With over 100 years of history, Vietnam Railways has accompanied many ups and downs of Vietnam history. Entering a new stage of development, the mission of the railway industry is now not only a means of transportation, but also brings special experiences, helping visitors explore the natural beauty, culture and history of each land, becoming a journey to discover the beauty of the country's heritage.

Coming to Da Lat city, a place that tourists cannot miss in their journey to explore this land is Da Lat station - the starting point of the Da Lat - Trai Mat railway line with a length of 6.7km, the remaining part of the 84km Thap Cham - Da Lat line, connecting Ninh Thuan province with Lam Dong, put into operation in 1932, built by the French.

This is the only unique cog railway in Vietnam and one of the two most beautiful cog railways in the world (along with the Swiss railway).

With a train journey of about 1 hour (30 minutes on the way there and 30 minutes on the way back), the train speed is slow, during the day, visitors can comfortably relax and admire the poetic beauty of Da Lat, and at night, the beauty of the city of flowers is really magical and different.

The main building of Da Lat station is built with three stylized pyramidal roofs symbolizing the three peaks of Langbiang mountain, the middle peak has a large clock, the building was recognized as a special national monument by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2001.

Mr. Dang Hieu Dan, who has many years of experience in teaching in the railway field, said: "Along with Da Lat station with its mountain-shaped architecture and the communal house roof of the Central Highlands people, Thap Tram - Da Lat railway has a sawtooth-shaped track to be able to cross the mountain ranges. This project has a unique design similar to the railway line in Switzerland crossing the Alps."

Different from the bustling and crowded Da Lat, when coming to Trai Mat, visitors can feel the gentle, peaceful atmosphere with pine hills rustling in the wind, the poetic scenery captivates people.

Before boarding the train, visitors can freely visit and check-in at Da Lat station - a unique ancient architectural work inspired by the legendary Langbiang mountain and the traditional Central Highlands communal house roof or check-in at ancient train cars in Indochina style.

On "Da Lat Night Journey", in addition to enjoying music, visitors can also enjoy a dinner party upon request.

A tourist from Ho Chi Minh City said: "The experience of the Da Lat - Trai Mat tourist train reminded me of a historical period. Listening to songs praising the poetic land of peach blossoms and enjoying unique cuisine gave me an interesting feeling."

Another tourist from Can Tho, said: "Da Lat Station is more than beautiful. I hope that services like this will continue to be experienced by many tourists to feel the beauty of the country."

Da Lat night journey is a tourism product that the railway industry has put into operation to continue to bring passengers new experiences, feel the beauty of Da Lat at night, contribute to diversifying services and developing local tourism.

Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province said: "Da Lat Station is associated with a historical story, the train station system of Da Lat City is currently an attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists. Therefore, this is the lever and premise contributing to the economic development of the city, in line with the policy of the Provincial Party Committee and the City Party Committee in developing high-quality tourism".

Train connecting central heritage
If "Da Lat Night Journey" allows visitors to visit Da Lat city by the only unique cog railway in Vietnam, the tourist train connecting Hue - Da Nang named "Connecting Central Heritage" helps visitors have more interesting experiences on the journey to visit and experience heritage destinations and tourist attractions in the central region.

The train "Connecting Central Heritage" was put into operation on March 26, 2024, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the liberation of Thua Thien Hue. This is a transport business product combined with the exploitation of tourism, history and culture services.

With a travel time of about 3 hours, the train will take visitors through Hai Van Pass - known as "The most majestic pass in Vietnam" to Da Nang - a city with many beautiful beaches.

Train number HD1 consists of 10 carriages, including 2 community carriages serving Hue cuisine and Hue folk songs. The two carriages are decorated by Vietnam Railways in the traditional style of ancient royal courts.

The train is equipped with soft, air-conditioned seats, placed next to the windows for visitors to enjoy the scenery along the railway line considered the most beautiful in Vietnam, connecting Hue - Da Nang.

On this train, Hue singing artists will perform Nam Binh, Phu Luc, Co Ban… to serve tourists. Next to this carriage is the culinary carriage, with a series of Hue cakes and fruits such as: Banh It, Cha Lua, Nem Hue… along with drinks for tourists to freely choose on this heritage journey.

For your tailor-made Vietnam tours, consider opting for a custom itinerary with a private guide and driver for a flexible and personalized experience.