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Due to the increasing demand for passenger travel during the holiday season, Saigon Railway is adding more trains on four peak routes: Saigon to Hanoi, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, and Phan Thiet. Train SPT1/2 on the Saigon - Phan Thiet route will have additional stations for passenger pick-up and drop-off starting March 28th at Gia Ray station in Xuan Loc district, Dong Nai province, and Gia Huynh station in Tanh Linh district, Binh Thuan province.
This is a high-quality train, put into operation in 2017, serving tourists who prefer a slow-paced journey and want to admire the beautiful scenery.
Hanoi Railway Transport Joint Stock Company announced that it has been selling train tickets for the April 30th - May 1st period for nearly 20 days. An estimated 35,000 tickets have been issued, including 10,000 tickets for the Thong Nhat train from Hanoi, nearly 3,850 tickets for the Hanoi - Da Nang train, over 6,000 tickets for the Hanoi - Vinh train, approximately 20,000 tickets for the Hanoi - Hai Phong train, and over 3,500 tickets for the Hanoi - Lao Cai train.
Saigon Station will operate additional trains on the Saigon - Nha Trang and Saigon - Phan Thiet routes to meet passenger demand during the upcoming April 30th - May 1st holiday.
Currently, train tickets from Saigon to Hanoi are the most expensive among all routes. A sleeper berth in a 4-berth, air-conditioned compartment, in the middle of the carriage, costs 1.8 million VND, while the cheapest option, a soft seat, costs just over 1 million VND, an increase of 3% to 10% compared to normal days depending on the type of seat. Mr. Truyen believes that "these ticket prices are not high compared to airfares."
However, the number of passengers traveling from Saigon Station and stopping at Hanoi Station is not high due to the long distance, requiring more than a day of travel. Passengers mainly choose shorter routes because the railway passes through many provinces and cities, stopping at numerous stations. Routes such as Saigon - Quy Nhon and Saigon - Da Nang are expected to see a high increase in bookings because ticket prices during the holiday season are less than half the price of airfare.
Booking train tickets is now quite easy; travelers can book through the Vietnam Railways app, website, or via e-wallets.
