Construction giant Fecon starts work on Hanoi metro line, northern Vietnam rail link

Fecon, a leading Vietnamese construction group, on Friday broke ground on two major rail projects: a metro line in Hanoi and a strategic railway linking the capital city with northern localities.

In Hanoi, Fecon, as part of a contractor consortium with Truong Son Construction Corporation, is responsible for ground levelling and soft-soil treatment at the Son Dong depot of Metro Line No. 5, which will run from downtow street of Van Cao to the outlying Hoa Lac area, home to the Hoa Lac High-tech Park.

The Son Dong depot will serve as the operations, maintenance, and dispatch center for the entire line. The start of foundation works at the depot marks a key early step in the phased development of Metro Line No. 5 under Hanoi’s urban rail master plan.

On the same day, Fecon also participated in the groundbreaking of phase one of the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway in northern Vietnam. The first phase focuses on trackbed construction at stations and station squares, with Fecon undertaking civil works at Nam Hai Duong station.

The railway is designated a strategic infrastructure project aimed at strengthening inter-regional connectivity between the northwestern provinces, Hanoi and Hai Phong’s seaport system.

Vietnam’s National Assembly approved the investment policy for the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway under Resolution No. 187/2025/QH15.

The project includes a main line of about 390 km and nearly 28 km of branch lines, built to standard-gauge specifications (1,435 mm) and designed to carry both passenger and freight traffic.

The line will pass through six provinces and cities – Lao Cai, Phu Tho, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, and Hai Phong, connecting with China’s rail network in Lao Cai and ending at Lach Huyen port station in Hai Phong. Funded by public investment, the project is targeted for completion by 2030.

The simultaneous launch of the two rail projects underscores Vietnam’s renewed focus on railways as a priority in its infrastructure development strategy. Under current plans, the 2025-2030 period will see heavy investment in urban rail systems in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, alongside upgrades and new construction of national and inter-regional rail links.

Hanoi plans to develop a network of 15 urban rail lines, while rail corridors linking seaports, border gates and logistics hubs remain a key investment focus.

Fecon has previously been involved in tunnel boring machine works on Hanoi’s Metro Line No. 3 (Nhon-Hanoi Station) and ground treatment works on Metro Line No. 2 (Nam Thang Long-Tran Hung Dao).