Rare Black-and-White Album Depicts a Historic Flooding in 1952 Hanoi
The extreme weather patterns in recent years might make you worry that Vietnam’s drainage network is buckling under the pressure of rapid urbanization, but looking at these rare photos taken of a floo...
Khôi Phạm in Saigon
Letter to the People I Met as We Hid From the Rain Under a Bridge Together
“Do not be angry with the rain; it simply does not know how to fall upwards.”— Vladimir Nabokov.
Saigon Metro Line 1 Announces July Launch Date, Free Rides in Phase 1
Will 2024 be the auspicious year when our legs could finally step on the metro platform for the first time?
As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding
In April this year, in the first downpour of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, the narrow rented room where Mã Thị Diệp and her children were staying in Hồ Chí Minh City was inundated by knee-high wate...
Khôi Phạm in Travel
Train to Biên Hòa: A Day Trip Into Suburbia From Saigon
When Saigoneer first announced a few weeks ago that Vietnam’s railway network would be the centerpiece of our next themed article series, a number of readers joked in the comment section that who in t...
Thanks for Your Order, Your Bún Will Arrive by Train in a Few Minutes
♫ And the bún mộc on the train goes round and round. Rolling down the track ♫
Tiny Tracks, Big Passion: Inside the Miniature World of Vietnam's Model Train Enthusiasts
“When you turn it on, the train is not only moving, but it can make sounds too. The sounds are so authentic that when I listen to it, I feel like I am sitting on a real train right now,” Minh Tú, a Sa...
The Tumultuous Tale of Three Ga Sài Gòn Locations, From 1885 Until Now
Travelers arriving by train in Hồ Chí Minh City sometimes express surprise that the main Saigon Railway Station is located in Hòa Hưng, some distance from the central business district. In fact, this ...
A Brief History of the Vietnam Railways Building Before Its 110th Birthday
The iconic Bến Thành Market is not the only Saigon landmark that has endured for more than a century. The Vietnam Railways building at 138 Hàm Nghi, given its inauguration in 1914, is pushing the 110-...
Glide Over Hanoi in the Calmness of the Cát Linh-Hà Đông Metro Line
In many countries, urban metros are a mundane convenience — so ordinary that their users often take them for granted. But until the birth of Hanoi’s Cát Linh-Hà Đông Metro Line, residents of Vietnam h...
Chris Humphrey in Travel
The Majesty of Crossing Myanmar on Colonial-Era Trains
Whether on the slow train carving its way through the Shan Hills near Kalaw, the Mandalay to Yangon Express, or the 4am train to Hsipaw that crosses the great Goteik Viaduct, traversing Myanmar on gri...
Paul Christiansen in Travel
Vignette: On the North-South Train, a Pastiche of the Human Condition
“Heavy with the thick smell of misery and before even leaving the station, the odor of urine would be palpable throughout the car,” writes author Dạ Ngân of the North-South Train in 1989. Back then, a...
A Brake Failure and 200 Victims: Remembering Vietnam's Deadliest Rail Accident
About 55 kilometers from Saigon, in the small commune of Tây Hoà rests the 17/03/1982 Railway Cemetery. It currently houses 85 unidentified graves of victims of the Train 183 Disaster, the deadli...
Saigon's Metro Line 1 Went on Its First Test Run Last Week
Last week, the Saigon Metro project took a major step in realizing many Saigoneers’ long-awaited dream of experiencing their own urban railway line.
Hanoi Railway Cafe Gets Into Trouble for Hosting Dortmund Footballers
A photo of players from the Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund enjoying coffee on the tracks running through Hanoi's shuttered train street circulated earlier this week, prompting authorities to say th...
Linh Phạm in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: Bud'mo, a Ukrainian Welcome as Warm as a Shot of Nastoyka
“O sultan, Turkish devil and damned devil’s kith and kin, secretary to Lucifer himself…You will not, you son of a bitch, make subjects of Christian sons; we've no fear of your army, by land and by sea...
Storm Noru, the Strongest in Recent Years, to Hit Central Vietnam This Week
Around 370,000 residents are being prepared for evacuation in advance of Storm Noru, which is expected to be one of the worst storms to hit Vietnam in the last 20 years.
