Vietnam is seeking to establish substantive and long-term communication channels with Germany in the railway sector, with a particular focus on science and technology, technical standards, safety management, the railway industry, export finance, and human resource development. Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Construction Bui Xuan Dung made the statement during working sessions with German authorities and leading corporations held as part of his delegation’s working visit to Germany.
Representatives from Deutsche Bahn (DB), Siemens Mobility, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport, and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action participated in the discussions. The meetings focused on exchanging experience, identifying measures to foster cooperation, and promoting technology transfer to support Vietnam’s North-South High-Speed Railway Project. The discussions formed part of broader efforts to advance high-speed rail cooperation between the two countries.
North-South High-Speed Railway Project Drives Discussions
Deputy Minister Dung described the North-South High-Speed Railway as a national mega-project, with an investment policy already approved by Vietnam’s National Assembly. The planned railway will span approximately 1,541 km and use a dual-track standard gauge of 1,435 mm, with a design speed of 350 km/h. The project is expected to include 23 passenger stations and 5 freight stations, while fundamental completion is slated for 2035.
With Vietnam currently preparing the project’s feasibility study report, the Deputy Minister highlighted the importance of selecting technologies that are modern, synchronized, safe, efficient, and well-suited to conditions of Vietnam. He also emphasized the need to manage life-cycle costs, structure project management, train human resources, and develop independent operations and maintenance capabilities. According to him, these areas will be decisive for ensuring the project’s long-term effectiveness.
Germany Asked to Support Technology and Workforce Development
Deputy Minister Dung also pointed to several major railway projects that Vietnam will implement in the coming years. These include the North-South high-speed line, international rail connections, and urban rail systems. Against this backdrop, he called on German partners to examine substantive cooperation opportunities that go beyond supplying products, equipment, and services. The proposed cooperation would also cover technology transfer, workforce training, development of Vietnamese enterprises and supply chains, and the gradual establishment of capabilities to manufacture, operate, maintain, and master railway technologies in Vietnam.
Delegation Reviews German Rail Operations and Technology
As part of the visit to boost high-speed rail cooperation, the Vietnamese delegation carried out a field inspection at Berlin Central Station (Berlin Hauptbahnhof). The delegation studied the station’s operational model, station management, and multi-modal integration linking high-speed rail, regional rail, and urban rail with other modes of public transit. The delegation also attended InnoTrans 2026 – one of the world’s leading international trade fair for transport technology and railways – which brought together approximately 3,170 exhibitors from 59 countries.
During the trade fair, the delegation visited exhibition booths and held direct discussions with leading rail industry enterprises, including Deutsche Bahn (DB), Siemens Mobility, Alstom, SNCF International, Vossloh, CRRC, and Škoda. Discussions also involved infrastructure, signaling, and telecommunications solution providers such as Ericsson and PORR. The enterprises shared operational expertise covering high-speed rail management, infrastructure maintenance, train dispatching, safety protocols, supporting industry development, and training engineers and specialists for operations and maintenance.
