Vietnam's longest mountain railway route has opened, running from Sa Pa to the peak of Fansipan Mountain at an altitude of 3,143 meters, the country's Ministry of Tourism reports.
Mung Hoa, Vietnam's longest railway route developed by Sun Group, has been opened. March 31st. It connects the town of Sa Pa with the existing cable car station at the peak of Fansipan Mountain.
The 2-kilometer train route departs from the MGallery Hotel. The train can travel at a maximum speed of 10 meters per second and serve up to 2,000 guests per hour.
The launch of the route will significantly reduce the time tourists previously spent ascending. While they had to travel at least 20 minutes by car along dangerous mountain roads, the journey now takes up to four minutes by train through valleys, viaducts, and tunnels, offering stunning views of the surrounding villages and mountain landscapes.
The carriages were designed and manufactured by the Swiss company Garaventa specifically for this challenging route. Each carriage is 20 meters long, 3 meters wide, weighs 25 tons, and can carry 200 passengers at a time.
The interior of the carriages is decorated in a classic European style, featuring antique lamps, ceiling fans and panoramic glass windows.
The journey, which includes a new railway route and the world's most modern cable car system, the 6,292-meter Fanipan Sa Pa, which opened to tourists on February 2, 2016, will end at the Sun World Fansipan Legend tourist complex.
Located 350 km northwest of Hanoi, the city of Sa Pa in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai sits at an altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level. The city is dominated by the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, home to Indochina's highest peak, Fansipan.
Sa Pa boasts numerous natural attractions, including Ham Rong Mountain, Thak Bak (Silver Waterfall), a rattan bridge, a bamboo forest, and Ta Phin Cave.
The region's hilly terrain is home to six major ethnic minority groups, including the Kin, Hmong, Dao, Tay, Deng, and Ha-Pho. The route will allow tourists to experience traditional festivals and unique cultural traditions of these peoples, as well as visit the Sa Pa tea market.
Source: trn-news.ru