Hanoi Starts Revoking Operating Licenses of Cafes on 'Train Street' This Week
Hanoi is shutting down its infamous "Train Street" starting this weekend.
A Mosaic of Vietnam's Landscapes Through the Windows of the North-South Train
Traveling on the Reunification Express from Saigon to Hanoi feels like a ride through history and time.
Officials Announce (Yet Another) Plan to Restore Historic Đà Lạt-Tháp Chàm Railway
The 84-km railway line connecting Đà Lạt and Tháp Chàm (Phan Rang) was built between 1908 and 1932 and abandoned in 1976.
Without State Subsidies, Hanoi Metro Records $2.3m in Losses in 2021
Pre-subsidies, Vietnam's first operational metro route — Hanoi's Cát Linh-Hà Đông Metro Line — recorded VND54 billion (US$2.32 million) in losses in 2021.
Last Weekend's Downpour Was the Heaviest Rain Hanoi Has Seen Since 1986
On Sunday afternoon, torrential rain following an unprecedented downpour inundated many streets and paralyzed traffic in Hanoi.
Letter From Ukraine: Kharkiv Is My Home, I Never Imagined That We Could Be Attacked
Editor's note: This article is a personal essay written by Viktoria Grivina, a Ukrainian and friend of a member of our team. While Saigoneer has always focused our editorial content on Vietnam, as Vie...
FLC Group to Help Build $5bn Railway From Vientiane to Hà Tĩnh
All aboard!
Digital Artist Transports Us Back to Hanoi Tramway’s Halcyon Days
Many Hanoians have seen historical photos of the capital’s lost tramway network, which was inaugurated in 1901. What began as a state-of-the-art electric tramway eventually fell into disrepair in the ...
2 Flights to Bring Vietnamese Evacuees Back From Ukraine This Week
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has created an enormous refugee crisis, with many Vietnamese fleeing to neighboring countries.
Adorable Metro Illustrations Take Viewers on a Joyride Through Saigon
As fans of Vietnam’s busiest city, graphic designers An Nguyễn and Học Nguyễn launched a mock communication campaign to create prospective visual branding for the upcoming Ho Chi Minh City Metro. The ...
Vietnam Says No to Proposal to Import 37 Used Train Cars From Japan
Even though the plan to repurpose secondhand trains from Japan might be cost-effective, state officials deem them too old to be imported.
All Aboard the Languorous Train From Hanoi to Saigon
The train connecting Vietnam’s largest cities takes 35 hours. Yet even after the first time I finished the trip, I was already coming up with excuses for why I needed to do it again. For me, the journ...
Hanoi's First Metro Line Will Officially Open Tomorrow
Hanoi's Cat Linh-Ha Dong Line will be the first metro system in Vietnam to commence operation.
Transport Ministry Hopes to Begin Building Hanoi-Saigon High-Speed Rail in 2028
We'll believe it when we see it.
[Photos] A Visual History of Saigon's Rainy Season Through the Eras
Oh, rain.
HCMC Proposes Rail Link Between Tan Son Nhat, Long Thanh Airports
This is part of the city's suggestions for the Vietnam Railway Authority's railway development plan for 2021-2030.
Saigon's Rainy Season Is Shorter, Comes Earlier This Year Due to La Niña
In case you hadn't figured it out from last night's huge storm.
On the Gentle Train Ride in a Myanmar From Another Era
Since the shocking coup d’état in Myanmar on February 1 and the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, the world has watched helplessly while the military junta brutally cracks down on peaceful protesters try...
Vietnam Detects First Case of New Covid-19 Variant Discovered in UK
The individual in question was quarantined upon arrival, posing no threat to the community.
Morning Stories: Japanese Companies Shift to VN from China, Endangered Turtle Optimism and Discount Train Tickets
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
[Photos] Cloudy With a Chance of Flooding: On Chasing Storms Around Saigon
A long-time Australian resident of Saigon once joked with me after my arrival to Vietnam a few years ago that southern Vietnam has two seasons: hot, and bloody hot.
Plan for 5 New Rail Lines Linking Saigon to Southern Provinces Approved
Go big or go home.
How Much Would a Trip on Saigon's Future Metro Line 1 Cost?
With a train ticketing system that’s a decade old, riders on Saigon’s Metro Line 1 might face inconvenience even before even setting foot on the subway.
