Vietnam has outlined a significant investment of over VND3.2 quadrillion (equivalent to US$123 billion) towards the expansion of its expressway network, with the goal of reaching nearly 9,000km by the year 2050.
This strategic vision for long-term infrastructure development has been recently endorsed by the Ministry of Construction.
The plan details the construction of roads over the next 30 years in response to increasing traffic, rapid urbanization, and a rising need for freight transportation.
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It is anticipated that by the middle of this century, the expressway network will consist of 43 routes covering approximately 8,920km in length.
The focal point of the network is the north-south spine, consisting of two parallel tracks: an eastern coastal expressway spanning approximately 2,065km and a western inland route stretching around 1,205km.
In the northern region of Vietnam, there are plans to construct 14 expressway routes, totaling approximately 2,242km in length. The central region and Central Highlands will be responsible for a total of 11 routes, spanning approximately 1,353km, whereas the southern region will have a similar quantity of routes covering around 1,342km.
Larger urban centers are expected to undergo significant upgrades to their ring road infrastructure. Hanoi is projected to have three ring roads encompassing a total length of approximately 417km in operation by 2050. In comparison, Ho Chi Minh City is set to have two ring roads with a combined length of close to 299km.
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The plan also considers alternatives to highways. It is projected that by the year 2050, the national highway system will consist of 172 routes spanning over 28,600km. The primary north-south corridors will consist of National Highway 1, covering approximately 2,218km, and the Ho Chi Minh Road, measuring around 1,894km in length.
In the northern region, the primary highway infrastructure will be comprised of 21 main arterial roads covering approximately 6,530 kilometers, complemented by an additional 34 secondary connector routes.
In the central region and Central Highlands, there will be a total of 24 main routes and 47 secondary routes, while the southern region will have 17 primary highways and 27 connecting roadways.
The Ministry of Construction's projections indicate that the road development initiative will necessitate over 200,000 hectares of land. Financial support for the project is anticipated to be sourced from a combination of governmental expenditure, bonds issued by the state, official development assistance, private sector investments, and various supplementary funding channels. According to the proposal, improvements to expressways will align with established design guidelines, including widening and expansion as necessary.
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Upgrades to national highways and the establishment of bypasses will be determined based on individual circumstances, taking into account traffic projections and financial resources. In recent years, Vietnam has made significant progress in the construction of expressways.
As of the conclusion of 2025, the country had successfully completed the construction of 3,803km of expressways, encompassing both primary routes and connecting access roads. This achievement exceeded the previous goal of reaching 3,000km of operational expressways.