In an effort to attract more tourists, the Hanoi Railway Transport Company recently carried out a thorough upgrade on its current Hanoi-Sapa route.
As VnExpress reports, the Hanoi Railway Transport Company has completely revamped its passenger cars by adding more comfortable seats and beds, as well as cleaner toilets. The improvements were made to trains serving trips from the capital to Lao Cai City and the coastal city of Vinh.
Moreover, tourists can now hop on a designated shuttle bus service upon arriving in Lao Cai and Vinh to get to Sapa and Cua Lo Beach, respectively. Train stations throughout the country will also provide free WiFi starting this month.
A train ride from Hanoi to Lao Cai used to be the most popular way for tourists to get to Sapa. However, ever since the US$1.5-billion Noi Bai-Lao Cai expressway was completed in September 2014, many now find the five-hour bus trip a more practical transport option than an eight-hour train ride. It remains to be seen whether the service upgrades will entice travelers into taking trains.
A ticket from Hanoi to Sapa on the new train car costs US$20 (VND440,000), but the company is offering discounts of up to 20% to summer travelers.
Train trips in the south have also received similar improvements in the past few months: the Saigon-Nha Trang route was upgraded three months ago while Nha Trang-Hue trains are being renovated next week.
[Photo via Zing]
