Lam Dong aims to restore and exploit the Da Lat - Thap Cham railway line to serve tourism in the 2023-2030 period.
In August, Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee issued a plan to orient railway transport development until 2030, with a vision to 2045, focusing on restoring, renovating and effectively exploiting the unique cog railway line from Da Lat to Thap Cham for tourism purposes.
Da Lat - Trai Mat railway station seen from above, this railway section is currently operating for tourism. Photo: Giang Huy
The pre-feasibility report said that the Thap Cham - Da Lat railway line passes through Phan Rang city, Ninh Son district, Ninh Thuan , to Don Duong district, Da Lat city, Lam Dong. The entire cog railway line is more than 83 km long, expected to have 16 stations and passenger stations, adding two stations and two passenger stations compared to the old line. The project implementation period is from January 2025 to June 2029.
The project has two components. The first is to restore the section from Thap Cham station, Ninh Thuan to Trai Mat station, Da Lat, which is over 76 km long, and to restore and build new bridges, tunnels, and stations. The second is to upgrade the section from Trai Mat station to Da Lat station, which is currently in operation, which is 6.7 km long, and to renovate and preserve Da Lat and Trai Mat stations.
Mr. Le Anh Kiet, Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Da Lat City, said that the Da Lat - Trai Mat railway line currently in operation is part of the Thap Cham - Da Lat cog railway line that is about to be restored. The Da Lat - Trai Mat railway section is a unique product of the city's tourism. The two stations are also places where many young tourists check-in and take pictures.
This train line is unique in that the entire route runs on cogwheels, crossing the coastal region to the highlands. In addition to the cogwheel track, cogwheels are also installed in the locomotive to pass the steep passes on the Lam Vien plateau.
"The restoration and operation of the Thap Cham - Da Lat cog railway is good news for the city's tourism industry. This will attract tourists to Da Lat to experience the historic railway and admire many beautiful mountain passes that are no less beautiful than the world-famous cog railways," said Mr. Kiet.
The Thap Cham - Da Lat route is one of the first two mountain cog railways in the world, started in 1908, completed in 1932 and put into use 4 years later. This is a long and unique cog railway, not only in Vietnam but also in the world. After 1975, almost all the rails and sleepers on this route were removed. Currently, only the nearly 7 km long Trai Mat - Da Lat section is still operating tourist trains.
Bich Phuong
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