Hanoi: The National Assembly of Vietnam has approved the $67 billion north-south high-speed rail. The assembly announced that the 1,541 km rail line, stretching from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, is estimated to cost $67.3 billion, with construction slated to occur between 2027 and 2035. According to Emirates News Agency, the Ministry of Transport stated that the construction of the high-speed rail is expected to boost the country's GDP by an average of 0.97 percentage points annually. The rail line will feature a double track with a 1,435 mm gauge, designed for electrification with a speed of 350 kph and a load capacity of 22.5 tons per axle. The journey on this new high-speed train is projected to take around five hours.