including plans for what would eventually become the Yunnan–Vietnam Railway and the North–South railway. The French government approved the construction of the entire Yunnan line and several sections of the North–South line, approving a loan of 200 million francs within the following year. Work began swiftly thereafter, with the Phu Lang Thuong—Lạng Sơn line being upgraded and extended from Hanoi to the Chinese border at Dong Dang by 1902, and the first section of the Yunnan line between Hanoi and Haiphong opening in the same year.<ref name="chfer-persee2">[http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/geo_0003-4010_1924_num_33_185_9449 Les chemins de fer de l'Indochine française]. Arnaud Georges. In: Annales de Géographie. 1924, t. 33, n°185. pp. 501-503.</ref><ref name="trainsworld" /><ref name="vr-haiphong">{{cite web|url=http://www.vr.com.vn/Gioithieuvecacgacuadsvn/gahaiphong.htm|title=Ga Hải Phòng|access-date=2010-06-30|language=vi|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101214173515/http://www.vr.com.vn/Gioithieuvecacgacuadsvn/gahaiphong.htm|archive-date=2010-12-14}}</ref>

Construction of the first sections of the North–South railway itself began in 1899, and lasted over thirty years, with individual sections completed serially. The first section to be laid down was the Hanoi–Vinh section, built from 1899 to 1905. Next to be built was the Nha Trang–Saigon section from 1905 to 1913; the Saigon–Tan Linh portion was opened in 1908, followed by the Tan Linh–Nha Trang portion in 1913. During this time, tracks were also laid around the city of Huế, leading south to Tourane, and north to Đông Hà. The Huế–Tourane section opened in 1906, and the Huế–Dong Ha line opened in 1908. The Vinh-Huế section was constructed from 1913 to 1927, and finally, the remaining Huế–Nha Trang section was constructed from 1930 to 1936.<ref name="adb-laocai" /><ref name="jica-bridgerehab"/><ref name="chfer-persee2" /> On 2 October 1936, the entire {{convert|1726|km|mi|abbr=on}} Hanoi–Saigon link was formally put into full operation.

As elsewhere in the world, the railways were the sites of active union and labor organization.<ref>David Del Testa, [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ip/sear/2011/00000019/00000004/art00006?crawler=true "Vietnamese railway workers during the revolutionary high tide."] ''South East Asia Research'', Volume 19, Number 4, December 2011, pp. 787-816(30)</ref>

The first journeys from end to end of the newly completed line, dubbed the ''Transindochinois'' ("Trans-Indochinese"), generally took about 60 hours, or two days and three nights.<ref>Hoàng Cơ Thụy. Việt sử khảo luận. Paris: Nam Á, 2002. p.1495.</ref> This decreased to about 40 hours by the late 1930s, with trains travelling at an average speed of {{convert|43|kph|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref name="lpviet">{{cite book|title=Vietnam|author1=Nick Ray |author2=Yu-Mei Balasingamchow |author3=Iain Stewart |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZqOLmYD-0l4C&pg=PA508|publisher=Lonely Planet|year=2009|access-date=2010-07-23|isbn=9781742203898 }}</ref> Trains were generally pulled by French Pacific or Mikado locomotives, and included dining cars and sleeping cars (''voitures-couchettes'').<ref name="trainsworld">{{cite web|url=http://trains-worldexpresses.com/400/411.htm|title=Indian Mail: International|access-date=2010-06-28}}</ref>

===Wartime=== {{See also|First Indochina War|Operation Rolling Thunder|Operation Linebacker|Operation Linebacker II}} After the Japanese invasion of French Indochina during World War II, Japanese forces used the Vietnamese railway system extensively, inviting sabotage by the Viet Minh as well as American bombing from the air. Following the exit of the Japanese at the end of the war, efforts were made to repair the seriously damaged North–South line.

