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| Each of the two trains will include a special car with Tết designs and decorations, and will host community cultural activities. VNA/VNS infographic |
HÀ NỘI Vietnam Railways (VNR) will next month launch two special trains named Chuyến Tàu Xuân (Spring Trains) offering services for passengers during the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday.
This is the first time the VNR is launching special railway routes to meet increasing travel demands during Tết, particularly for those who want to experience Lunar New Year’s Eve, which falls on January 28 this year.
The two trains are SE1 from Hà Nội to HCM City and SE4 going in the opposite direction. For their first journey, SE1 will depart from Hà Nội Railway Station at 10.10pm on January 28, while SE4 will depart from Saigon Railway Station at 7.30pm on the same day.
Each of the trains will include a special coach with Tết designs and decorations, and will host community cultural activities to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
The train car’s exterior has been covered with paintings related to the folk culture of Tết, such as flower markets and calligraphy, while its interior is designed with peach and ochna blossoms symbolising Tết in both the northern and southern regions.
Colourful decorations on the coach depict unique Tết scenes for passengers to take beautiful photos.
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| Painters complete the final decorations for the new Spring Trains. Photo baochinhphu.vn |
Various cultural activities and art performances will also be held on the two trains throughout the journey, including a countdown event and a party to welcome the new lunar year.
Passengers will get the chance to participate in a lucky draw, with gifts from VNR and other sponsors. They can also take part in folk games and enjoy typical Tết dishes.
A mobile Creative Camp will also be set up on the train, gathering artists from across the country. Passengers will be able to join them in creating artwork, or purchase portraits of themselves as new year gifts.
Before boarding on the second day of the Tết holidays, which falls on January 30, passengers who depart from Hà Nội can visit an exhibition of paintings by 40 Vietnamese artists on the second floor of Hà Nội Railway Station, while those who travel from HCM City can participate in a painting workshop at Saigon Railway Station.
Tickets for the Spring Trains are now available on all sale channels, including the VNR website www.dsvn.vn, e-wallet applications, train ticket sales apps on mobile devices or at the railway stations.
Passengers can also get tickets at all VNR ticket booking offices and agents, or by calling the Ticket Sales hotline at 19001520 (Sài Gòn) and 19000109 (Hà Nội).
300,000 tickets sold
To meet increased travel demand during the Tết holiday, the railway sector is introducing additional train services and continuing to offer ticket discounts for passengers.
More than 300,000 train tickets have been sold, as the biggest festival of the year for Vietnamese people is only about a week away.
As the tickets for Tết mostly remain for short routes and availability is limited, passengers are advised to proactively plan their travel to secure seats.
According to the Railway Transport JSC, around 6,000 tickets are available for pre-Tết trips from HCM City to Hà Nội.
Previously, the railway sector planned to provide 390 trains for the holiday to usher in the Year of the Snake. VNS
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