The heritage train "5 Cua O" connecting Hanoi Capital with Kinh Bac land is becoming a mobile "living museum", where culture and history are recreated on the railway journey.
According to Mr. Tao Duc Hiep - Director of the train management unit, after 7 months of operation, the journey has welcomed more than 61,000 passengers. This figure shows the attractiveness of the tourism model combined with cultural experiences. The schedule is designed flexibly: from Tuesday to Friday mainly runs in the morning (accompanied by some afternoon trips), weekends increase by 2 trips per day, and Monday is dedicated to technical maintenance.
The journey starts from Hanoi Station, goes through Long Bien Bridge - a historical witness for more than a century, continues through Gia Lam and Yen Vien stations and stops at Tu Son station (Bac Ninh). From here, visitors only need about 5 minutes to reach Den Do - the place to worship 8 Ly dynasty kings.
Unlike regular trains, the "5 Cua O" train is operated with the orientation of preserving and spreading culture. According to Mr. Nguyen Van Thi - Safety Train Chief, the train crew consists of 10 people who are well-trained, both ensuring technique and bringing a sophisticated service experience to passengers.
The highlight of the journey is the "keng keng" tram xam music performances, a unique cultural feature of old Hanoi, performed right on the train. Folk melodies echoing amidst the iron wheels create a nostalgic space, evoking memories of the city of a time.
“We not only perform the task of operating but also take care of the emotions of passengers. The respect of tourists is the greatest motivation,” Mr. Thi shared.
Real-world records show that the train attracts many groups of family guests and young tourists. On April 26, Ms. Tran Thi Lan (89 years old, Hoang Mai district, Hanoi) and her family of 14 experienced the train trip. "The family both heard Xam singing and went to Do Temple, so everyone was happy," Ms. Lan said.
Meanwhile, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa (a tourist from Hanoi) chose the train as a form of experiential education for her children. According to her, combining sightseeing, culture and history helps children understand more about their roots, instead of just accessing them through books or social networks.
Not only attracting domestic tourists, the train also impresses international tourists. Mr. Marc Kramer - lecturer at a university in Vietnam - highly appreciates the train space, the friendliness of the staff and the unique cultural experience.
Traditional music brings foreign tourists deep respect for Vietnamese culture," he said.
According to Mr. Tao Duc Hiep, developing tourism products associated with culture is a potential but also challenging direction. Trains are not only a means of transportation but also an experience space, where tourism becomes a vivid way of accessing history.
Towards the anniversary of the Liberation of the South, national reunification on April 30 and International Labor Day May 1, the train deploys the theme program "Liberation of Vietnam - reunion of a family". The space, music and staff uniforms are recreated according to the historical context, creating a highlight of experience for passengers. All 287 seats per trip during the holiday have been fully booked.
The Thang Long - Kinh Bac journey on the "5 Gates" train shows efforts to bring culture into traffic, turning each trip into an experiential journey. This is considered a way to innovate railway tourism, contributing to spreading heritage values and connecting the past with the present.
