Siemens Mobility has signed a €1bn contract to supply 10 Velaro Novo high speed trainsets, ETCS Level 2 signalling with automatic train operation, telecommunications and electrification systems for two planned high speed lines in Vietnam.

The turnkey rolling stock and railway systems contract, announced on September 22, builds on a strategic partnership and technology transfer agreement Siemens Mobility signed in December with the buyer, VinSpeed High Speed Railway Investment & Development Joint Stock Co.

VinSpeed, a subsidiary of industrial group Vingroup, retains responsibility for project development, track and civil works.

Rolling stock

The seven-car Velaro Novo trainsets will be 200 m long with a top speed of 350 km/h. Each trainset will offer 760 seats in a wide-body configuration, with an 'empty tube' structural design, according to the manufacturer.

Siemens says the trains will consume 30% less energy than previous models and provide more than 10% additional passenger capacity — claims that reflect the design improvements Siemens has presented for the Velaro Novo platform since its development phase.

Signalling first

The trainsets will carry ATO functionality integrated with ETCS Level 2 onboard units. Siemens states this will be the world's first deployment of ATO over ETCS on a national high speed line, which would mark a technical milestone for automated operation at 350 km/h if the project proceeds as specified.

Two corridors

The contract supports two standard gauge high speed lines.

The first would run east from Hanoi to Hạ Long in Quảng Ninh province, serving four stations including one at the future Gia Binh Airport — positioning the line as an airport-access corridor for the capital region.

The second route, 54 km long, would run south from Ben Thanh station in Ho Chi Minh City to Cần Giờ on the coast, opening with two stations and gaining four more at a later stage.

Executive comment

'Vietnam is entering an exciting new era of mobility, and we are proud to contribute to this transformation', said Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, when the deal was announced.

The contract follows the December co-operation agreement between the two companies and represents Siemens Mobility's largest committed rolling stock order in the Vietnamese market to date.

Delivery dates and construction timelines for the two lines remain subject to VinSpeed's project development and civil works programme.