Vietnam, France Twin Railway Stations for Tourism
Vietnam Railways Corporation and France's SNCF expand cooperation on railway heritage and tourism through station twinning.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Europe
Vietnam Railways Corporation and France's National Railway Company signed a cooperation arrangement on railway heritage and tourism. Hai Phong Station is twinned with Pontorson-Mont-Saint-Michel Station, and Da Lat Station is twinned with Trouville-Deauville Station.
Why it matters
The arrangement is intended to share experience in preserving railway heritage and to develop stations in connection with tourism. Officials expect the twinning to create new opportunities for railway tourism cooperation between the two countries.
The twinning is grounded in station records: Hai Phong Station opened in 1902 and Da Lat Station, built by French architects between 1932 and 1938, was named a national historical relic in 2001. The source does not detail the specific projects or budgets the cooperation will fund.
The players
Vietnam Railways Corporation
Vietnam's state-owned national railway operator, which proposed sharing experience in preserving railway heritage and promoting railway tourism.
SNCF
France's National Railway Company, the state-owned operator of French rail services that signed the cooperation arrangement with Vietnam Railways.
The details
A joint steering committee of station managers and support staff will be established by the Hai Phong and Pontorson-Mont-Saint-Michel partners and will meet at least once a year. A twinning plaque between Da Lat and Trouville-Deauville stations was unveiled at the signing held at the French Embassy in Vietnam.
Timeline
1902: Hai Phong Station put into operation.
1932-1938: Da Lat Station built by French architects.
2001: Da Lat Station recognised as a national historical and cultural relic.
2025: Hai Phong Station officially recognised as a tourist destination.
May 7, 2026: Da Lat and Trouville-Deauville twinning agreement signed.
Heritage Routes
The station-twinning pairs link colonial-era French-built stations in Da Lat and Hai Phong with French counterparts, using rail heritage as a basis for tourism. The arrangement extends France's long rail involvement in Vietnam into a joint heritage-tourism framework.
Travelers interested in railway heritage may find station visits in Da Lat, Hai Phong, Trouville-Deauville and Pontorson-Mont-Saint-Michel becoming easier to plan as the partners develop tourism products. The source does not specify new routes, schedules or ticket pricing tied to the twinning.
The takeaway
Station twinning offers a model for pairing railway heritage with tourism across borders. Travelers interested in historic rail sites may find more visitor options as the partnerships develop.
Further reading
Explore more Europe travel destinations for context on rail-linked sights across the continent.
