Prestigious website CNN Travel of the United States has published an article hailing the refurbished Revolution Express steam trains that will begin taking passengers either later this year or in early 2025, serving to connect the central coastal city of Da Nang to the central province of Thua Thien Hue.
CNN hails Vietnamese vintage 1960s steam locomotives (Photo: Wafaifo Optimisers)
The article published by CNN outlined that the nation is prepared to unveil a revamped pair of vintage steam locomotives from the 1960s.
The two Revolution Express locomotives are the last working steam trains in the nation, dating back to when the country was still a French colony, according to hospitality brand Wafaifo Optimisers, which is managing the project, it wrote.
The trains are nearly ready to take on tourists and visitors, with the first trips expected to come in late 2024 or early 2025, Wafaifo Optimisers said in a news release.
CNN quoted Wafaifo as saying that the trains will travel between the central city of Da Nang, which is known for its beach resorts on the coast, and the former royal capital Hue, which famous for its many palaces and elaborate royal tombs.
The travel website shared that each train will feature two retro-styled carriages for passenger seating, along with a kitchen car and a baggage carriage. Renderings of the interiors show luxurious furnishings which call back to the trains’ colonial French past with mahogany tables and chairs, gold accents, and decorative tiling.
Large windows on all sides will allow sweeping views of the passing landscape, as the train winds past the Hai Van coastal mountain range which is famous for its rolling green hills overlooking the vast sea before passing by the village of Lang Co, known for its fishing community and seafood, the website recommended.
Each train station along the route will be fitted with an appropriately themed restaurant, including one in Hue with an imperial theme to match its royal history, as well as an independence-themed joint in Lang Co, CNN Travel added.