Springtime train journeys through the city.

The ship maintenance workers after completing their shift.

At Cat Linh station, the Minister personally inspected the electronic ticketing system and listened to reports on transportation operations, providing free metro services to residents and tourists during the 9 days of Tet (from February 14 to 22) in Hanoi .

The joy after every safe journey.

Reporting to the Minister, Dr. Khuat Viet Hung, Chairman of the Board of Members of Hanoi Metro One-Member Limited Liability Company, stated that during the 9-day Lunar New Year holiday, Hanoi Metro offered free single-trip tickets to passengers who purchased them through the Hanoi Metro app or directly at the counter. This is a meaningful New Year's gift from Hanoi to its residents and tourists, contributing to encouraging the use of public transportation, reducing urban traffic pressure, and providing safe, convenient, and environmentally friendly journeys.

During the Lunar New Year holiday, Hanoi Metro also changed the train schedules on both lines 2A (Cat Linh-Ha Dong) and 3.1 (Nhon-Hanoi Station). Accordingly, on the 29th day of the Lunar month, trains will run from 5:30 AM to 2:00 AM on the 1st day of the Lunar New Year; on the 1st day of the Lunar New Year, trains will run from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM; on the 2nd day of the Lunar New Year, from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM; on the 3rd day of the Lunar New Year, from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM; on the 4th day of the Lunar New Year, from 5:30 AM to 10:00 PM; and on the 5th and 6th days of the Lunar New Year, from 5:30 AM to 10:00 PM.

Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh personally inspected Cat Linh station on the afternoon of the 29th day of the Lunar New Year.

“The free transportation program during Tet (Lunar New Year) has been positively received by residents and tourists, contributing to reducing road traffic pressure during the peak period. Metro operators are committed to making maximum efforts to serve people's travel safely and conveniently throughout Tet, contributing to building an image of civilized and modern transportation in the capital,” Dr. Khuat Viet Hung assessed.

Expressing satisfaction, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh also requested that the operating unit prioritize safety, conduct a comprehensive review of the technical systems, signals, and fire prevention and fighting systems; strengthen the workforce for guidance, traffic management, and support for the elderly, children, and people with disabilities; and ensure convenient connections with buses, taxis, and parking facilities. In the long term, urban railway lines must accelerate digitalization and implement integrated ticketing systems from the moment they are put into operation.

Train driver Duong Thanh Hung (from Hung Yen province) skillfully operates the Cat Linh-Ha Dong train, ensuring safe and punctual journeys to all stations along the line. He said: “Since the Cat Linh-Ha Dong train started operating in 2021, the number of passengers has continuously increased, especially during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year). Therefore, every employee working at Hanoi Metro feels the pressure of responsibility in serving our 'customers,' but also takes great pride in safely transporting hundreds of thousands of passengers.”

As one of 37 workers sent to Beijing, China, to train as train drivers for the Cat Linh-Ha Dong Metro line starting in September 2014, young Duong Thanh Hung harbored ambitions for a dream job: driving the first urban railway train in Vietnam – a new profession offering many enriching experiences. Upon arriving in China, the entire group spent six months studying theoretical professional skills and general knowledge about urban railways.

"Every evening, the crew members encouraged each other to improve their Chinese vocabulary and enhance their communication skills to learn pronunciation and grammar. After a year of rigorous training in both theory and practice, working as co-drivers under the guidance of Chinese instructors, we were trained in train operation skills, handling situations, and ensuring absolute safety for passengers on Hanoi's first elevated train line," Hung recounted.

However, upon returning to Vietnam, the project fell behind schedule. While waiting for work, train drivers like Hung had to do all sorts of odd jobs, from driving ride-hailing motorbikes and loading/unloading goods to working as construction laborers, all in the hope of one day seeing the trains roll out and begin operating. After six long years, at the end of 2021, the first urban railway line in the capital and the country officially began commercial operation.

“Wearing a dark navy suit, a peaked cap, a white shirt, and a dignified tie, standing by the train door to welcome passengers on the first train journey, we were incredibly proud to have fulfilled our dream of driving a train. We were overwhelmed with emotion and wanted to cry,” Hung recalled.

