The Cat Linh–Ha Dong elevated railway will begin its test run in October before being put into official operation in the second quarter of 2018.

A rail carriage prototype for the Cat Linh-Ha Dong light railway was displayed in Hanoi in late October for public comment.

The test will take place for three to six months, according to Le Kim Thanh, director of railway projects management unit under the Ministry of Transport.

The deadline for the project has been delayed several times.

To date, about 90% of construction work has been completed, including stations, stairways connecting stations with the ground and 13 kilometres of tracks.

The elevated railway project began in 2011 with investment of US$552 million, of which US$169 million came from Chinese official development assistance. In November 2014, it was announced the project would need a total of US$868 million, US$300 million more than initial estimates.

Linking Cat Linh Street in Dong Da district with Yen Nghia station in Ha Dong district, the project includes 12 stations and a depot at Phu Luong ward in Ha Dong district.

The elevated project has a length of about 13 km, while the depot in Ha Dong spans 19.6 hectares.