I've learned not to get too excited about new railway announcements in Vietnam, as that will only lead to disappointment. In fact, Vietnam is at the bottom of the list in Southeast Asia for railway development. Vietnam has fewer railway services operating than it did in 2019, with no new railways under construction (this does not include metro systems).

I will be doing an overview of the railways of Southeast Asia that will summarise lines under construction. This article was written after arriving in Hanoi to find out that services have been suspended or reduced.