A fascinating experience
On the LP3 train on the first day of Tet (Lunar New Year), Trinh Nam Anh shared that she frequently travels by train from Ha Noi Station to Hai Duong Station to visit her parents. Usually, they travel in the soft-seat carriage, but this time, she and her daughter wanted a change and experienced the VIP carriage. The spacious carriage, with only 34 seats, offered a comfortable and luxurious experience.
“The train used to be cramped, but now it’s been upgraded, with better equipment, cleaner, and the staff are more welcoming and friendly,” she confided.
Duong Thuy An proudly shared that her mother has taken her on trains since she was four months old. Today, her thoughtful father drove her back to their hometown, allowing the two of them to travel by train and enjoy the beautiful scenery. For the new year, she wished for peace and tranquility, just like her name suggests.
The train carriages were filled with the spirit of spring, and everyone’s faces were cheerful and excited. Pham Van Chien from Tan Mai (Ha Noi), traveling with his two sons, said that the train departing from Ha Noi station was convenient.
In recent years, the railway industry has undergone many innovations, keeping up with social trends and diversifying its services to serve customers. Before Tet, the whole family visits their grandparents, and after Tet, they take the train back to their hometown to celebrate Tet. “The atmosphere in the countryside is warm and cozy, and travel is convenient, so whenever I have free time, I take my children back to visit,” he shared.
Living in Australia, Nguyen Huy Trung learned about the Hoa Phuong Do train’s VIP carriage on social media and chose to buy a ticket for this carriage to visit his parents-in-laws in the port city during Tet. “The country is more developed, transportation services are more convenient, including trains. Traveling by train during Tet means no worries about traffic jams, the service is attentive, and the service style has improved significantly,” he emphasised.
Huyen Thuong, a student at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, shared her experience, saying that traveling by train was enjoyable because she got a discounted ticket, had convenient swivel seats, and large windows, allowing her to leisurely admire the scenery along the way. Her spring trip at the beginning of the year was interesting and memorable.
On the HP2 train from Hai Phong to Ha Noi on the second day of Tet, Ha Thi Bich Ngoc shared that buying electronic tickets was easy, she could choose her preferred seat, and the train ran smoothly and comfortably. The train carriages were clean and beautiful, with elegant interiors, and the staff were attentive and helpful, providing a relaxing and peaceful feeling.
Having not traveled by train in over 20 years, Nguyen Thi Minh Ha from Cau Giay (Ha Noi) bought a round-trip ticket from Ha Noi to Hai Phong to visit relatives during Tet. She was surprised to find the train much nicer, with new seats that could recline and rotate freely, a stark contrast to the crowded wooden seats of the past. The train arrived on time, and the staff were enthusiastic, even providing free drinks and pastries.
Le Dan Tam shared that she had traveled on high-speed trains abroad, and although domestic trains weren’t as fast, they were quite smooth and clean. She hoped that train speeds would improve once the Lao Cai-Ha Noi-Hai Phong railway line was completed.
Le Quang Minh said that his whole family was traveling from Hai Phong to Ha Noi. With young children, traveling by train was always the preferred choice because it was more airy than traveling by car, allowed them to carry more luggage, and the adjustable seats prevented the children from getting carsick, allowing them to move around comfortably in the spacious carriages. The children were very excited. Minh also expressed satisfaction with the attentive service.
Hoang Dang Vu, traveling from Hai Phong station to Cam Giang station, shared that this was his first time traveling by train, and he found the ticket price reasonable, the carriages spacious and comfortable, and the absence of the typical “train smell”, making him feel at ease.
Bringing satisfaction to passengers
Understanding and sharing the hardships of working on trains, Viet Nam Railways Corporation and the Railway Transport Joint Stock Company have cared for the lives of their employees, especially during holidays and Tet. According to Tran Van Hanh, Director of the Hai Phong Railway Transport Branch, in recent years, transport revenue on the Ha Noi-Hai Phong railway line has seen significant improvements.
In particular, since the operation of the Hoa Phuong Do train in May 2025, the number of passengers choosing to travel by train for tourism, experiences, food tours, visiting relatives, etc., has increased. Positive feedback from passengers further motivates train crews to strive to improve service quality.
During this year’s peak Tet season, the Company and the Branch have fully prepared human and material resources, and ensured timely benefits and policies for employees so they can confidently complete their tasks, making each passenger’s journey of reunion and spring travel an unforgettable memory.
With the new product of the railway industry, the four train crews of the branch are determined to uphold their responsibilities, meticulously caring for and building a positive image of the Hoa Phuong Do train every day, and striving to provide even more dedicated service during Tet.
Train crew leader Tran Xuan Trien shared that during the summer and Tet holidays, when trains are crowded, ensuring proper operational procedures, hygiene, and passenger care are even more important. The meticulousness is not only reflected in attire and demeanor but also in communication and behaviour to create a positive impression.
Train conductor Cao To Ngoc shared his experience this Tet holiday: the entire crew spent New Year’s Eve at an accommodation in Ha Noi. Before the last train of the Year of the Snake departed from Hai Phong station, the branch leaders and train crew came to see them off, wishing them a happy new year and offering encouragement.
The Tet train was crowded with passengers, many of whom were children, so the crew was busy welcoming and seeing off passengers, assisting with luggage and seating, and guiding them on how to use the equipment. Given the nature of their job, serving a diverse range of passengers, each staff member is always careful with their words and actions, enthusiastically caring for them, and finding joy in the passengers' happiness, ensuring each train journey is safe and successful.
His wife, Nguyen Thi Linh, is also a train crew member. With a busy schedule, especially during Tet, the couple arranges their time to focus on their work. Linh explained that passengers have higher expectations; they not only want transportation but also want to experience the best services, requiring a more refined and professional service style.
In every situation that arises, she gently explains things to help passengers understand and empathise. With skillful communication, dedicated service, and thorough problem-solving, she and her colleagues have earned the affection of many train passengers.
The train conductor oversees the entire train throughout the journey, and situations on board are incredibly varied: passengers forgetting belongings, intentionally sitting in the wrong seats or using the wrong ticket class, littering, accidents along the way, air conditioning malfunctions… resolving these issues requires flexibility and decisiveness.
Train conductor Dong Xuan Khanh said that serving trains during Tet is more challenging than usual, with some trips being faster, but with years of experience and an increasingly high sense of responsibility from the crew, everything is handled meticulously. With safety as the top priority and a focus on serving passengers, he assigns tasks to each staff member according to their strengths.
On busy days, an 18-car train, carrying nearly a thousand passengers, also carries nearly 100 motorbikes. The staff coordinate smoothly, arranging the doors appropriately based on the ticket sales plan to facilitate convenient boarding and alighting. Upon arrival at the station, they work quickly to clear the vehicles and passengers as fast as possible. Each time a passenger receives their forgotten belongings back on the train, they sincerely express their gratitude, and the entire train crew is delighted to have done another good deed.
Each train car is like a home. The more beautiful the home and the more visitors it attracts, the more joy it brings to the entire crew, boosting their work morale. More than anyone else, they understand that passengers now have many choices, and attracting more passengers leads to higher revenue and increased income. Therefore, innovating their thinking and improving service quality is essential.
