Hải Phòng Railway Station still retains most of its original French architectural features. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Thu

HẢI PHÒNG — The historic Hải Phòng Railway Station is starting a new chapter, with a pilot railway route underway to connect it with Hải Phòng Port, marking the first rail line linking Hải Phòng Port with Hà Nội, according to station head Nguyễn Văn Phóng.

Eighty years ago, Hải Phòng Railway Station had the honour of welcoming President Hồ Chí Minh and seeing him off safely on his journey back to Hà Nội following his visit to France and return to Việt Nam.

The historic event marked an important milestone in the development of Việt Nam’s railway sector. October 21, the day President Hồ Chí Minh departed from the station, was designated as the sector’s Traditional Day.

Today, Hải Phòng Railway Station remains closely associated with historic journeys throughout the nation’s history. Its distinctive French architecture, along with stories passed down through generations of railway workers, gives the station a unique place in the cultural heritage of the port city.

A historic legacy

Built in 1902, Hải Phòng Railway Station is located on the Hà Nội–Hải Phòng railway line and is classified as a Grade I station within the national railway system, based on high traffic volume and strategic importance.

Architect Dr Đào Ngọc Nghiêm, vice chairman of the Vietnam Association of Urban Planning and Development, said Hải Phòng Railway Station is one of the few remaining railway stations in Việt Nam with a long history and distinctive French architectural heritage.

The station is among a handful of urban architectural works that deserve recognition, along with Huế, Nha Trang and Đà Lạt railway stations and the Long Biên Bridge railway in Hà Nội, Nghiêm said.

After 128 years, the station has retained much of its historic character, with many of its original features preserved almost intact, including grand arched windows, rows of classical columns supporting the canopied platform, cool green stone floors, timeworn ironwood staircases polished by decades of use and a vintage clock. Together, these elements create an atmosphere that is both solemn and quietly romantic.

On the ground floor, the ticket hall and waiting area are adorned with black and white photographs depicting Hải Phòng in bygone days, giving the station the feel of a living museum where history lingers in every corner.

Tourists arrive at Hải Phòng Railway Station. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Thu

Hải Phòng Railway Station is also a silent witness to some of the most unforgettable moments in the nation's history.

On October 21, 1946, after concluding his historic diplomatic mission to France, President Hồ Chí Minh chose Hải Phòng Railway Station as the first place he set foot on Vietnamese soil before continuing his journey to Hà Nội.

The train safely transported President Hồ Chí Minh’s delegation to the capital as planned, prompting him to send a letter of thanks and praise, in which he wrote: “The railway service plays an important role in the construction of our country. I hope that the staff of the Railway Department will always remain united and make every effort to fulfil their duties.”

That date thus became a historic milestone for Việt Nam's railway sector.

During the resistance war against the US, millions of tonnes of weapons and essential supplies from socialist countries arrived at Hải Phòng Port before being transported through Hải Phòng Railway Station on freight trains to support the war effort.

In 1996, the station was officially recognised by the Hải Phòng People's Committee as a historical relic of the resistance war, serving as an enduring reminder of the arduous yet heroic years of the nation’s history.

Tourism destination

Alongside preserving its original architecture and historical values, Hải Phòng Railway Station is being developed as a tourist attraction where the past meets the present.

Nguyễn Văn Phóng, the head of Hải Phòng Railway Station (right), speaks with another station staffer.  — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Thu

Phóng has worked at the station for 30 years, and described the pilot railway connecting the capital city with Hải Phòng Port as a sightseeing route.

Despite the rapid development of other modes of transport, he said, railways retain their own advantages in terms of safety, fuel efficiency and high-capacity transportation.

Since its opening, Hải Phòng Railway Station has served as a vital link between different regions, facilitating trade and cultural exchange. It was once the starting point of the Hải Phòng–Hà Nội–Lào Cai–Yunnan railway route, which crossed various parts of Việt Nam and China and helped promote trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Tourists take a photo after arriving at the station. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Thu

The station now welcomes around 2,500 passengers a day, rising to 3,500–5,000 at weekends and nearly 8,000 during public holidays and the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday.

For young people working at the station, history is preserved not only in its architecture and artefacts, but also in their daily work.

Nguyễn Thành Đạt, a young engineer and secretary of the Hải Phòng Railway Station Youth Union, said he was proud to work in such a historically significant place.

His daily duties include coordinating railway operations and overseeing the arrival and departure of trains at the station to ensure they run safely and on schedule.

Drawing on knowledge gained from his studies and experience shared by colleagues, he applies modern technology to coordinate the station’s operations, while also promoting the image of Hải Phòng Railway Station to domestic and international visitors through social media platforms.

An international visitor is welcomed at Hải Phòng Railway Station. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Thu

For international visitors, the station’s architectural beauty offers a unique experience.

Juliette, a French tourist, said she learned about Hải Phòng Railway Station through social media. After visiting Hà Nội, she chose to travel to Hải Phòng by train.

As soon as she stepped onto the platform, she was impressed by the station’s historic architecture, built under French colonial rule. Its clean, picturesque and romantic setting made the journey all the more memorable.

“Spending an early autumn afternoon at the station, sipping chrysanthemum tea, a signature drink of Hải Phòng, will be a special memory from my journey,” she said. — VNS