The first luxury train carriage, “The Vietage by Anantara,” was introduced in 2020, offering a six-hour journey between Da Nang and Quy Nhon. Anantara’s head of PR and marketing for Vietnam, Kate Jones, mentioned that the new carriage takes travelers in the opposite direction, showcasing even more of Vietnam’s stunning landscapes. Similar to the first Vietage carriage, this new route will be part of Vietnam’s state-run commercial railway network.
Jones highlighted that the primary difference between the two routes is the coastal scenery on the new route, which features numerous beautiful bays and striking coastlines along the East Sea, as well as mountainous areas, rice paddies, and lotus ponds.
This journey epitomizes slow travel, with trains averaging a speed of 51.9 kilometers per hour (32.2 mph), allowing passengers ample time to enjoy a complimentary afternoon tea set that includes local caviar, Vietnamese artisanal cheeses, a selection of cold cuts, and premium Vietnamese teas.
On the six-hour journeys between Da Nang and Quy Nhon, passengers are treated to a pre-ordered three-course gourmet meal. The Vietage carriage is equipped with a sit-up bar, restroom facilities, and six private booths seating two, each featuring power outlets, charging stations, free Wi-Fi, and amenity baskets with pillows, blankets, and other essentials.
Seats can be reserved online, and packages combining rail journeys with stays at Anantara properties—such as Anantara Hoi An Resort, Anantara Quy Nhon Villas, or Avani Quy Nhon Resort—can be booked through the respective hotel websites.
A one-way Vietage journey costs $420 per person. The new route departs from Nha Trang Train Station at 2 p.m., arriving at Dieu Tri Station in Quy Nhon at 6:29 p.m. For those traveling in the opposite direction, trains depart Dieu Tri Train Station at 2:15 p.m. and arrive at Nha Trang Train Station at 6:36 p.m.
The original route departs from Da Nang Train Station at 8 a.m., arriving at Quy Nhon’s Dieu Tri Station at 2:03 p.m. There is also an evening option departing Quy Nhon at 7:00 p.m. and arriving in Da Nang at 12:53 a.m. the next day. This Vietage journey is slightly cheaper, at $315 per passenger.
Jones noted that many travelers are opting for rail travel over air travel due to challenges in Vietnam’s domestic aviation industry, including the disappearance of two airlines and a reduced fleet of the national carrier, leading to high air travel costs.
“The Vietage is a unique experience in Vietnam,” Jones stated, “and with the return of the Belmond train, the awareness of luxury rail travel is increasing in Southeast Asia.”
Besides being slower and more sustainable, rail travel offers travelers a visual feast of the country, with scenes of “rural villages, fishermen casting their nets, and farmers working in fields with water buffaloes—experiences that are missed at 35,000 feet,” according to Jones.