Shortly after World War II ended, however, the First Indochina War began, and the Viet Minh's sabotage of the rail system continued, this time against the armies of the French Union.<ref name="lpviet" /> In response, the French began using the armed armoured train ''La Rafale'' as both a cargo-carrier and a mobile surveillance unit.<ref>''Le 5e Régiment du Génie d'hier et d'aujourd'hui : l'aventure des Sapeurs de chemins de fer'', Lavauzelle, 1997, p. 73</ref><ref>[http://www.servicehistorique.sga.defense.gouv.fr/04histoire/articles/articles_rha/audacedurail.htm ''L’audace du rail : les trains blindés du Sud-Annam'' in ''Revue historique des armées'' #234, Alexis Neviaski, 2004, quoted in the French Defense Ministry archives] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216051134/http://www.servicehistorique.sga.defense.gouv.fr/04histoire/articles/articles_rha/audacedurail.htm |date=2008-12-16 }}</ref> In February 1951 the first ''Rafale'' was in service on the Saigon-Nha Trang section of the North–South line.<ref>[http://www.ecpad.fr/Ecpa/PagesDyn/notfot.asp?id=515&page=1&dossierid=&photo=&Npage=1&collectionid= French Defense Ministry archives ECPAD website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930155431/http://www.ecpad.fr/Ecpa/PagesDyn/notfot.asp?id=515&page=1&dossierid=&photo=&Npage=1&collectionid= |date=2007-09-30 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.ecpad.fr/Ecpa/PagesDyn/notfot.asp?id=3881&page=1&dossierid=&photo=&Npage=1&collectionid= French Defense Ministry archives ECPAD website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927210911/http://www.ecpad.fr/Ecpa/PagesDyn/notfot.asp?id=3881&page=1&dossierid=&photo=&Npage=1&collectionid= |date=2007-09-27 }}</ref> Use of the ''Rafale'' failed to deter the Viet Minh guerrillas, however, who continued sabotaging the line, making off with its rails under cover of night and creating a {{convert|300|km|abbr=on}} rail network between Ninh Hoa and Da Nang, in a Viet Minh-controlled area.<ref name="lpviet" /> In 1953, the guerrillas attacked ''La Rafale'' itself, mining and destroying stone bridges as they passed by.<ref>[http://www.ecpad.fr/Ecpa/PagesDyn/notfot.asp?id=749&page=1&dossierid=&photo=&Npage=1&collectionid=# French Defense Ministry archives ECPAD website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927210720/http://www.ecpad.fr/Ecpa/PagesDyn/notfot.asp?id=749&page=1&dossierid=&photo=&Npage=1&collectionid=%23 |date=2007-09-27 }}</ref> In 1954, following the signature of Geneva Accords, Vietnam was temporarily divided into two parts: the communist North and anti-communist South. The North–South railway was bisected accordingly at Hiền Lương Bridge, a bridge over the Bến Hải River in Quảng Trị Province.<ref name="adb-laocai" />

thumb|right|A repair crew installs new railway tracks in South Vietnam. Throughout the Vietnam War, the North–South railway was a target of bombardments and sabotage by both North Vietnamese and South Vietnamese forces. The South, supported with the United States, reconstructed the track between Saigon and Huế in the late 1950s, a distance of {{convert|1041|km|mi|abbr=on}}. Nevertheless, a relentless campaign of intense bombing and sabotage by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese regular units resulted in the South Vietnamese railway system being unable to carry significant tonnages. 795 attacks were launched between 1961 and 1964 alone, eventually forcing the South to abandon many large sections of the track.<ref name="lpviet" /> The U.S. Army operating in South Vietnam had considerable interest in the North–South line because of the potential it offered in the bulk movement of cargo at low rates. The system was used to support the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, construction program and transported hundreds of thousands of tons of rock and gravel to air base and highway sites.<ref name="vnstdmil-ch6">[http://www.history.army.mil/books/Vietnam/logistic/chapter6.htm Vietnam Studies: Logistic Support] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820072528/http://www.history.army.mil/books/vietnam/logistic/chapter6.htm |date=2015-08-20}} by Lieutenant General Joseph M. Heiser, Jr. (1991). Chapter 6.</ref>

In North Vietnam, American bombing of railways was concentrated on key targets such as railway bridges, both along the North–South railway and along the lines north of Hanoi, such as the Hanoi–Lào Cai and Hanoi–Dong Dang lines. Operation Rolling Thunder was the first large-scale bombing campaign carried out by the U.S. Air Force, taking place from 2 March 1965 until 1 November 1968, when US President Lyndon B. Johnson temporarily called off air raids. Large-scale air raids resumed from 9 May to 23 October 1972, for Operation Linebacker, and again from 18 December to 29 December 1972, for Operation Linebacker II, with fewer target restrictions than ''Rolling Thunder''.