With a limited number of train drivers, Hung has driven trains through New Year's Eve three times since 2021. Therefore, every year-end, he usually prepares and organizes an early New Year's Eve dinner with his family. And this year, like every year, Hung continues to drive trains through Tet, taking on the responsibility of transporting passengers for the New Year's festivities. "Although the number of passengers during Tet is not as crowded as on normal days, the trains still depart on time. Serving the people during Tet is a unique task, but it is also the joy and happiness of the profession," Hung confided.

Love for the ship, love between a couple.

After a day of continuous operation, at 11 PM, the train will be brought back to the assembly point at Phu Luong Depot for a check-up. Maintenance is a specialized task performed daily; therefore, engineers and workers must be on duty every day the train runs. Even on holidays, they work just like any other day, performing the same tasks of inspection, supervision, and maintenance to ensure the train's safe journey the following day.

"Even when we go to work during Tet (Lunar New Year), we have to bring our own banh chung (traditional rice cakes) and pickled onions, and sometimes we have to eat instant noodles to get by because restaurants are closed," said Vu Cam Chi (from Nam Dinh province), an electrical equipment manager on trains and carriages at the Train Maintenance Area.

Mr. Vu Cam Chi, an electrical equipment maintenance technician, is on duty maintaining the Cat Linh-Ha Dong train.

“Every day, witnessing the trains safely on their journeys, each person feels proud after their shift, having contributed a small part to the development of public passenger transport in the capital. Sometimes, I invite my whole family and relatives to ride the train; many, experiencing it for the first time, feel like they're abroad, having only seen it on television before. When they learn that I personally maintain and repair the trains, everyone feels proud,” Mr. Chi happily recounted.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Director of the Urban Railway Line 2A (Cat Linh-Ha Dong) Operation Enterprise, stated that compared to the standards of urban railway line maintenance procedures, the enterprise's current workforce is facing a significant shortage. Every day, to maintain the trains according to operational requirements, the workers have to mobilize their full capacity, with productivity and output during each shift exceeding their usual capacity by 1.5 times. Driven by a sense of responsibility to the capital city and professional pride, the workers have strived to learn and continuously hone their skills to improve their capabilities.

The Cat Linh-Ha Dong train line is also a place where couples meet and fall in love. According to incomplete statistics, 41 couples have gotten married after working on the line. Luong Van Viet, a station attendant, was sent to China in 2016 for professional training in passenger service and handling station incidents. Upon returning to work on the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway line, he met Nguyen Thi Huong, his current wife, who also works at the station.

Due to the nature of their work at the station, which often involves 12-hour shifts, the couple is assigned to stagger their shifts to balance work and family life, allowing one of them to stay home and look after the children. Whenever they are both on duty during shift changes, they have to ask neighbors to help look after the children. Understanding that their job involves serving passengers, they realize it's difficult to fully enjoy the Lunar New Year celebrations, so they encourage each other to take turns working. Having worked together at Hanoi Metro for six years, the couple's reunion during Tet (Lunar New Year) usually happens after the 7th day of the 12th lunar month, at which point they manage to get permission to return to their hometown to celebrate the New Year belatedly.

Ticket vendors at the Cat Linh-Ha Dong line station serve passengers.

As for Trinh Thi Phuong, the beautiful employee in charge of general management and supervision of train operations on the Cat Linh-Ha Dong line, from her very first days on the job, she was extremely impressed and admired the train drivers. “Seeing the train drivers in their uniforms, so dignified and eye-catching, and their friendly, cheerful, and attentive service to passengers. In their work, the drivers are very professional, responsible, and strictly adhere to regulations. Watching them skillfully control the train, ensuring smooth operation and transporting thousands of passengers on time, who wouldn't feel moved?” Phuong shyly recounted.

Some time later, the handsome and charming train driver caught Phuong's eye. During her shift, knowing her husband's train schedule, she only needed to look up at the appointed time to see the train pass the station precisely at that time, and their eyes would meet as her husband happily waved to her on the platform. For Phuong, it was an indescribable feeling of happiness.

According to Nhan Dan newspaper

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202602/nhung-chuyen-tau-ngay-xuan-noi-pho-thi-9165a5a/