The railway route between the Vietnamese cities of Hue and Da Nang ranked tenth on the list of the twenty most beautiful train journeys in the world compiled by the American magazine Condé Nast Traveler. The ranking is based on the results of its annual Readers' Choice Awards, for which nearly 800,000 readers cast their votes between April 1 and June 30, 2026.
The train, named "Connecting the Heritage of Central Vietnam," began service on March 26, 2024. It does more than carry passengers; it also offers them an educational journey. The 100-kilometer route takes three to four hours. Over that time, as the magazine notes, the scenery outside the window changes three times: the train runs along the Tam Giang–Cau Hai lagoon, then along the shore of Lang Co Bay and, finally, through the Hai Van mountain pass.
The section of track through the Hai Van pass is considered one of the most picturesque. On one side, the view opens onto mountains; on the other, onto the sea. The train stops at Lang Co station, giving passengers a chance to admire the views and take photographs.
Two trains run each way daily, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Each train has six carriages with soft seats that can be turned 180 degrees so passengers can comfortably enjoy the scenery. One of the carriages is set aside as a cultural space, where visitors can become acquainted with local products and sample regional cuisine. There is also a VIP carriage with 32 seats, decorated in the style of the imperial palace in Hue.
A ticket in an ordinary carriage costs about 227,000 dong, and in the VIP carriage about 395,000. Prices may vary depending on the travel date and class of carriage. The timetable can be checked and tickets purchased on the official website of Vietnam's railways. According to the railway company, in the two years of operation, up to March 2026, the train carried more than 440,000 passengers.
In the 2026 ranking, the Vietnamese train outranked several world-famous routes. Among them were the Eastern & Oriental Express in Singapore and Malaysia (11th place), the wine train in the Napa Valley in the United States (12th place), the Royal Scotsman in Scotland (13th place) and the Bernina Express in the Swiss Alps (17th place).
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