[[File:ThanhHoaBridge1.jpg|thumb|250px|Thanh Hóa Bridge, damaged by smart bombs]]

A particularly difficult target for the U.S. Air Force was the Thanh Hóa Bridge, a well-defended combined road/rail bridge in Thanh Hóa Province. One of the first attacks on the bridge took place on 3–4 April 1965. Despite dropping 239 tons of bombs on the bridge during the raid, the bridge remained serviceable; additionally, three American F-105 aircraft were shot down during the raid.<ref name="rolthun">{{cite book|title=Like rolling thunder: the air war in Vietnam, 1964-1975|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zz_2tspdiYcC&pg=PA157|author=Ronald Bruce Frankum|isbn=978-0742543027|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2005|work=Vietnam—America in the war years|volume=3}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110203152342/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,841817,00.html#ixzz0r9PxRuDR Time (magazine)] Time</ref> The U.S. Navy also conducted Alpha strikes on the bridge. Several times, traffic over the bridge was interrupted, but every time, the North Vietnamese dutifully repaired the damage. The bridge was eventually destroyed by laser-guided smart bombs during separate raids on 27 April and 13 May 1972, as part of Operation Linebacker.

After the Fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975, the Communist government of the newly unified Vietnam took control of the former South Vietnamese railway. Heavily damaged, the war-torn North–South railway line was nevertheless restored and returned to service on 31 December 1976, promoted as a symbol of Vietnamese unity. In the short time between the surrender of the South and the reopening of the line, 1334 bridges, 27 tunnels, 158 stations and 1370 switches had been repaired.<ref name="lpviet" /> Other railway lines that once existed, such as the Da Lat–Thap Cham Railway, were dismantled during this period to provide materials for the repair of the main line.<ref name="dalathist">{{cite web |title=A Brief History of Dalat Railroad|publisher=Viet Nam Air Force Model Aircraft of Minnesota|date=2007-10-07|url=http://www.vnafmamn.com/tracing_shangrila.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614182656/http://vnafmamn.com/tracing_shangrila.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 14, 2006|access-date=2008-03-14}}</ref>

===Accidents and incidents=== {{main|Dien Sanh train crash}}

On 10 March 2015, D19E locomotive No. 968 was written off in an accident near Dien Sanh when it was hauling a passenger train that was in collision with a lorry on a level crossing.

On 7 August 2023, rocks collapsed at km 455 in Quảng Bình province (now is Quảng Trị provice)n a tunnel, leading to massive delays (up to 16 hours 26 minutes). This happened during maintenance of the tunnel.<ref>{{cite web |title=Báo VietnamNet |url=https://vietnamnet.vn/da-roi-trong-ham-qua-quang-binh-8-chuyen-tau-phai-dung-cho-2175194.html |access-date=2023-08-10 |website=VietNamNet News |language=vi}}</ref>

=== Timeline === Source:<ref>[https://www.entreprises-coloniales.fr/inde-indochine/Ch._fer_transindochinois.pdf LE CHEMIN DE FER TRANSINDOCHINOIS]</ref><ref>[https://www.sicp-online.org/icp/issues/VIETNAM%20RAILROAD%20HISTORY%20(1881%20-%201936).pdf VIETNAM RAILROAD HISTORY (1881 - 1936)]</ref><ref>[https://scholar.dlu.edu.vn/thuvienso/bitstream/DLU123456789/219191/1/CVv140S112018049.pdf Quá trình xây dựng đường sắt xuyên Đông Dương (giai đoạn 1897-1918)]</ref>

*9 January 1903: Hanoi – Ninh Bình *20 December 1903: Ninh Bình – Hàm Rồng *30 October 1904: Xuân Lộc – Sài Gòn *17 March 1905: Hàm Rồng – Vinh *25 August 1905: Gia Ray – Xuân Lộc *15 December 1906: Huế – Đà Nẵng *15 April 1908: Hiền Sỹ – Huế *15 June 1908: Mỹ Chánh – Hiền Sỹ *5 September 1908: Quảng Trị – Mỹ Chánh *10 December 1908: Đông Hà – Quảng Trị *15 January 1910: Bình Thuận – Gia Ray *16 July 1913: Nha Trang (Phú Vinh) – Bình Thuận *10 October 1927: Vinh – Đông Hà *17 January 1935: Đà Nẵng – Quảng Ngãi *1 July 1935: Quảng Ngãi – Diêu Trì – Quy Nhơn *7 January 1936: Diêu Trì – Tuy Hòa *1 October 1936: Tuy Hòa – Nha Trang (Phú Vinh)

