“Waking up” the railway with unprecedented things

Efforts to build unique products and services, leverage international transport activities, and railway transport have dramatically changed the image and brand.

Surprise with unprecedented services

In the days leading up to New Year's Eve 2024, visitors experiencing the ancient train route Da Lat - Trai Mat will be surprised and delighted to watch a live musical performance on the train. This is a railway activity organized on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of Da Lat city (1893 - 2023).

Coffee train at Long Bien station, Hanoi. Photo: Ta Hai.

Amidst the melodious sound of violins and vibrant guitars, Ms. Cheong Yoeng Jae, a Korean tourist, enjoyed a free cup of hot tea while eagerly watching the beauty of the city of thousands of flowers slowly drifting through the train window. She said that although she had traveled by train in many countries, this was the first time she had been immersed in the musical space on the train. According to Mr. Dang Sy Manh, Chairman of the Board of Members of Vietnam Railways Corporation, this is one of many programs that Vietnam Railways will implement in 2023 to bring a new, modern image of the railway but still associated with cultural and historical space. "Vietnam Railways, with a tradition of more than 140 years, has many stations, industrial facilities, and infrastructure works that are heritages associated with the country's development history. The problem is to know how to exploit these heritages," said Mr. Manh, adding that the unit has focused on building the identity of Vietnam Railways by continuously launching unique programs and products, associated with tourism and with the goal of "awakening heritage". Right from the beginning of the year, the unit has implemented the "Train Road - Flower Road" movement with the goal of "Each route, a flower - Each station, a destination". With the desire to form the longest flower road in Vietnam, the railway mobilized railway units and 34 provinces and cities with railways passing through to plant flowers and ornamental plants along the railway, and to date, more than 70km have been planted. At the same time, renovating and upgrading train stations to become cultural destinations in each province and city, of which the "Coffee Train" at Long Bien Station is an example, included in the list of attractions on the Hanoi tourist map. In October, passengers were excited and loved the high-quality train pair SE19/SE20 Hanoi - Da Nang with a luxurious design like a hotel that was opened. The entire interior of the train cars was renovated, installed with new equipment and utilities to serve passengers; the walls inside the train cars were decorated with motifs symbolizing the four seasons "spring - summer - autumn - winter"; The staff is selected and provided with a separate uniform to identify the train brand... On the train, there is a service to order food, drinks, and local products via a QR code scanning app... In November, the capital's residents and tourists will experience the "Heritage Journey" train again during the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2023. On that journey, tourists will experience and visit Hanoi station, Long Bien station, Long Bien bridge, Gia Lam Railway Factory... In just over 10 days, the trains have attracted over 27,000 passengers. Also in the year, the railway cooperates with localities and tourism units to provide tourists with many attractive and reasonably priced programs and products combining transportation - tourism - accommodation such as the Hanoi - Hai Phong food tour train; Quang Binh, Nha Trang, Hue travel combo... "With many unique products, it has brought real efficiency. In 2023, the company's passenger transport output is expected to reach more than 3.5 million, equal to 144% compared to 2022, with expected revenue of more than VND 1,150 billion, equal to 149%. This result compensates for the decrease in freight transport due to market demand, bringing the company's total revenue to more than VND 2,000 billion, with expected profit of nearly VND 10 billion", Mr. Nguyen Viet Hiep, General Director of Hanoi Railway Transport Joint Stock Company shared. International intermodal transport is a lever Along with passenger transport, the railway continues to focus on implementing solutions to promote freight transport. The highlight is opening new international intermodal transport routes, opening international intermodal transport activities at stations deep inland, attracting import and export goods transported by rail.

International freight train at Yen Vien station. Photo: Ta Hai.

Kep Station (Bac Giang) was allowed to operate international transit operations from February 2023. In addition to serving the province's processed industrial goods for export, transit trains have also contributed to the export of fresh lychees to China. In the southern region, Song Than Station has welcomed and seen off international transit container trains, serving industrial goods, agricultural products, and fresh fruits imported and exported from Binh Duong province and the Mekong Delta provinces. At Yen Vien Station, the special train from Thach Gia Trang (Hebei Province, China) to and from there has opened a new international transit route. At the two border railway stations of Dong Dang and Lao Cai, there are still regular freight trains between the two countries. In November 2023 alone, through Dong Dang Railway Station border gate, there were 292 wagons with 8,323 tons of exported goods, 378 wagons with more than 12,900 tons of imported goods. Similarly, at the Lao Cai international railway border gate, the intermodal trains transporting goods from Vietnam to China and vice versa are always busy. In 2020, 2021, 2022, the volume of goods transported through the railway border gates reached 864 thousand tons, 1.137 million tons and 1.257 million tons. Especially in 2023, despite many difficulties, with the solution of developing new intermodal transport routes, the expected volume for the whole year will still reach more than 600 thousand tons. Of which, exported goods will reach more than 253 thousand tons, imported goods will reach more than 247 thousand tons. Impressive results The representative of Vietnam Railways Corporation said that in the coming time, it will promote the exploitation of international intermodal goods, proactively seek and exploit sources of export and import goods transported between Vietnam - China and to third countries, increase the output of export goods to Europe, Russia, etc.

Hai Phong food tour train. Photo by Ta Hai.

At the same time, this unit also researched and developed additional products and services of specialized trains, North-South container trains, refrigerated containers carrying fruits and food; promoted the exploitation of cargo transport volume in industrial parks, factories... Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the consolidated results of Vietnam Railways Corporation in 2020 showed a loss of VND 1,182 billion, in 2021 a loss of VND 518 billion and in 2022 "escape difficulties", with a profit of VND 90 billion. In 2023, with many proactive and creative solutions, passenger transport is expected to reach 6.1 million, an increase of 35.1% compared to 2022; cargo transport decreased due to decreased market demand, but still reached 4.6 million tons. In total, the industry's transport revenue reached VND 3,973.4 billion, up 7% compared to 2023. The parent company's revenue is expected to reach VND 6,247 billion, up 13.2% compared to 2022; profit reached VND 4.5 billion, up 50% compared to the plan assigned by the State Capital Management Committee at enterprises.

In 2024, Mr. Dang Sy Manh said, the railway continues to set growth targets, in which the parent company plans to have revenue of VND5,882 billion and profit of VND5 billion, an increase of about 10% compared to 2023. "We cherish and consider heritage stations and industrial parks as "diamonds" that have been hidden for a long time. In the coming time, we will continue to "awaken" these diamonds to shine even brighter, while exploiting new, attractive services associated with cultural activities, such as organizing weddings on trains, installation art exhibitions at Hanoi station...", Mr. Manh shared.

Ky Nam

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/danh-thuc-duong-sat-bang-nhung-thu-chua-tung-co-192240212165620547.htm