(TITC) - Recently, Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) had a meeting with Vietnam Railway Corporation (VRC) on promoting tourism by rail.
Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) had a meeting with Vietnam Railway Corporation (VRC) on 29 May 2024. Photo: TITC
The meeting had the attendance of VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh, VNAT’s Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu, Chairman of the Board of Members of VRC Dang Sy Manh, and leaders of units on both sides.
Mr. Dang Sy Manh said that the national railway network has a total length of 3,158 km, 303 stations, including 2,644 km of main lines and 514 km of station lines and branch lines. The railway network is interconnected at the Ha Noi hub, passing through 34 provinces and central-run cities. Every kilometer of train line and every station platform carries many historical and cultural values that can be used for tourists.
Recently, VRC has improved the quality of service and hygiene on trains, replacing old carriages with better ones to serve tourists; Orgnizing high-quality trains such as SE19/20 from Ha Noi to Da Nang (October 2023) and SE21/22 connect Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang (April 2024) with modern design, professional cleaning team, highly appreciated by passengers. On train SE21/22, Vietnam Railways is testing wifi system on the train, building a store of movies and games to serve the entertainment needs of passengers.
VRC has organized the Da Lat - Trai Mat night train, creating new railway tourism, running inter-regional trains connecting Ha Noi - Hai Phong associated with the Foodtour; running the Hue - Da Nang train in association with the "Connecting the heritage of the Central region".
Passengers on the train from Hue to Da Nang. Photo: Toquoc.vn
The company has signed a MoU to cooperate in promoting tourism with the Da Nang City, Thua Thien Hue Province, Quang Nam Province and is working with the Departments of Tourism of Lao Cai, Ninh Binh, Quang Binh provinces.
The Corporation coordinated with travel companies to build specialized products on the Ha Noi - Lao Cai route, organized charter trains and itineraries according to customer requirements.
VRC has renovated waiting rooms and opened VIP lounges at some main stations such as Ha Noi, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Hue, Saigon, Lao Cai... to serve high-class customers and tourist groups; Constructing, upgrading, renovating interiors, adding equipment to serve passengers at train stations stopping; Building a train cafe model at Long Bien and Hai Duong stations to create check-in points for people and train passengers; Building a documentary cinema room at Da Lat station to serve passengers visiting and learning about the history of development and formation of Da Lat ancient station and the Thap Cham - Da Lat railway.
From 17 to 28 November 2023, VRC coordinated with Ha Noi city to organize a special train called Heritage Journey, passing through Ha Noi - Long Bien - Gia Lam stations and many experiential activities. During the 10 days of the event, more than 200 thousand visitors came to visit the creative design festival at Gia Lam Train Factory.
Since March 2023, VRC has launched the "train line, flower line" movement across 34 provinces and cities with the motto 'Every route, a flower - Every station, a destination”.
Especially in May 2023, the North - South Railway was voted by Lonely Planet magazine to the list of 8 most beautiful and most experienced railway journeys in the world. This is an opportunity for VRC to promote rail transport activities combined with tourism in the coming time.
Railway tourism. Photo: Nguyễn T.A Phong/toquoc.vn
To strengthen the close connection between the two industries, contributing to the country's socio-economic recovery and development, VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh proposed that Vietnam Railway Corporation continue to innovate and improve service quality; coorganize the Railway Tourism Development Conference to connect and cooperate in developing railway tourism products and services.
The railway industry called VNAT to support the inclusion of passenger transport activities by rail in tourism promotion programs at home and abroad; Supportting connecting means of transportation such as Air - Railway - Road, forming a closed transport supply chain to serve tourists (One ticket - all trips).
Tourism Information Technology Center