Getting there is no longer just getting there; it is becoming the point of the trip itself. Vietnam Railways' (VNR) “heritage train” project runs sightseeing trains that travel short stretches while passengers enjoy live folk music and local cuisine on board. The “5 Cua O (Five City Gates)” train running near Hanoi carried roughly 70,000 people in under a year of service. Just as Japan's Seven Stars and Shiki-shima have taken hold, Vietnam is now seeing trips where riding itself becomes the experience. For Japanese travelers heading to Vietnam next, it is worth knowing as a new option you can slot into a Hanoi or Hue stay in just half a day.
News in brief: VNR gets serious about heritage trains
In June 2026, Vietnam Railways announced anew its plan to develop sightseeing trains into a flagship product. The “5 Cua O” train departing Hanoi Station fills the carriages with live performances of the traditional folk art xam as it heads toward a cultural area in Bac Ninh Province, accompanied by stories of old Hanoi. On the Hue-Da Nang “Central Heritage Connection” train, Hue royal court songs are performed and local dishes are served while passengers take in the coastline of the Hai Van Pass. VNR president Hoang Gia Khanh frames the heritage trains as something that “tells the story of a nation preserving its cultural identity while pursuing reform and integration, in the language of a modern experience.”
Background: Why sightseeing trains, and why now
Vietnam's railways were long seen as a cheap but dated way to travel long distances. With expressways and budget airlines expanding, conventional lines simply cannot compete on speed. So VNR chose a different path: building routes that create value through experience rather than speed. By focusing on short sections, crafting the carriages, and bringing music and food on board, it shifted to an approach that turns the travel time itself into a product.
The emblem of this is the “5 Cua O” train. The name comes from the old “Five Gates” of Hanoi's Thang Long citadel, and as of June 2026 it had drawn roughly 70,000 people in under a year of service. A reported milestone of more than 61,000 passengers at the seven-month mark backs up its steady climb in ridership. The 10-car, double-decker train decorates each carriage with a Hanoi city gate motif. On the Hanoi-Hai Phong route, the “Hoa Phuong Do (Red Flame Tree)” train debuted in May 2025 with 20 newly built cars, and together with the Hue-Da Nang heritage train, sightseeing-train networks have spread across both the north and the center.
Data: Comparing the three main routes
We cross-checked fares, journey times, and distances across multiple sources, to the extent useful for trip planning. Yen figures are converted at the June 2026 rate of about 1 yen ≈ 167 VND (yen amounts are approximate).
| Route and train | Section | Time and distance | Fare (one way) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Cua O train | Hanoi - Bac Ninh (Tu Son) | About 3.5 hours (including cultural-experience stops) / 2 round trips a day | About 550,000-750,000 VND (about 3,300-4,500 yen) |
| Central Heritage Connection train | Hue - Da Nang | About 3 hours / about 100 km | About 180,000-210,000 VND (about 1,100-1,300 yen, varies by day of week) |
| Hoa Phuong Do train | Hanoi - Hai Phong | 20 newly built cars, with regular services too | About 650,000-750,000 VND (about 3,900-4,500 yen) in premium seats |
The “5 Cua O” train runs two round trips a day, starting from Hanoi Station and heading to Tu Son in Bac Ninh Province via Long Bien, Gia Lam, and Yen Vien. The Hue-Da Nang section covers about 100 km in roughly three hours, with an about 10-minute stop at Lang Co Station along the way. The distance alone could be covered by a conventional local train, but what sets the heritage train apart is that it puts the value in the carriages and the onboard experience.
Local and industry reaction
What stands out in the local response is that Vietnamese people themselves are coming to ride. Sightseeing trains may sound geared toward foreigners, but the city-gate stories and folk songs strike a nostalgic chord with local riders too, and families and younger generations are reported using them to mark an occasion. On social media, comments like “you can taste the out-of-the-ordinary on a day trip from Hanoi” and “the onboard performance was more authentic than I expected” have spread, and the photogenic interiors have helped fuel the buzz.