== Stations ==

=== List of stations === This abridged list includes all major stations<ref name="major" group="nb">For the purpose of this list, major stations are defined as stations at which SE5/SE6-class passenger trains make regular stops lasting two or more minutes. Freight terminals have also been included. See [http://www.vr.com.vn/English/hientai_hoatdong_hanhkhach.html Passenger Transport Business] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629143226/http://www.vr.com.vn/English/hientai_hoatdong_hanhkhach.html |date=2011-06-29}} and [http://www.vr.com.vn/hientaihoatdong_vantai.htm Vận tải hàng hoá (Cargo transport)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604150432/http://www.vr.com.vn/hientaihoatdong_vantai.htm |date=2011-06-04 }} (Vietnam Railways), as well as the official Vietnam Railways timetable ([http://www.vr.com.vn/GiotauGiave/Banggiotau/se17_tn13_phan1.html Page 1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629141716/http://www.vr.com.vn/GiotauGiave/Banggiotau/se17_tn13_phan1.html |date=2011-06-29 }}, [http://www.vr.com.vn/GiotauGiave/Banggiotau/se17_tn13_phan2.html Page 2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629141724/http://www.vr.com.vn/GiotauGiave/Banggiotau/se17_tn13_phan2.html |date=2011-06-29 }}, [http://www.vr.com.vn/GiotauGiave/Banggiotau/se17_tn13_phan3.html Page 3] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629141750/http://www.vr.com.vn/GiotauGiave/Banggiotau/se17_tn13_phan3.html |date=2011-06-29 }}, [http://www.vr.com.vn/GiotauGiave/Banggiotau/se17_tn13_phan4.html Page 4] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629141810/http://www.vr.com.vn/GiotauGiave/Banggiotau/se17_tn13_phan4.html |date=2011-06-29 }}, [http://www.vr.com.vn/GiotauGiave/Banggiotau/se17_tn13_phan5.html Page 5] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629141822/http://www.vr.com.vn/GiotauGiave/Banggiotau/se17_tn13_phan5.html |date=2011-06-29 }} {{in lang|vi}}).</ref> with timetabled services. As of 2005, there were 278 stations on the Vietnamese railway network,<ref name="vr-infra" /> of which 191 were located along the North–South line.<ref name="vr-nsga" />

