Viet Nam Railways has launched the first five-star express train after upgrading its service and the skills of the staff to meet the growing numbers of domestic and international passengers.
The railway organisation operates the north-south railway system.
During the four-month-long upgrading process, the luxurious train was equipped with the modern facilities, including clean and attractive interiors, an efficient ticketing counter, news bulletins and cafeteria, as well as televisions, free wi-fi, and souvenir and newspaper kiosks.
With professional staff and offering five-star services of an international standard, the train can meet the increasing demands of both domestic and international passengers.
The train takes 31 hours to travel from Ha Noi to HCM City. Two trains will depart from the two cities daily. The train has 13 cars, 11 passenger cars, two service cars and 31 trained personnel, including the driver.
The ticket costs about 1.2 million VND to 1.7 million VND (56USD - 80USD).
During the peak season, the luxurious train can accommodate 508 passengers per trip.