HO CHI MINH CITY – Vietnam is continuing to develop its road and rail infrastructure to improve connections across the country for locals and tourists.
The 5-Star Express Train, launched between Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is doing good business despite a journey time of more than eight hours.
The price of a Club class seat on the train is not much different to that of a Vietnam Airlines flight connecting the two destinations but the rail journey is a great way of seeing the Vietnamese countryside.
The train makes one stop only at Thap Cham after leaving Nha Trang station at 14.55. arriving in HCMC at 23.18. The first four hours of the journey are in daylight.
The return journey leaves HCMC at 06.15, arriving in Thap Cham at 11.51 and Nha Trang at 13.33.
Leather club class eats are comfortable but the operators may want to consider aircraft-style lighting to suit both those who want to read and those who want to sleep.
The 5-Star Express is no Bullet Train, though, and when TravelMole took the train it was 30 minutes late arriving at HCMC.
There is another bonus for visitors to Vietnam with the recent opening of a new road connecting Dalat – the city of flowers – with Nha Trang.
The road, starting at the flower-and vegetable farming areas at That Phien, cuts across the heavily wooded mountains of central Vietnam.
It runs north across the Bidoup mountains, the highest range in the highlands of Lang Bian, passing through Cil and K’ho minority people villages.
The road is 120km long, saving 80km on the Highway 27 route between Dalat and Nha Trang.
-by Ian Jarrett