{| class="sortable wikitable" ! Km ! Station ! Region ! Province/Municipality ! Ward/Commune ! Opened ! Notes ! Photo |- | 0||Hà Nội||style="white-space:nowrap"|Red River Delta ||Hà Nội||Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám ward||1902<ref name="vr-hanoi">{{cite web|url=http://www.vr.com.vn/Gioithieuvecacgacuadsvn/gahanoi.htm|title=Ga Hà Nội ngày ấy, bây giờ...|access-date=2010-06-30|language=vi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101214173419/http://www.vr.com.vn/Gioithieuvecacgacuadsvn/gahanoi.htm|archive-date=2010-12-14|url-status=dead}}</ref>||Interchange for Hà Nội –Hải Phòng, Hà Nội–Thái Nguyên, Hà Nội–Lào Cai, Hà Nội–Đồng Đăng lines||148x148px|Hanoi Railway Station |- | 5||Giáp Bát||Red River Delta||Hà Nội||Định Công ward|| ||Freight station||align="center"|left|frameless|158x158px |- | 56||Phủ Lý||Red River Delta||Ninh Bình||Phủ Lý ward|| ||||136x136px|Phủ Lý Railway Station |- | 87||Nam Định||Red River Delta||Ninh Bình||Nam Định ward|| ||||align="center"|[http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu210/Ballkid1507/P1020207.jpg Photo] |- | 115||Ninh Bình||Red River Delta||Ninh Bình||Thanh Bình Ward, Hoa Lư|| ||||142x142px|Ninh Bình Railway Station |- | 176||Thanh Hóa||North Central Coast||Thanh Hóa||Tân Sơn Ward, Thanh Hóa|| ||||align="center"|137x137px|Thanh Hóa Railway Station |- | 319||Vinh||North Central Coast||Nghệ An||Lê Lợi Ward, Vinh||1905<ref name="vr-vinh">{{cite web|url=http://www.vr.com.vn/Gioithieuvecacgacuadsvn/gavinh.htm|title=Ga Vinh, truyền thống và hiện đại|access-date=2010-06-30|language=vi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101214173704/http://www.vr.com.vn/Gioithieuvecacgacuadsvn/gavinh.htm|archive-date=2010-12-14|url-status=dead}}</ref>||||151x151px|Vinh Railway Station |- | 522||Đồng Hới||North Central Coast||Quảng Trị||Nam Lý Ward, Đồng Hới|| ||||147x147px|Đồng Hới Railway Station |- | 622||Đông Hà||North Central Coast||Quảng Trị||Đông Hà|| ||||align="center"|left|143x143px |- | 688||Huế||North Central Coast||Huế|| Thuận Hóa||1906<ref name="gahue">{{cite web|url=http://vietbao.vn/Xa-hoi/100-nam-ga-Hue/40178081/157/|title=100 năm ga Huế (100 years of Hue Railway Station)|date=2006-12-16|access-date=2010-07-20|language=vi}}</ref>||||166x166px|Huế Railway Station |- | 777||Kim Liên||South Central Coast||Da Nang||Liên Chiểu District|| ||Freight station||align="center"| |- | 791||Đà Nẵng||South Central Coast||Da Nang||Thanh Khê District||1902<ref name="vr-danang">{{cite web|url=http://www.vr.com.vn/Gioithieuvecacgacuadsvn/gadanang.htm|title=Ga Đà Nẵng|access-date=2010-06-30|language=vi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330041554/http://www.vr.com.vn/Gioithieuvecacgacuadsvn/gadanang.htm|archive-date=2010-03-30|url-status=dead}}</ref>||||162x162px|Đà Nẵng Railway Station |- | 865||Tam Kỳ||South Central Coast||Quảng Nam||An Xuân Ward, Tam Kỳ|| ||||162x162px|Tam Kỳ Railway Station |- | 928||Quảng Ngãi||South Central Coast||Quảng Ngãi||Quảng Phú Ward, Quảng Ngãi|| ||||162x162px|Quảng Ngãi Railway Station |- | 1096||Diêu Trì||South Central Coast||Gia Lai||Tuy Phước commune|| ||For Quy Nhơn||163x163px|Dieu Tri Railway Station |- | 1096*||Quy Nhơn||South Central Coast||Gia Lai||Quy Nhơn||||||161x161px|Quy Nhơn Railway Station |- | 1198||Tuy Hòa||South Central Coast||Đắk Lắk||Ward 2, Tuy Hòa|| ||||align="center"|143x143px|Tuy Hòa Railway Station |- | 1315||Nha Trang||South Central Coast||Khánh Hòa||Phước Tân, Nha Trang||1936|| ||157x157px|Nha Trang Railway Station |- | 1408||Tháp Chàm ||South Central Coast||Ninh Thuận||Đô Vinh Ward|| ||Interchange for Da Lat–Thap Cham line<ref group="nb" name="defunct">Defunct or partially defunct line.</ref>||align="center"|137x137px|Thap Cham Railway Station |- | 1551||Bình Thuận||South Central Coast||Bình Thuận||Hàm Kiệm commune|| ||For Phan Thiết. Also known as Mương Mán Station||136x136px|Bình Thuận Railway Station |- | 1697||Biên Hòa||Southeast||Đồng Nai||Trấn Biên ward|| ||||align="center"|center|frameless|157x157px |- |1706 |Dĩ An |Southeast |Hồ Chí Minh City |Dĩ An | | | align="center" | Ga_Di_An|center|frameless|157x157px |- | 1711||Sóng Thần||Southeast||Hồ Chí Minh City||An Bình, Dĩ An|| ||Freight station|| align="center" |[http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww193/CentKai/IMG_3637.jpg Photo] |- | 1726||Saigon||Southeast|| style="white-space:nowrap" |Hồ Chí Minh City||Nhiêu Lộc waed||1983<ref name="sgn-stn" group="nb">The original Saigon Station, located at Bến Thành Market, was built in 1881. ({{cite web|url=http://www.vr.com.vn/120namds/120namdsvn.asp?offset=3|title=120-Year History of Vietnam Railways|access-date=2010-07-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629141910/http://www.vr.com.vn/120namds/120namdsvn.asp?offset=3|archive-date=2011-06-29|url-status=dead}}) The station currently in use as "Saigon Railway Station", located in Ho Chi Minh City's District 3, was originally known as Hoa Hung Depot, and was used mainly as a freight station; it was converted for use as a passenger station in 1983. ({{cite web|url=http://www.vr.com.vn/Gioithieuvecacgacuadsvn/gasaigon.htm|title=Ga Sài Gòn|access-date=2010-06-30|language=vi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505124905/http://www.vr.com.vn/Gioithieuvecacgacuadsvn/gasaigon.htm|archive-date=2010-05-05|url-status=dead}})</ref>|| ||169x169px|Saigon Railway Station |}

