"Time travel" with the nearly 120-year-old Gia Lam railway factory.

The Heritage Train Journey Back in History

Recently, as part of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2023, locals and tourists had the opportunity to enjoy a heritage train ride from Hanoi Station to the Gia Lam Railway Factory. Beginning their journey back in time, visitors had the chance to experience the "train of memories".

During the event, which runs from November 18th to November 26th, 2023, there will be two trains daily from Hanoi Station to Gia Lam Station at 8:00 AM and 1:20 PM; and return trains at 10:50 AM and 4:00 PM. The one-way train ticket price is 20,000 VND. To purchase tickets, you can book in advance on the website or buy them directly at the ticket counters at Hanoi Station or Gia Lam Station. According to staff at Gia Lam Station, the first train at 8:00 AM on November 18th sold out all 7 carriages in both directions.

Even with just over 20 minutes on the train, the feeling of enjoying the view of the city streets, Long Bien Bridge, and the Red River is incredibly enjoyable. In particular, the train is designed with impressive private spaces, evoking nostalgic memories, along with many captivating artistic performances.

A firsthand look at the nearly 120-year-old railway factory.

The next stop on the journey is the Gia Lam Railway Factory. Built in 1905 under French colonial rule, the Gia Lam Railway Factory (located in Ngoc Lam, Long Bien District, Hanoi), with a total area of ​​20 hectares, is one of the historical landmarks of the capital city.

The factory grounds, including workshops 3B1, 3B2, 5B and power station 33B, have been transformed into exhibition spaces with 16 distinct zones incorporating unique visual effects.

At the Gia Lam railway factory, there are many spaces for visitors to explore and experience. These include the "Hot Workshop" architectural art space; the "Waiting Station" architectural space; the "Water Palace" installation exhibition; the "Flow of Heritage" exhibition; and the "Memories of Steam Locomotives" corner…

Each artwork embodies the hard work and dedication of artists, architects, and artisans… From these seemingly ordinary objects, seemingly simple items are "transformed" to tell fascinating stories, transporting visitors back in time.

In particular, one of the attractions that draws many tourists is the "steam locomotive" area located within the longan orchard. The locomotive numbered 141-179 (Tu Luc locomotive) is one of three Mikado-series steam locomotives designed and manufactured in 1964 by engineers at the Gia Lam Locomotive Factory.

Impressed by the vast space of the Gia Lam railway factory, which had been decorated to become an exhibition area, Nguyen Huyen Vi (Hanoi) shared: “This is my first time visiting the Gia Lam railway factory. As an art lover, I was very excited and looking forward to hearing about the series of events on social media. I was particularly impressed with the colorful space inside the factory. If I hadn't read about the exhibition beforehand, I wouldn't have known that the works here carried so much meaning. The activities in the Creative Design Festival have given young people like me the opportunity to learn more about Hanoi's ancient heritage buildings.”

In addition, when attending the event at Gia Lam Railway Factory, visitors can also experience workshops, handicraft fairs, art creation, traditional craft village activities, and enjoy delicious food at the food street… Above all, the exhibition at Gia Lam Railway Factory is also an impressive photo and check-in location with incredibly beautiful and unique backgrounds.

The Gia Lam Railway Factory is just one of many buildings selected to be "revived" and transformed into art exhibition spaces as part of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2023. This series of events helps visitors "travel through time" to learn about the historical landmarks of the capital city.

Phuong Mai is a reporter for Travellive Magazine in Hanoi.

Phuong Mai