Da Lat Railway Station: The Most Beautiful Train Station in Indochina 🚆

Da Lat Railway Station is recognized as one of the most beautiful and historic railway stations in Vietnam and Indochina. It stands out with its unique architecture inspired by Langbiang Mountain and the traditional rong house roofs of the Central Highlands. The station was constructed between 1932 and 1938.

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Detailed Information about Da Lat Railway Station:

Architecture:

The design reflects the cultural identity of the Central Highlands ethnic communities, featuring red-tiled roofs and tall pointed towers. Its architecture is inspired by the image of Langbiang Mountain and the traditional rong house roofs.

History:

Da Lat Railway Station is the only remaining railway station in the Central Highlands. It was built between 1932 and 1938 by architect Moncet and several French collaborators.

Location:

Located in Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam.

Role:

Besides its historical significance, Da Lat Railway Station is now a popular tourist attraction for visitors who want to admire its classic architecture and experience the unique railway route from Da Lat to Trai Mat. 🚆

Da Lat Railway Station has many beautiful spots for photography. It also displays a vintage steam locomotive and serves as the starting point for the tourist train route to Trai Mat.

Da Lat Railway Station” is not only a sightseeing destination and a unique architectural landmark of Da Lat City, but it also holds a special place in the history of Vietnam’s railway industry. The station has been recognized as a National Historical Heritage Site.

Da Lat Railway Station is located on Quang Trung Street, Ward 9, about 3 km from Da Lat city center. It is considered the oldest railway station in Vietnam and Indochina, and also the highest railway station in Vietnam, situated at an altitude of 1,500 meters on the Lam Vien Plateau.

According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, the station was built between 1932 and 1938 as part of the Thap Cham – Da Lat railway line, connecting to Phan Rang City in Ninh Thuan Province. The railway line was 84 km long, with 12 stations and 5 tunnels. What made this railway special was its 16 km rack railway section climbing steep mountains, with an average gradient of 12%. At the time of construction, only Switzerland and Vietnam had this type of rack railway system.

In 1972, the railway line was destroyed during the war. It was partially restored in 1975, but operated only for a short time due to low economic efficiency. Most of the rack railway tracks and infrastructure were later dismantled, leaving many stations abandoned.

The station’s front facade is 67 meters long, 11.4 meters wide, and 11 meters high. The architecture is a unique blend of Central Highlands rong house style and Western architectural design. The most distinctive feature is the three triangular roof peaks on the front, inspired by the three highest peaks of Lang Biang Mountain and stylized from the traditional rong house roofs of the Central Highlands.

Visiting Information

For many years, Da Lat Railway Station has been one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. Visitors can buy entrance tickets directly at the station for 10,000 VND per person (children under 1 meter tall are free). Opening hours are from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The busiest time is usually from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM, when the weather is cool and the sunlight is ideal for photography. Visitors often take photos before boarding the train for a sightseeing trip to Trai Mat. 🚆📸

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At the station yard, visitors can see a vintage steam locomotive numbered 131-462 along with a section of rack railway tracks, wooden passenger carriages, and a diesel locomotive with four passenger cars operating between Da Lat Station and Trai Mat Station and back.

Inside the main station building, there is a coffee shop. In addition to the available wooden tables and chairs, the café also provides plastic seating. This is a comfortable place where visitors can relax while waiting for the train.

Train Services

Da Lat Railway Station is not directly connected to Vietnam’s national railway network. The trains operating at Da Lat Station today mainly serve tourists on the short 7 km route connecting central Da Lat and Trai Mat. Each journey takes about 30 minutes.

Ticket prices range from 72,000 VND to 100,000 VND per trip. Passengers purchasing round-trip tickets receive a 25% discount, while group tickets for 10 people or more receive discounts from 15% to 40%. The train also serves artichoke tea and provides free Wi-Fi for passengers.

The specific train schedule applied from April 2024 is as follows: 🚆

Da LatTrai MatTrai MatDa Lat
ĐL17:508:20ĐL28:509:20
ĐL39:5510:25ĐL410:5511:25
ĐL512:0012:30ĐL613:0013:30
ĐL714:0514:35ĐL815:0515:35
ĐL916:1016:40ĐL1017:1017:40
ĐL1118:1518:45ĐL1219;1519:45
ĐL1320:2020:50ĐL1421:2021:50

The DL3 and DL4 trains operate on a fixed daily schedule, while other train services run upon customer request or when there is additional demand. Each train trip carries a minimum of 30 passengers and a maximum of 160 passengers.

The evening trains DL11/12 and DL13/14 were newly introduced in April to serve tourists who wish to enjoy nighttime activities and sightseeing.

For the Da Lat – Trai Mat route, visitors can choose to buy a one-way ticket. At Trai Mat, tourists are free to explore the surrounding area and can return by train according to the schedule above or use other transportation options. Taxis are easily available at these locations.

Some Beautiful Photo Spots

The Front Courtyard of the Station

The spacious courtyard in front of the station is one of the most popular check-in spots for visitors. From here, you can capture wide-angle photos that include the entire station building in the background, especially the distinctive stylized triangular roof design.

Ticket Waiting Area

This photo spot is less well-known but looks very impressive in pictures. The glass windows create beautiful lighting effects, making it a great place for visitors to take photos in the waiting area while enjoying the unique atmosphere.

Wooden Train Carriage Display Area

One of the attractions at Da Lat Railway Station is the display of vintage wooden train carriages. Although these carriages are no longer in operation, they still preserve their classic and nostalgic beauty. A vintage-style outfit is highly recommended for photos here to match the historical surroundings.

Train Carriage Interior

If you purchase a ticket for the Da Lat – Trai Mat route, you will have the opportunity to take photos inside the train carriage. Even if you do not take the train, the stairs and metal corridor at the end of the displayed carriage provide excellent spots for taking beautiful photos. 📸🚆

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

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