==Infrastructure== [[File:My Son railway tracks.jpg|thumb|Tracks at a level crossing near Mỹ Sơn]] Most of Vietnam's railway infrastructure—including bridges, rail trucks, track beds, rolling stock, signals and communication equipment, and maintenance facilities—has suffered severe deterioration, mainly due to damage inflicted during the Vietnam War and a subsequent lack of capital investment and maintenance. More recently, rehabilitation projects sustained by official development assistance have allowed some of the most critical pieces of infrastructure along the line to be replaced, although much work still remains to be done.<ref name="jica-bridgerehab" /> Complicating rehabilitation work is seasonal flooding, which, depending on its severity, may cause significant infrastructure damage. For instance, heavy rains falling on Vietnam's north central coast in October 2010 swept away several sections of track in Hà Tĩnh and Quảng Bình provinces; the flooding of many of the nearby provincial roads, which remained several metres underwater, prevented repair crews from reaching the affected sections for weeks.<ref name="oc10-floods">{{cite news|url=http://english.vovnews.vn/Home/NorthSouth-railway-reopens-on-October-28/201010/120867.vov|title=North-South railway reopens on October 28|publisher=VOVNews|date=2010-10-28|access-date=2010-10-31|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101029171856/http://english.vovnews.vn/Home/NorthSouth-railway-reopens-on-October-28/201010/120867.vov|archive-date=2010-10-29}}</ref><ref name="oc10-floods-ap">{{cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hxIa8SlpURJY2Ei0bTV5vxvwUkZAD9ILVBUG1?docId=D9ILVBUG1|title=Massive floods kill 26 in Vietnam; 9 missing|date=2010-10-05|access-date=2010-10-31}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="oc10-floods-photo">{{cite news|url=http://asiasociety.org/blog/reasia/photo-day-vietnam-floods-claim-north-south-railway|title=Photo of the Day: Vietnam Floods Claim North-South Railway|date=2010-10-22|access-date=2010-10-31}}</ref>

===Tracks=== The North–South railway line uses metre gauge, as was commonly used on local railways in France around the time of its construction.<ref name="vr-network">{{cite web|url=http://www.vr.com.vn/English/hientaihoatdong.html|title=Railway Network|publisher=Vietnam Railways|access-date=2010-06-29|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418132723/http://www.vr.com.vn/english/hientaihoatdong.html|archive-date=2010-04-18}}</ref><ref name="petitstrains">{{cite book |first1=Alain |last1=de Dieuleveult |first2=Michel |last2=Harouy |title=Quand les petits trains faisaient la Manche ''("When small trains crossed the Channel")'' |publisher=Éditions Cénomane |location=Le Mans |year=1988 |isbn=978-2-905596-29-1 |language=fr}}</ref>

===Bridges=== [[File:Cầu Long Biên (Doumer).jpg|left|thumb|Long Biên Bridge, a famous railway bridge in Vietnam in Hanoi]] Vietnam Railways reports the number of railway bridges along the North–South line to be 1,300, totalling about {{convert|28000|m|ft|abbr=on}}, or about 63% of the national total. Considering both standard rail bridges and combined bridges, the total length along the North–South line is about {{convert|36000|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name="jica-bridgerehab" /><ref name="vr-network" /> Many railway bridges are severely worn from age and have damage dating from the Vietnam War, despite temporary restoration following the war. As of 2007, 278 bridges requiring major rehabilitation remain along the North–South Railway line.<ref name="jica-bridgerehab" />

===Tunnels=== [[File:Vietnam Rail Tunnel.ogg|thumb|thumbtime=13|A Vietnam Railways train passes through a tunnel north of Quy Nhơn.]] There are 27 railway tunnels along the North–South line, amounting to a total length of {{convert|8335|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name="vr-network" /> Certain tunnels are inadequately drained and suffer from deterioration in the tunnel lining, causing water leaks that necessitate reductions in speed.<ref name="adb-laocai" />

===Signalling=== The North–South railway line uses a semi-automatic block system, which allows individual signals to work either as automatic signals or manual signals.<ref name="vr-network" /> According to a joint Japanese-Vietnamese evaluation team, the recent installation of additional auto-signal systems at key crossings along the line has contributed to a decline in railway accidents.<ref name="jica-bridgerehab" />

===Communications=== Since 1998, microband Asynchronous Transfer Mode technology has been used along the North–South railway line to send television signals; 64 kbit/s transmission lines are leased from the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Corporation (VPTC). Along some sections of the line—for example, from Hanoi to Vinh and from Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh City—a fiber-optic network has been deployed; Vietnam Railways intends to extend the network along the remaining distance from Vinh to Nha Trang. A switching system featuring digital exchanges is in place, connected via the existing transmission system and the public telephone network. As the modernization of the telecommunication system progresses, manual exchanges are gradually being replaced with digital exchanges.<ref name="vr-infra" /><ref name="vr-network" />

