{"id":2300,"date":"2026-05-01T14:43:31","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T05:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vietnam-gift.com\/news\/railway-ai-pricing\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T19:57:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T10:57:35","slug":"railway-ai-pricing","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/vietnam-gift.com\/en\/news\/railway-ai-pricing\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnam Railways applies AI dynamic pricing to all trains from 5\/1 \u2014 up to 35% off for short distances, countering airlines and LCCs by tying it to supply and demand"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vietnam Railways (VNR), fromMay 1,<\/strong>2026, will bring into full operation, on all trains and all routes,a dynamic pricing system using AI (artificial intelligence).<\/strong>Fares on short-distance sections arediscounted 15 to 35%<\/strong>depending on supply and demand, and after a trial run from April 22 to 29, it was rolled out nationwide two weeks ahead of the original schedule. The aim is to win back long-distance passenger demand pressured by air, express buses, and LCCs, and for Japanese travelers too, real benefits arise from using tourist routes such as Hanoi\u2013Sapa and Ho Chi Minh City\u2013Phan Thiet.Tuoi Tre<\/a>andVietnamPlus<\/a>we organize the local reporting.<\/p>\n

News details: nationwide application on May 1, with empty short-distance-section seats eligible for discounts<\/h2>\n

The new system applies automatically through online purchase channels (official site, mobile app, e-wallets). The mechanism is simple. Once a seat is secured with a booking covering70% or more of the route's total length,<\/strong>the AI automatically detects the remaining sections (the short-distance portions) and offers a discounted price at the time of purchase. For example, within the full Hanoi\u2013Ho Chi Minh City line (the North\u2013South line), a passenger wanting only the Hanoi\u2013Vinh section can later ride at a lower price.<\/p>\n

VNR trial-ran this mechanism from April 22 to 29, letting it learn occupancy and booking patterns. It had originally planned full operation in mid-May, but because the results exceeded expectations, it decided to move it up to May 1.<\/p>\n

Background: rail pressured by air and LCCs, a move to fill occupancy<\/h2>\n

Vietnam Railways has a 1,726 km trunk line crossing the country north to south, but a direct Hanoi\u2013Ho Chi Minh City trip takes over 30 hours. In a situation where domestic LCCs like VietJet and Bamboo Airways connect them in two hours, rail's share of long-distance passengers is limited. Meanwhile, short- and medium-distance tourist routes such asHanoi\u2013Ninh Binh, Sapa, Hai Phong<\/strong>\u3001Ho Chi Minh City\u2013Nha Trang, Phan Thiet<\/strong>and the like have demand, but short-distance seats left over after long-distance tickets sell were creating lost opportunities.<\/p>\n

This AI system is designed precisely to fill these \"empty seats arising after long-distance bookings<\/strong>\" with discounts, maximizing occupancy and total revenue. You could say it's rail catching up to the revenue management of air and LCCs.<\/p>\n

Data on discount levels and application conditions<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Item<\/th>\nDetails<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Start of application<\/td>\nMay 1, 2026 (all trains, all routes)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Discount rate range<\/td>\n15%\u301c35%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Application conditions<\/td>\nRemaining short-distance sections after a long-distance booking (over 70% of the route's total length)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Purchase channels<\/td>\nVNR official site \/ mobile app \/ e-wallets<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Trial run period<\/td>\nApril 22 to 29, 2026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Moving up full operation<\/td>\nOriginally mid-May \u2192 May 1 (moved up two weeks)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

Industry reaction: the competitive picture with air and LCCs changes<\/h2>\n

According to VietnamPlus reporting, industry insiders assess that \"rail has gainedsupply-and-demand-linked revenue management<\/strong>for the first time.\" The LCC VietJet has absorbed supply and demand through early-booking discounts and day-of-week fares, but rail has centered on flat fares until now. The English edition of SGGP also stresses the significance\u2014\"price competitiveness on short distances improves by up to 35%\"\u2014analyzing it as a fare level that even long-distance express buses (such as Hanoi\u2013Sapa) can't ignore.<\/p>\n

From the local tourism industry, hopeful voices are heard: \"A rail shift for day trips and weekend travel will advance,\" and \"access to the northern mountain areas and the Mekong gets cheaper.<\/strong>\" On the other hand, in the current situation with limited seat supply capacity, there's also the point that \"even if you stimulate demand, the trains just fill up,\" so it comes down to a two-pronged effort with rolling-stock investment.<\/p>\n

Impact on Japanese travelers: the real benefit of using tourist routes<\/h2>\n

The greatest benefit for travelers from Japan isnorthern tourist routes starting from Hanoi<\/strong>andsouthern tourist routes starting from Ho Chi Minh City.<\/strong>Specifically, the following combinations become good targets.<\/p>\n