Dong Dang Station, once a blazing "floating port," and now...

During the war against the US, Dong Dang railway station was a key point on the strategic route, becoming a "floating port" for receiving aid from socialist countries supporting Vietnam in its fight against the US.

Remembering a glorious era

Going back in time, Mr. Nguyen Lam, former Deputy Station Manager of Dong Dang International Railway Station in the early 1990s, holding in his hands and flipping through the pages of the 100-year history book of Dong Dang International Railway Station (1908-2008), said that on August 1, 1955, the Hanoi -Beijing-Moscow-Berlin international railway was officially inaugurated.

Dong Dang Station has the great honor of being the first international railway station to connect with the railway network of neighboring China.

Trains supplying aid to the South. (Archival photo)

From here began a period of intense and continuous operation at Dong Dang station until the victorious conclusion of our nation's great resistance war against the US on April 30, 1975.

During those years, Dong Dang station had the honor of being a key station on the strategic route for receiving aid from friendly countries to Vietnam in the fight against the Americans.

Especially in 1972, when the US imperialists surrounded and blockaded the coast and Hai Phong , the Central Committee decided to "strategically shift" transport northward, making the operation of Dong Dang station on the strategic Hanoi (Vietnam)-Huu Nghi Quan (China) railway line even more important.

Loading and unloading goods onto ships during the anti-American war period. (Archival photo)

Throughout more than 300 days and nights of the fierce 1972, the staff and workers of Dong Dang railway station overcame all dangers, shortages, and difficulties, working tirelessly, contributing alongside the transport forces to deliver millions of tons of goods, equipment, and ammunition, ensuring the fight against the destructive war waged by the US imperialists in the North and supporting the great southern front to defeat the enemy, leading to the great victory of Spring 1975, liberating the South and unifying the Fatherland.

Dong Dang resounded with the lively sound of train whistles.

Along with the development of the country and the railway industry, Dong Dang station, which was once a Class II station, has now become a Class I station (the highest level in the current railway station system in Vietnam).

Mr. Ta Duy Hien, Deputy Director of Dong Dang International Railway Station, shared that currently, Dong Dang station performs its duties quite comprehensively and participates increasingly deeply in the global and regional economy , becoming a major transit point for goods from the whole country and ASEAN countries to the Chinese market and vice versa.

A panoramic view of the current Dong Dang International Railway Station.

Currently, Dong Dang railway station operates freight transport; participates in passenger transport, domestic and international multimodal transport; handles, loads, and delivers goods; and organizes various business and commercial activities.

Currently, Dong Dang station handles 5 pairs of freight trains daily (equivalent to 10 freight train trips), each carrying thousands of tons of export goods from Dong Dang station (Vietnam) to Bang Tuong station (China) and vice versa.

Vietnam's exports mainly consist of agricultural products, durian, electronics, and textiles; imports include iron and steel materials, chemicals, etc.

In addition to its transportation business activities, in recent years, Dong Dang station has also become one of the destinations attracting domestic and international tourists to visit.

Officials and staff at Dong Dang International Railway Station are performing their duties of receiving trains at the station.

Notably, on February 25, 2019, Dong Dang station had the honor of being the first destination on the trip of Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un to Vietnam to attend the 2nd US-North Korea Summit and pay an official friendly visit to Vietnam.

The reception for Chairman Kim Jong Un at Dong Dang train station left a positive impression. It created a positive image of the people and land of Lang Son, as well as Vietnam as a whole, demonstrating respect, friendliness, and hospitality towards domestic and international friends.

The Dong Dang International Railway Station has now become a tourist attraction in Cao Loc district (Lang Son province), drawing many visitors.

To enhance transport capacity, starting in 2023, the Ministry of Transport implemented a project to renovate and upgrade warehouse and storage facilities in the Dong Dang railway station area.

The project involved completely redoing the yard area, renovating many items, investing in two new roads for loading and unloading goods, constructing a warehouse of approximately 1,000 ^m² , renovating the entire old warehouse system, and building an administration building...

The improved railway station infrastructure has contributed to increased import and export capacity. Currently, Dong Dang station has a transport capacity of approximately 1.5 million tons per year...

In addition, Lang Son province also requested the Vietnam Railway Corporation to soon upgrade and renovate the Hanoi-Dong Dang railway line into a high-speed railway; to pay attention to investing in, renovating, and upgrading the infrastructure of Dong Dang station; and to quickly synchronize the system of refrigerated container train cars to serve the transportation of agricultural products, fresh fruits, etc., for import and export across the border.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/ga-dong-dang-cang-noi-mot-thoi-ruc-lua-va-bay-gio-post876137.html