Innovation in thinking, exploiting the potential of railway tourism

Ms. Nguyen Thi Oanh shares her joy when experiencing a luxury cruise ship cabin for the first time - Photo: VGP/Van Hien

That was the comment of Mr. Pham Van Thuy, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, when announcing Hai Phong station as a "Tourist destination" and launching the high-quality train "Hoa Phuong Do" - a new step in the strategy of developing heritage tourism by rail.

New breath of Vietnam railway tourism

For the first time in its history of more than a century, the Vietnamese railway industry has introduced a luxury tourist train with a bold Indochinese design, modern amenities and a strong port city identity.

The 34-seat VIP car is luxuriously designed, with soft leather seats that can rotate 180 degrees, combined with the 64-seat standard cars, semi-automatic door system, free wifi, LED screen... has brought a completely new look to the train journey - both modern and rich in experience.

Ms. Bui Thi Lieu felt the comfort and attentive service on her journey to explore Hai Phong - Photo: VGP/Van Hien

Expected to become a unique, environmentally friendly tourism product, the "Red Flamboyant" train is not only a means of transportation but also a mobile destination, a place to preserve memories and evoke emotions for visitors on every journey.

On the first train trip, Mrs. Bui Thi Lieu, now over 80 years old, emotionally shared: "From childhood until now, this is the first time I have been on a cruise ship. The seats are comfortable, there is music, and attentive service."

Sharing the same feeling of surprise, Ms. Nguyen Thi Oanh (71 years old, Hai An district) expressed her confidence in the future innovation of the railway industry: "From the service to the quality of the train compartment, everything is different. From now on, if I go to Hanoi or other provinces, I will prioritize choosing the train."

Not only locals, tourists from Hanoi like Mr. Le Huy Hiep also highly appreciated the new train: "The train space is airy, the seats are soft, the service is attentive, creating a comfortable feeling throughout the journey. With the current price, I find it completely reasonable and will take my whole family to travel to Hai Phong by train."

The "Red Flamboyant" tourist train creates wonderful experiences for visitors - Photo: VGP/Van Hien

For young people like Ngoc Anh (Hai Phong), the experience on the VIP train is a special journey: "When sitting in the VIP car, you are served fruit, live music - like a miniature but mobile coffee shop. It feels very new for those who love to travel and want to find different inspiration instead of going by car or plane."

Efforts to innovate, turning train journeys into unique tourism products

General Director of Vietnam Railway Corporation Hoang Gia Khanh said that in recent times, the railway industry has proactively innovated and continuously improved service quality to bring transportation products associated with tourism that have been positively received by customers.

Typical programs include "Central Heritage Connection Journey", "Da Lat Night Journey", train routes SE19/20, SE21/22 (Saigon - Da Nang), Sjourney, Thong Nhat train and most recently the "Red Flamboyant" tourist train.

According to Mr. Khanh, the railway industry is not only aiming to be a means of connecting localities, but is gradually participating in the tourism product supply chain, contributing to economic, cultural and social development.

Hai Phong Station was built in 1902 and is one of the oldest and most historically valuable stations in the railway industry - Photo: VGP/ Van Hien

"Every journey is an experience. We want the train to not only be a means of transportation but also a mobile 'check-in' point; the station is a place to spread culture, art, history and heritage," Mr. Khanh emphasized.

To achieve that goal, the railway industry is working closely with localities and tourism businesses to build products connecting unique destinations. What were once considered limitations such as long travel times or slow speeds are gradually being turned into advantages, thanks to the integration of more amenities and rich services on the train to serve tourists who love slow, profound experiences.

Mr. Pham Van Thuy, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, highly appreciated the initiative of the railway industry in developing tourism products based on cultural and historical values.

"The recognition of Hai Phong station as a tourist destination not only demonstrates the role of tourism in economic development, but also acknowledges the historical and cultural values ​​that the city of red phoenix flowers has been preserving," Mr. Thuy shared.

Mr. Thuy affirmed that the "Hoa Phuong Do" tourist train is not only a new means of transport but also a symbol of the sustainable development trend between railway transport and tourism. With a modern design in the Indochinese style, diverse services, and strong local imprints, the train promises to bring visitors unique experiences when exploring Hai Phong and neighboring provinces.

Accordingly, the launch of this cruise line will open a new chapter for Hai Phong tourism, especially in honoring historical relics and traditional craft villages. This will be an attractive product for both domestic and international tourists.

According to him, the railway industry is gradually bringing history closer to the present, creating a foundation for economic and cultural development through heritage trains. He expressed his hope that in the near future, there will be more tourist train routes exploited such as Hanoi - Thai Nguyen, the Northern and Western routes, thereby contributing to building tourism products based on cultural foundations, preserving and promoting heritage values ​​to domestic and foreign tourists.

With innovative thinking and creative approaches, the railway industry is gradually affirming its position as a companion of Vietnamese tourism on the journey to discover cultural values, history and regional identity.

Trains like the "Red Flamboyant" not only provide a modern, environmentally friendly means of transportation, but also open up a vibrant experience for visitors. From the station to the train cars, everything is being "breathed into life" to become a tourist destination, where visitors not only go, but also feel, remember and want to return.

Nguyen Van Hien

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/doi-moi-tu-duy-khai-thac-tiem-nang-du-lich-duong-sat-102250513095458627.htm