One day, when some female colleagues were talking to each other, someone suddenly asked the question: Which destination in Vietnam is the place that you can return to many times without getting bored? Some people said Sa Pa, others said Da Nang, Hoi An or Phu Quoc. But for me, it was always Da Lat. Known as the city of fog, but it is often sunny at noon and rainy and cold at night, Da Lat is capricious and does not please tourists, even the opposite, tourists have to "give in" to Da Lat's weather, looking at the weather to arrange their own travel schedule accordingly. Every time I come to Da Lat, I usually do not race after "must-see places", simply go strawberry picking, stroll around the lake, fall asleep under a willow tree or leisurely spend the afternoon sipping a cup of hot coffee at a small shop halfway up the hill or let my soul follow the sad "Wet Eyes" mixed with the sound of the night rain.
Therefore, no matter how many times I have been to Da Lat, I have not yet discovered all the highlights of this foggy city. Only recently, I visited Da Lat station, an ancient train station with an age of nearly 90 years, which is home to the only steam locomotive in Vietnam. In 2001, Da Lat station was recognized as a national historical and architectural relic.
From the city center, right at Da Lat market, just follow Ho Xuan Huong street towards Lam Vien square, go straight on Yersin street about 2 km up the small slope around the pine forest and you will see Da Lat station on the right. Da Lat station was built by the French in 1932, completed in 1938. Da Lat station, along with Hai Phong station, are the oldest stations in Vietnam, as well as in Indochina. The station is designed in the Art Deco architectural style, harmoniously combining modern Western architecture, like Trouville-Deauville station in Normandy, and the unique image of the Central Highlands communal house roof, with three sharp peaks symbolizing the highest peak of Langbiang mountain in the region. In front of the station, there is also a large clock face recording the time when Dr. Alexandre Yersin discovered Da Lat.
Previously, there were two daily trains from Da Lat to Nha Trang and Da Lat to Saigon with three passenger cars and one freight car. However, during the war, the railway and station became a bombing target and were severely damaged in 1972. Afterwards, these sections of track were dismantled for scrap metal, and the steam trains of that era were also sold abroad. Currently, only a short section of the nearly 100 km long railway is still in operation, that is the section from Da Lat station to Trai Mat.
The steam locomotive and the remaining rails at the old station, having gone through many years of sunshine and rain, have now become a nostalgic check-in spot tinged with time in the foggy city. A train car is also used as a lovely little cafe. Although the space is quite limited, every corner of Da Lat station is beautiful, just spend 30 minutes or 1 hour here and you will have very impressive photos. And not only is Da Lat station used as a "vintage" background by young people, but it is also an ideal place for many couples to take wedding photos, capturing sacred moments between the rails, train cars, and mossy brick walls.
Although Da Lat station has been separated from the national railway system of Vietnam, it is not a place worth visiting only. One locomotive and three remaining train cars are still used to transport passengers from the central station to the Trai Mat area every day. Each car can accommodate about 64 passengers with a fairly new and beautiful interior, the train moves quite slowly so that everyone can enjoy the scenery, take pictures of the whole Da Lat from different angles as the train runs along the hillside, as well as enjoy the fresh air of the highlands, with colorful flower farms, ancient villas hidden under green trees, rolling hills like waves, pine forests rustling in the wind and small slopes appearing and disappearing in the streets of Da Lat... The distance is quite short so there is no food service or private toilet on the train; the locomotive is old and a bit noisy compared to regular trains, but this train is still worth trying because of the unique nostalgic feeling it brings.
At Da Lat station, there is an information board specifically listing the trains running during the day for passengers, as follows:
- First trip: 7:45 - 9:25
- 2nd trip: 9:50 - 11:20
- 3rd trip: 11:55 - 13:25
- 4th trip: 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
- Last trip: 16:05 - 17:35
The departure is 90 minutes from the return trip, however, you do not have to return on the next train, but can return on any train on the same day, the latest is the 17:35 train. Except on weekends and holidays, this train will be crowded and the ticket inspector may ask passengers to board the train on time. Each train carries a minimum of 20 passengers and a maximum of 80 passengers. And note that although Da Lat station sells round-trip tickets, Trai Mat station only sells tickets for the direction of Trai Mat - Da Lat.
Trai Mat town is located in the east, 7 km from Da Lat, about 25 minutes away. Here, you can observe the peaceful life in the cool, fresh air of the highland people, buy fresh vegetables and fruits at the local market, as well as visit Linh Phuoc Pagoda (Ve Chai Pagoda), the railway tunnel and the famous hydrangea garden.
Da Lat station is not big, the whole train has only three carriages, the train ride lasts less than half an hour... but for me, this is not simply a "backdrop" location to check-in, but like Da Lat itself, this is a quiet corner, where I can taste the drops of bitter highland coffee like time, where I can see the young people of today laughing and taking pictures and imagine the young people of the past who had sadly parted, where I can step on a nostalgic train as if going back to the past.
More information
Address:No. 1 Quang Trung, Ward 10, Da Lat City
Opening hours:8am - 5pm
Train station tour ticket price:5,000 VND/person
Ticket price to Trai Mat:
- Vietnamese guests: 72,000 VND/person/one way; 108,000 - 150,000 VND/person/round trip
- Foreign guests: 150,000 VND/person/one way; 170,000 VND/person/round trip
- Children under 1 meter free
