HÀ NỘI — From November 14, the railway sector will operate a pair of passenger trains, QT1/QT2, on the Hà Nội–Lưu Xá (Thái Nguyên) route in both directions every Saturday and Sunday, offering residents and visitors a new travel option and tourism experience between the capital and the northern province.

The train consists of five soft-seat passenger carriages and one community carriage. In the latter, passengers can take part in artistic activities, enjoy tea and sample local culinary specialities made with green tea, a distinctive feature of Thái Nguyên’s tea culture.

The QT1/QT2 service will stop at Hà Nội, Long Biên, Đông Anh, Phổ Yên and Lưu Xá stations. A full-journey ticket from Hà Nội to Lưu Xá costs VNĐ180,000 VND (about US$7).

After arriving, passengers can explore independently or book an all-inclusive tour.

Under the schedule, train QT1 departs Hà Nội Station at 6:25 and arrives at Lưu Xá Station at 8:25. There, passengers can choose a car transfer to visit local landmarks and tourist attractions or follow a pre-booked tour itinerary. At the end of the trip, they can return to Hà Nội by car on the same day or stay overnight in Thái Nguyên and take train QT2 back to the capital the following morning.

In the opposite direction, train QT2 leaves Lưu Xá Station at 8:50 and arrives at Hà Nội Station at 10:50, bringing passengers from Thái Nguyên to the capital to visit attractions and explore the city. After their activities, they can return to Thái Nguyên by car on the same day as part of a pre-booked tour, or stay overnight in Hà Nội and take train QT1 back the following morning.

The Railway Transport JSC said the combined rail and road transport service offers flexible itineraries, allowing passengers to make a day trip or stay overnight in either Hà Nội or Thái Nguyên. It also opens up new opportunities to develop tourism products linking the two localities. Tour programmes have been developed in coordination with Thái Nguyên's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, connecting destinations with local cultural, culinary and experiential activities.

To encourage passengers to try the new service, the railway sector is offering several promotional fares. Groups of three can use the M2T1 code to get one free ticket when purchasing two, while groups of six can use the M4T2 code to get two free tickets when purchasing four. Groups of seven or more are entitled to discounts of 15-30 per cent, depending on group size and the time of booking. Passengers purchasing return tickets receive a 10 per cent discount on the return leg.

Tickets are available through the railway sector’s online booking channels, including dsvn.vn, vetau.com.vn and vetauonline.vn, as well as at railway stations, ticket offices and authorised railway agents. They can also be purchased via e-wallets and apps such as MoMo, VNPay, ZaloPay, ShopeePay and ViettelPay, banking apps (Smart Banking), VNeID and mobile train ticketing applications.

For bookings of all-inclusive weekend day tours, passengers can contact Hà Nội Station’s hotline at 0903 651 366 for advice. — OVN/VNS