In late October and early November 2026, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thai Nguyen Province, in partnership with Vietnamese Railways, will launch six tourist train services from Hanoi. The event is timed to coincide with the International Tea Festival, which will take place in Thai Nguyen — a region known throughout Vietnam as "first among the best for tea."
Trains will depart from Hanoi at 6:20 a.m. and arrive at Luysa Station in Thai Nguyen Province at 8:20 a.m. The return journey is scheduled for 5:10 p.m., arriving in Hanoi at 7:20 p.m. Services will operate on October 30 and 31, as well as November 1, 5, 6 and 7, 2026.
Each train will comprise six cars: five passenger cars and one public car. On board, cultural performances, meetings and tea tastings will take place. Organizers plan that in the future such trips will become regular weekend services, establishing a permanent tourist route between Hanoi and Thai Nguyen.
Five programs have been developed for travelers. They include visits to tea regions such as Tan Cuong and Chay Cai, learning about tea production processes, as well as trips to historic monuments, such as Duom Temple, and natural attractions, including Nui Coc Lake. One program spans two days and combines a visit to Shan Tuet tea plantations with a visit to Ba Be Lake.
According to Nguyen Huu Cuong, deputy chairman of the Thai Nguyen Tourism Association, transportation by automobile will take tourists from the railway station to attractions, villages and tea cooperatives.
The cost of a one-day tour is 790,000 dong per person. This includes round-trip train tickets, one main meal, attraction tickets, car transfer, guide services and insurance. Two-day tours are priced from 1.79 to 1.99 million dong. Train tickets for a round trip can be purchased separately for 200,000 dong, or 160,000 dong per person for groups.
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