Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s railway sector is gaining fresh momentum as a series of innovative services, including tourism, heritage and dedicated commuter trains, have attracted growing numbers of passengers and opened up new opportunities for the industry.
One of the most notable successes is the premium Hoa Phuong Do (Flamboyant Flower) train operating between Hanoi and Hai Phong city. Since entering service in May 2025, the train has completed nearly 3,000 trips and carried around 1.33 million passengers, according to the Hai Phong railway transport branch, part of the Hanoi Railway Transport Joint Stock Company under the Vietnam Railways Corporation.
Four pairs of Hoa Phuong Do trains run daily on the route, transporting between 2,500 and 3,000 passengers each day. Passenger numbers rise to around 5,500-6,000 daily during weekends and public holidays, prompting Vietnam Railways to add extra carriages or services to meet demand.
Tran Van Hanh, Director of the Hai Phong railway transport branch, said revenue on the Hanoi–Hai Phong route increased 15% year-on-year in the first half of 2026. The online ticketing system allows operators to monitor bookings in real time and quickly add carriages when demand increases.
Beyond its distinctive design inspired by Hai Phong, known as the city of Flamboyant Flowers, the train is integrated with tourism services, including buses, motorbike rentals, city tours, digital tourism maps and QR codes displayed inside the carriages, enabling passengers to conveniently access travel information and local attractions, he added.
Vietnam Railways has also introduced the “heritage journey” between the central cities of Hue and Da Nang, which entered service in March. Two pairs of heritage trains operate daily, offering passengers a scenic journey through one of Vietnam’s most spectacular coastal landscapes. The train makes a special stop at Lang Co for sightseeing and photo opportunities while passengers can also enjoy panoramic views of Hai Van Pass, live traditional music performances and culinary specialties of the central region on board.
The sector is studying plans to extend the heritage train network with a new Hue–Dong Hoi (Quang Tri province) route. The proposed 190km service will connect major cultural and historical attractions, including the imperial city of Hue, the Quang Tri Ancient Citadel, the Vinh Moc Tunnels and Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, creating a distinctive inter-regional tourism product.
Dedicated commuter trains have also delivered encouraging results. After nine months of operation, the Hai Duong–Hai Phong service for public employees has carried more than 170,000 passengers across nearly 400 trips, maintaining an average seat occupancy rate of over 90%.
Likewise, a charter commuter train launched on June 26 for Bach Mai Hospital’s medical staff travelling between Hanoi and Phu Ly (Ninh Binh province) has recorded high occupancy, averaging around 400 passengers per trip on working days.
![Passengers on the "heritage journey” train between Hue and Da Nang can enjoy live music and cultural performances by local artists during the trip. (Photo: VNA)](https://en-cdn.cand.vn/images/eZdzxf6iwVsNgIPT-3EB-KIr-5VhaPfsKh-obzS_FWwZlbRrMeQnZm4GvkbXcMX3jg095hHh9DHwAs3JXNdwgA/vnanet-railway2png.jpg.avif "Passengers on the "heritage journey” train between Hue and Da Nang can enjoy live music and cultural performances by local artists during the trip. (Photo: VNA)")
According to Vietnam Railways, the sector transported approximately 3.9 million passengers in the first six months of 2026, up 5.2% year-on-year. Several routes posted double-digit revenue growth such as Hanoi–Lao Cai 27%, Hanoi–Da Nang 12% and Hanoi–Hai Phong over 12%. The Hue–Da Nang heritage train recorded an 11% increase in passenger numbers and a 41% rise in revenue. Charter train services also generated more than 16 billion VND (608,000 USD) from 13 charter operations.
Despite fluctuations in fuel prices, Vietnam Railways attributed the positive performance to its flexible introduction of new transport products and services. In the first half of 2026, the corporation reported consolidated revenue exceeding 5.2 trillion VND, up 4.1% year-on-year, while after-tax profit surpassed 180 billion VND, reaching 151% of its annual target. Transport operations remained the key growth driver, with revenue rising 8.8% to nearly 3 trillion VND.
It plans to further expand tourism, heritage, charter, dedicated commuter and short-distance train services, while integrating rail transport with tourism, accommodation and sightseeing to strengthen the sector’s competitiveness and achieve double-digit growth in 2026./.
