This summer, rail travel is creating a real fever, becoming the priority choice of many Vietnamese tourists. Travel companies have recorded outstanding growth in the number of visitors, the clearest evidence is that the proportion of train tour products has increased from 8% of total tourism products last summer to 15% this year.
This shows the strong appeal of this type of “slow” tourism. Not only that, the level of customer interest is expected to increase by 50% by the end of the summer, signaling a promising future for the railway industry.
Train travel is on the rise
Key railway routes such as Hanoi - Dong Hoi and Hanoi - Da Nang are receiving special attention. High-quality trains such as SE19, SE20 or SE1 are always the top choice, providing a comfortable and convenient experience for passengers. Even the special train "Hoa Phuong Do" on the Hanoi - Hai Phong route is almost always "sold out" on weekends if not booked early.
The "sold out" situation does not stop at short routes. According to a survey, the Hanoi - Da Nang route in the end of June has only 6 seats left on train SE19, and this shortage of tickets is expected to last into July. Although there are more tickets for the Hanoi - Dong Hoi route in July, the weekend seats in June are almost all gone, except for train QB1.
Many tourists choose to enjoy their summer trips by train instead of plane.
Feedback from passengers after train trips has been overwhelmingly positive, with many even expressing their intention to continue using this form of transport in the future. This is thanks to significant innovations in the railway industry over the past three years. In addition to launching eye-catching trains such as the "Red Flamboyant", on-train services have also been significantly upgraded, contributing to increased passenger satisfaction.
One of the key reasons why train travel has become more popular in the summer is the cost savings. Statistics show that the number of group and company travelers choosing to travel by train during the summer has increased by more than 20% compared to last year. Compared to similar tours by plane, train tours can help travelers save up to 30-40% on ticket costs during peak season, becoming an extremely attractive option for large groups.
Many people choose trains because airfares are too expensive, but many people now look to trains as an interesting travel journey.
According to some calculations, the price of a Hanoi - Da Nang flight ticket on the weekend in June can be up to 2.4 million VND for a morning flight and 3.5 million VND for a good flight, depending on the airline. Meanwhile, a sleeper train ticket is only about 1.5 million VND. Similarly, a Hanoi - Dong Hoi flight ticket in the same period ranges from 1.5 to 1.9 million VND, while a 6-berth sleeper train ticket is only about 930,000 VND.
Even when compared to cheap night flights, for example, the Hanoi - Da Nang route on weekends costs about 1.6-1.7 million VND one way, only about 100,000 VND more than the SE19 train ticket, choosing the train still brings double benefits - train passengers can save a night at a hotel and do not spend much time waiting at the airport.
The number of train passengers is increasingly expanding, especially when many luxury trains are put into service.
In addition, the railway industry also applies many attractive discount policies, bringing benefits to both individual and group customers. For example, children under 6 years old do not need to buy tickets, while children from 6 to 10 years old are charged child fares, helping families who have enough time and want to experience slow travel to save significantly on costs.
Becoming the choice of many new customers is also an important factor helping the railway industry make an impressive comeback.
Railway Transport Joint Stock Company (Traravico) believes that train tourism is no longer a summer-only trend, but can last all year round thanks to the growth of international visitors and agencies and organizations renting trains on charter (full trip). This opens up great opportunities for the Vietnamese railway industry.
This summer will be a stepping stone for the development of the railway industry.
However, it cannot be denied that the convenience and speed of train travel are currently not comparable to air travel, especially on long routes such as Hanoi - Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang. Vietnam's railway infrastructure still faces many limitations, including long travel times, uneven service quality and many trains that have not been upgraded to meet the increasing expectations of passengers. Moreover, the locations of local train stations are often far from major tourist destinations, causing inconvenience in connecting travel.
To attract more passengers and improve the experience, the railway industry needs strategic solutions: from building a flexible fare policy, applying attractive discounts for travel companies, to improving the modern ticket booking system that allows temporary reservations. More importantly, it is necessary to continue upgrading train cars, improving the quality of restrooms, diversifying the menu with local specialties, and organizing light entertainment activities or having tour guides on board. These improvements will not only attract more tourists but also affirm the position of rail tourism in the future.