On the industry side, there is a strong sense of welcome in the context of reappraising conventional-line assets. Polish old lines and station buildings as “heritage,” and you can monetize them without getting drawn into a speed race; the ridership of the “5 Cua O” train is cited as proof. At the same time, some flag the limited supply of two round trips a day and the difficulty of booking during busy periods. The point is that if these are to grow into tourism products, improving service frequency and the booking flow becomes the next issue.
What it means for Japanese travelers: How they differ from the Seven Stars
The more accustomed you are to Japan's sightseeing trains, the more satisfying it is to view Vietnam's heritage trains as a different thing entirely. JR Kyushu's Seven Stars and JR East's Shiki-shima are touring-style luxury cruise trains that cost hundreds of thousands of yen for several days. Vietnam's heritage trains, by contrast, are experience-focused short-distance trains that cost a few thousand yen one way and fit into half a day. Both price and time are an order of magnitude different, and their positioning is less “a special commemorative journey” and more “a casual afternoon excursion you can add during your stay.”
This difference feeds directly into how you plan your itinerary. During a Hanoi stay, you can walk the Old Quarter in the morning and take the “5 Cua O” train to a cultural area in Bac Ninh in the afternoon, slotting it in by the half day. If you plan to travel between Hue and Da Nang, choosing the Central Heritage Connection train instead of a shuttle bus or taxi turns the journey itself into a chance to admire the scenery of the Hai Van Pass. The broader modernization of the rail infrastructure itself, as touched on in our Hanoidomestically built metro railcar article, means Vietnam's rail experience, from urban transit to sightseeing trains, has changed dramatically from a few years ago. To pair it with air travel,the Phu Quoc direct flight articleread together with this piece helps you decide which legs to put on rail versus in the air.
Market ripple effects: Rail tourism as a new category
The success or failure of heritage trains will shape the breadth of Vietnam's tourism offerings. The leading draws have so far been beaches, World Heritage sites, and city food, but add “rail journeys that turn travel into an experience” and there is one more reason to extend a stay. Experiences that wrap up in half a day are also easy for tour operators to fold in as optional products. VNR's approach of crafting the carriages and involving local musicians and chefs spreads the economic benefit to culture and dining along the line as well.
For Japan's travel industry and tourism-related firms, Vietnam's rail tourism could also be a new point of contact for partnerships and sending travelers. The short-distance, experience-focused model overlaps heavily with the approaches Japan's local lines have pursued across the country, leaving room to trade know-how in both directions. The trend toward outlying-island and regionally dispersed tourism is also of a piece with ourCon Dao Island article, and rail becomes a device that ties that circuit together.
Practical information: Points to check before you ride
- The 5 Cua O train runs two round trips a day (morning and afternoon). Departs Hanoi Station, bound for Tu Son (Bac Ninh Province). The journey takes about 3.5 hours including cultural-experience stops
- The Central Heritage Connection train links Hue and Da Nang in about three hours, with an about 10-minute stop at Lang Co Station along the way. The scenic highlight from the window is the coastline of the Hai Van Pass
- Fares vary by route and seat. Premium seats on the heritage train run a few thousand yen; the Hue-Da Nang sightseeing train is about 180,000 VND on weekdays and about 210,000 VND on weekends (about 1,100-1,300 yen) as a guide
- Popular routes have few services and fill up easily in busy periods. It is safest to book through VNR's official sales site or a local travel agency, and to confirm the latest times and fares before departure
- Train names and fares are subject to revision, so use the figures listed here as a planning guide and always check the latest information when you buy
Summary: Ride the train for just half a day on your next trip
Vietnam's heritage trains are not a pricey touring cruise but an experience-focused excursion you can casually add on an afternoon during your stay. In Hanoi, the “5 Cua O” train offers stories of city gates and folk songs; between Hue and Da Nang, the Central Heritage Connection train serves up the views of the Hai Van Pass; each for a few thousand yen one way. If you are planning your next Vietnam trip, try slotting in just half a day of train travel between the sights and making the journey itself a destination. A good place to start is booking through VNR's official site or a local travel agency, and confirming times and fares before departure.