Hanoi's Second Metro Line Welcomes First Train From France
The train cars arrived in Hai Phong after being shipped from France.
[Videos] Get up Close and Personal to Hanoi's Myriad of Urban Textures
To walk through Hanoi is to move simultaneously forwards and backwards in time.
18 Dead, 14 Missing as Extended Rain, Flash Floods Batter Central Vietnam
After days of unprecedented heavy downpours, the arrival of Storm Linfa added insult to injury in an already-battered central Vietnam.
Large Sinkhole Appears in Go Vap During Thunderstorm Last Night
Driving in the rain in Saigon exposes residents to a range of dangers, now including one that’s right beneath their wheels.
Saigon Commences Training Course for 58 Future Metro Train Drivers
Progress on Saigon's Metro Line 1 is moving into the human resources and training phase.
Covid-19 Supply Chain Disruptions Delay Delivery of Hanoi Metro Trains to End of 2020
Disruptions in global shipping, shuttered factories and supply chain interruptions mean the trains for Hanoi's second metro line will arrive from France later than expected.
In Search of Charming Cafes Along Saigon's Train Alleys
Compared to Hanoi’s now-restricted Phung Hung “Train Street,” the neighborhoods bordering the railway in Saigon have neither the romanticism nor goosebumps-inducing adrenaline rush that turned the for...
Coach Park Hang-Seo Plans to Open Football Academy in Vietnam
He aims to remain in Vietnam after his coaching contract ends.
[Photos] The Joy and Heady Rush of Getting Caught in Saigon's Off-Season Rain
Right in the middle of the sweat-drenched, sun-singed, punishing April heat, Saigon welcomes the season’s rare showers with open arms.
As Workers Remain Without Pay, Vietnam Might Face Railway Shutdown
Bad news for anyone considering a train trip.
Starting This Month, Hanoians Can Travel All the Way to Beijing by Train
The service began on January 1.
Proposed Hai Phong–China Train Route Raises Concerns Over Hefty Price Tag
From Hai Phong, the 390-kilometer line would run through Hanoi and Lao Cai before reaching China’s Hekou County.
Inside Thailand's Ambitious High-Speed Train Project Linking Bangkok Airports, Pattaya
Thailand is currently planning and building a number of high-speed railway projects connecting cities both within and outside the country.
[Photos] Cruising Across Vietnam on the North-South Train in 1920
It appears train travel in Vietnam has changed very little in the past 100 years.
Saigoneer Podcast: Instagram's Impact on Tourism; the Power of 'Made in Vietnam'
A new Saigoneer Podcast episode is available now!
[Video] The Colorful Exuberance of Saigon's VietPride Parade 2019
If you were hanging around downtown Saigon last weekend, you would have noticed crowds of revelers dressed in lavish costumes or rainbow-themed attire on their way to the city’s annual Pride event.
[Illustrations] A Calendar Created Specifically for Saigon's Wet and Dry Seasons
Saigon is in the midst of a full-on rainy season whose watery mood swings almost make us miss the heat of the dry season.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 16: Rainstorm Inspiration
While the rainy season's flooded streets, soaked satchels and delayed appointments can make one curse its arrival, sometimes when the torrent hits the neon storefronts just so, it becomes a source of ...
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 11: A Steaming Bowl
When dark clouds rumble in a frequency akin to that of an empty stomach, the city transforms into a bowl of soup.
The Lost Railway That Once Connected Da Nang and Hoi An
One hundred years ago, visitors to Tourane (Đa Nẵng) could alight from their train right outside the Hàn Market and, after crossing the Hàn River by ferry, take a steam train all the way to Hội An.
Saigon's Cầu Mống and the Remnants of Gustave Eiffel's Work in Vietnam
Many people will be familiar with the spurious claims that French civil engineer and architect Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923) was responsible for two of Vietnam’s most iconic buildings, the Long Biên Brid...
Brian Letwin in Development
Vietnam's North-South Railway Set for Major Upgrade
Vietnam’s North-South Railway has been in need of a major upgrade for a long time. Beyond issues of speed and comfort, the system’s infrastructure is in poor condition, causing chronic delays and inef...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Saigon Railroad Building
Not too long ago, the park across from Ben Thanh Market was the location of the city's main train station. Even though the station moved to District 3 following the American War, remnants of the old ...
