Four Central-region segments of the North-South Expressway to commence operations for the 30/4-1/5 holiday, with 23 rest stops from Hanoi to Ca Mau

Four Central-region components of the North–South Expressway and 23 rest stops along the route from Hanoi to Ca Mau are expected to officially enter service in April, ahead of holiday traffic demand during the 30/4–1/5 period.

Mr. Nguyen The Minh, Deputy Director of the Economic Department–Investment Management, Ministry of Construction, said that among 12 component projects that began on January 1, 2023, eight have been completed, meeting and surpassing the schedule.

Expressway components: progress and remaining work

Mr. Minh noted that the four Central-region components—Quan Ngai to Hoai Nhon, Hoai Nhon to Quy Nhon, Quy Nhon to Chi Thanh, and Chi Thanh to Van Phong—have a combined length of 268 km. These sections were opened for technical traffic on December 19, 2025, but have not yet been officially put into service.

As of now, 256 km of the main route has been completed. About 12 km of the Chi Thanh–Van Phong section remains pending settlement due to weak soil.

Explaining the delay, Mr. Minh said these are sections with the most difficult terrain and geology. In the initial phase, the project faced difficulties including slow land clearance and delayed licensing of quarry material. Construction has also continued to face challenges from extreme weather, particularly Typhoon No. 13 and widespread flooding in Central Vietnam in 2025, which affected transport. In addition, fuel price fluctuations tied to the Middle East conflict toward the end of the year have added pressure to operations.

It is expected that by mid-April, the segments from Quang Ngai to the Cu Mong tunnel area will be put into service. The remaining sections are planned to be completed in April to meet travel demand during the peak holiday period.

Rest stops: commissioning to address “empty” facilities

Alongside the expressway progress, authorities have also been addressing the issue of “empty” rest stops on some North–South Expressway sections, which has caused inconvenience for travelers.

The Directorate of Roads Vietnam said there are 21 rest stops being invested along the route. Through ongoing efforts, 16 rest stops have been put into service across the north to south, including Mai Son–National Highway 45, Nghi Son–Dien Chau, Vung Ang–Bung, Quang Ngai–Hoai Nhon, and Vinh Hao–Phan Thiet.

The report said that making these rest stops operational has somewhat relieved drivers’ demands. To prepare for the upcoming peak travel period, authorities plan to complete and commission one more rest stop. This new stop, together with five already operating rest stops (including Cao Bo–Mai Son, Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh–Dau Giay) and one stop on the Da Nang–Quang Ngai route, will create a continuous network.

With this distribution, from Hanoi to Ca Mau the route will have a total of 23 rest stops. The average distance between stops will be about 100 km, which is intended to meet public needs for mobility, rest, and refueling.