==Safety== {{Main|Railway accidents in Vietnam}}

thumb|An unprotected level crossing in Da Nang. Along the North–South railway line, 3,650 level crossings were counted, 3,000 (or 82%) of which had no barriers, alarm systems or guards.<ref name="unsafe-aug10">[http://www.english.vietnamnet.vn/social/201008/Unsafe-rail-crossing-kill-300-926286/ Unsafe rail crossing kill 300] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820033913/http://english.vietnamnet.vn/social/201008/Unsafe-rail-crossing-kill-300-926286/ |date=2010-08-20 }}</ref> As a result, accidents involving vehicles and pedestrians have occurred. A researcher from Villanova University noted "There are numerous safety issues with level crossings<nowiki>...</nowiki>usually, an accident occurs every day."<ref name="jica-visit">{{cite web|url=http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/evaluation/oda_loan/post/2007/pdf/em02_full.pdf|title=Report to JBIC on Expert Evaluation Mission to Northern Vietnam and the Philippines: Refocusing on Infrastructure|author=A.Maria Toyoda|date=2007-08-17|access-date=2010-07-20}}</ref> Many rail bridges and tunnels have suffered deterioration since the 1970s, requiring trains passing over or through them to reduce speeds as low as {{convert|15|kph|mph}}.<ref name="adb-laocai">{{cite web|url=http://www.adb.org/Documents/RRPs/VIE/39175-VIE-RRP.pdf |title=Proposed Loan and Administration of Loan from Agence Française de Développement: Yen Vien–Lao Cai Railway Upgrading Project |date=November 2006 |access-date=2010-06-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607083015/http://www.adb.org/Documents/RRPs/VIE/39175-VIE-RRP.pdf |archive-date=2011-06-07 }}</ref> In addition, the center of the country is subject to violent annual flooding and bridges are often swept away, causing lengthy closures.<ref name="jica-bridgerehab" />

Along with recent efforts aimed at infrastructure rehabilitation, the recent adoption of safety measures by Vietnam Railways has led to a decline in railway accidents. These measures include: public awareness campaigns on railway safety in the media; construction of fences and safety barriers at critical level crossings in major cities; mobilization of volunteers for traffic control at train stations and level crossings, especially during holiday seasons; the installation of additional auto-signal systems; and the construction of flyovers and underpasses to redirect traffic.<ref name="jica-bridgerehab" />

===Infrastructure rehabilitation=== The condition of railway infrastructure in Vietnam, although improving, is still poor enough overall to require rehabilitation. Rail transport only became a national priority for the Vietnamese government around the mid-1990s, at which point most of the railway network was severely degraded, having received only temporary repair from damages suffered during decades of war.<ref name="jica-bridgerehab" /><ref name="minefe">[http://www.minefe.gouv.fr/directions_services/dgtpe/publi/vietnam/eval_rpe_vietnam_en.pdf Evaluation of development activities - 2009/1]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Ministry for the Economy, Industry and Employment. Government of France. April 2009.</ref>

thumb|left|Railroad workers in Da Nang. From 1994 to 2005, a major bridge rehabilitation project took place on the North–South railway line, with the Pacific Consultants International Group and Japan Transportation Consultants providing consultancy services. The overall project cost was JPY 11,020 million, or 18% less than the budgeted cost. The overall results of the project included a reduction in running hours from one end of the line to the other (from 36 hours in 1994 to 29 hours in 2007); an increase of speed limits on rehabilitated bridges (from {{convert|15|to|30|kph|mph|abbr=on}} to {{convert|60|to|80|kph|mph|abbr=on}}, which contributed to the reduction in running hours; and a reduction in the number of railway accidents throughout the line.<ref name="jica-bridgerehab" />

In 2007, Vietnam Railways awarded an additional VND 150 billion (US$9.5 million) five-year contract for consultancy services to Japan Transportation Consultants, the Pacific Consultants International Group, and the Japan Railway Technical Service (Jarts), regarding a VND 2.47 trillion project to further improve bridge and railway safety on the North–South line. The project's goals include the refurbishment of 44 bridges and {{convert|37.6|km|mi|abbr=on}} of railway tracks, the building of two new railway bridges and a new railway station at Ninh Bình, and the purchase of 23 track machines. The project was expected to be completed in 2010.<ref name="fa-jarts">{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQQ/is_9_45/ai_n15730479/|title=Vietnam to upgrade trunk route|date=September 2005|work=International Railway Journal|access-date=2010-07-22}}</ref>

==Development== [[File:Taiwan-HighSpeedRail-700T-testrun-2006-0624.jpg|thumb|right|Japanese Shinkansen technology has been suggested for use on the proposed North–South Express Railway. (Photo: Taiwan High Speed Rail)]]

