Chinese tourists are welcomed at Lào Cai Station. Photo baolaocai.vn

HÀ NỘI The Việt Nam Railways Corporation (VNR) has recently welcomed 400 Chinese tourists entering Việt Nam through the Lào Cai International Border Gate on the first charter train under a cooperation programme between the Lào Cai Department of Tourism and VNR.

This is the largest group of Chinese tourists visiting Việt Nam since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tourists travelled from Lào Cai to Hà Nội Station and then embarked on a 13-day train journey to visit several popular destinations, including Thừa Thiên-Huế province, Đà Nẵng city, Nha Trang city in Khánh Hòa Province, Phan Thiết city in Bình Thuận province, and HCM City, before returning to China.

The railway sector will continue coordinating with travel agencies to organise 16 charter trains, expected to bring a total of 7,000 Chinese visitors to Việt Nam.

A representative of the Railway Transport Joint Stock Company noted that China is a key tourism market for Việt Nam, with around 3 million visitors annually, ranking second only to the Republic of Korea.

The railway sector is actively collaborating with travel companies to tap into this potential market by offering diverse transport options, especially through chartered trains.

For instance, VNR is working with Chinese railways to operate charter trains on a 1,435mm gauge from China to Việt Nam via the Đồng Đăng International Railway Station, reaching destinations like Hạ Long Station.

Alternatively, some trains come to Gia Lâm Station, where passengers transfer to Vietnamese trains on a 1,000mm gauge to continue their journeys.

Chinese tourists can also enter by road and take direct trains on routes such as Lào Cai – Hà Nội – Hai Phong.

From Hải Phòng, they can visit Hạ Long by road and either return to China by train or continue travelling to southern provinces.

Currently, Chinese tourists primarily use chartered trains for transport, spending their days sightseeing and sleeping onboard at night to save time and accommodation costs, the representative said, adding that it plans to collaborate with travel agencies to enhance the onboard experiences by introducing local specialties, organising group activities, and offering entertainment in carriages to attract more passengers. VNA/VNS