Project of Hue – Da Nang steam trains for tourists to be approved

Recently, the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport has approved a project of using steam-locomotive trains on the Hue – Da Nang Railway, a part of the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh route, for tourism purposes.

The project will be jointly carried out by Vietnam Railways (VNR) and Indochina Rail Tourist Service Co., Ltd. 

The developers need to complete the necessary infrastructures such as swing bridges or standard fire hydrants to enable the operation of the steam locomotive.
Investing VND 81billion in total, the Indochina Rail Co., Ltd has to pay for the railway section use and return the infrastructure when required by the Ministry. On the other hand, VNR will manage transportation services and operating charts.

Steam trains were no longer used in Vietnam in the 1990s and replaced by diesel-driven ones.
Operating through Hai Van Pass – one of the most beautiful passes in Vietnam, the new steam trains include VIP wagons, restaurants, kitchen, wagons for sightseeing, promisingly attracting more tourists from Lang Co (Hue) to Danang.

The steam train operation will not affect passenger and freight transportation on the North-South railway route.

Source: vietnamonline.com