===North–South Express Railway=== {{Main|North–South Express Railway (Vietnam)}}

National railway company Vietnam Railways has proposed a high-speed rail link between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, capable of running at {{convert|300|to|350|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}. Funding of the $56 billion line would mainly come from the Vietnamese government; reports suggest Japanese development aid could be made available in stages, conditioned on the adoption of Shinkansen technology.<ref name=rgi20090921>{{cite web|title=The hare and the tortoise|url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/the-hare-and-the-tortoise.html | work=Railway Gazette International |date=2009-09-21}}</ref><ref name="bullet">{{cite web|title=Vietnam to build high-speed rail with Japan aid|website=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSHAN159060|agency=Reuters News|date=2006-07-20 |access-date=2006-07-20}}</ref> Once completed, the high-speed rail line would allow trains to complete the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City journey in approximately 6 hours.<ref name="metroca-rej">{{cite news |url=http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/world/article/557979--vietnamese-legislators-reject-56b-bullet-train-in-rare-move-against-communist-leaders |title=Vietnamese legislators reject $56B bullet train in rare move against Communist leaders |agency=Associated Press |work=Metro News Vancouver |date=2010-06-21 |access-date=2010-06-21}}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> Vietnam's National Assembly rejected the existing plan for the line in June 2010, and asked for further study of the project.<ref name="na-rejection">{{cite news|url=http://english.vietnamnet.vn/politics/201006/National-Assembly-rejects-express-railway-project-917324/ |title=National Assembly rejects express railway project |publisher=VietNamNet Bridge |date=2010-06-21 |access-date=2010-06-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628061127/http://www.english.vietnamnet.vn/politics/201006/National-Assembly-rejects-express-railway-project-917324/ |archive-date=2010-06-28}}</ref> In 2023, the Chinese Government submitted a similar proposal, which would see a new High Speed railway between Ho Chi Minh City & Hanoi, continuing northward into China and linking up to China’s existing high speed rail system in Nanning, allowing for through running of International Chinese rail services and also Vietnam Domestic Rail services. This plan was also rejected by the National Assembly.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hildebrandt |first=Tim |title=Between Ambition and Reality: China's High-Speed Rail Diplomacy in Southeast Asia and Southeast Europe |url=https://chinaobservers.eu/between-ambition-and-reality-chinas-high-speed-rail-diplomacy-in-southeast-asia-and-southeast-europe/ |access-date=1 May 2024 |work=chinaobservers |date=5 January 2024}}</ref>

== Gallery == <gallery class="center"> File:FileRTW2009-HoiAn to Hanoi2.jpg|Travelling from Hội An to Hanoi. File:View from train South VN.jpg|Travelling northward from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang. File:Vietnam Train 1.jpg|A passenger observes the scenery from her seat. File:Metre gauge Hanoi.jpg|Railway tracks in Hanoi. File:Bình Lợi Railway Bridge.jpg|Bình Lợi Railway Bridge next to the same name bridge on Phạm Văn Đồng Boulevard crosses Saigon River in Ho Chi Minh City. File:Hai Van Pass, Vietnam, North-South Railway.jpg|Railway track beneath the Hải Vân Pass between Huế and Da Nang. </gallery>

== See also == {{Commons category|North-South Railway (Vietnam)}} * List of railway lines in Vietnam * North–South Express Railway (Vietnam) * Vietnam Railways

== Notes and references == ;Notes {{reflist|group=nb}} ;References {{reflist|2}} ;Bibliography {{ACMH}} * Hulot, Frédéric. ''Les chemins de fer de la France d'outre-mer, tome 1 l'Indochine, le Yunnan.'' La Régordane. 1990. *{{cite book |author=Heiser, Joseph M. Jr. |title=Logistic Support |publisher=United States Army Center of Military History |location=Washington, D. C. |year=1991 |url=http://www.history.army.mil/books/Vietnam/logistic/index.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121212023924/http://www.history.army.mil/books/Vietnam/logistic/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 12, 2012}}

== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100504133440/http://www.vr.com.vn/English/index.html Official Website of Vietnam Railways] * [http://www.mt.gov.vn/ Ministry of Transport, Vietnam]

{{DEFAULTSORT:North-South Railway (Vietnam)}} Category:Railway lines in Vietnam Category:Metre-gauge railways in Vietnam Category:Railway lines opened in 1936 Category:1936 establishments in Vietnam Category:1936 establishments in French Indochina Category:Transport in Vietnam Category:Articles containing video clips