What Makes the Van Cao – Hoa Lac Metro Line 5 a Game-Changer for Real Estate Investors and Why Hoa Lac Property Prices Are Expected to Soar?

The Hanoi People’s Committee has approved the route plan and location for the Urban Railway Line No. 5 (Metro Line 5), spanning from Van Cao to Ngoc Khanh, Lang, and Hoa Lac. The plan, drafted by the Hanoi Urban Planning Institute in 2025, was reviewed and ratified by the Department of Planning and Architecture at a scale of 1:500.

Metro Line 5 begins at the intersection of Van Cao and Hoang Hoa Tham, traversing central wards such as Ngoc Ha, Giang Vo, Lang, and Yen Hoa. It follows the Thang Long Avenue axis before terminating at Thach Binh Station in Hoa Lac.

The main line spans approximately 39.6 km, with two additional branches connecting to Depot No. 1 (Son Dong Commune, Duong Hoa) and Depot No. 2 (Hoa Lac Commune), totaling 4.8 km in length.

The line features 20 stations, including 6 underground, 3 elevated, and 11 ground-level stations. These are primarily located along Thang Long Avenue and the Hoa Lac – Hoa Binh Expressway. Notably, several stations will directly connect to other urban railway lines (Lines 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and Monorail M2), fostering an integrated public transport network.

The line’s design incorporates a mixed structure: an underground section from Van Cao through Lieu Giai, Nguyen Chi Thanh, to Tran Duy Hung, and an elevated/ground-level section starting after the National Convention Center, continuing along Thang Long Avenue to Hoa Lac.

Two main depots are planned: Depot 1, covering 32 hectares in Son Dong – Duong Hoa, will serve Lines 5 and 8 (Son Dong – Duong Xa) and include a rail vehicle assembly workshop. Depot 2, spanning 10.4 hectares in the Hoa Lac urban area, will function as a maintenance hub once the line is operational.

With a total investment exceeding VND 65 trillion, Metro Line 5 will pass through 9 wards and 10 communes, and is scheduled to break ground on December 19 this year.

On November 21, Hanoi People’s Committee leaders met with CRRC Dalian, a subsidiary of China’s state-owned rolling stock corporation with over 100 years of history and a 60% domestic market share in locomotives, urban trains, and high-speed rail.

During the meeting, Mr. Song Xiepeng, Vice Chairman of CRRC Dalian’s Board, expressed interest in participating in Hanoi’s urban railway projects, particularly Metro Line 5, given its similarities to their previous ventures. He highlighted CRRC Dalian’s readiness to share expertise and technology, having supplied nearly 7,000 rail vehicles for projects in and outside China, including driverless train systems.

Mr. Duong Duc Tuan, Permanent Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee, affirmed the city’s support for CRRC Dalian’s involvement in suitable projects and designated MRB and Hanoi Railway Company as key coordinators for the next phase.

Metro Line 5 will serve as a vital link between the city center and western areas, including the satellite city of Hoa Lac, alleviating congestion on existing routes like Thang Long Avenue. Real estate investors anticipate a surge in property demand in western Hanoi upon the line’s completion.

Mr. Vo Huynh Tuan Kiet, Director of Residential Project Marketing at CBRE Vietnam, noted that properties along Ho Chi Minh City’s Metro Line 1 saw price increases of 1.5 to 3 times pre- and post-operation. Projects such as The Vista An Phu, Masteri Thao Dien, Gateway Thao Dien, Estella Heights, Thao Dien Pearl, and Lavita Garden recorded secondary market prices 2.5 to 3.5 times higher than initial launch prices.