The train, named Journey to the Land of Tea, departed Hanoi Railway Station at around 6 am, carrying visitors and guests on a two-hour journey to explore Thai Nguyen's tea culture and local traditions.
At 6 am, visitors and delegates gathered to board the heritage train for a journey exploring Thai Nguyen's tea culture.
The Hanoi-Thai Nguyen heritage train has six carriages, including one for cultural performances and exchanges and five for passengers.
The communal carriage is the centrepiece of the experience, hosting folk music, traditional dances and tea-related activities throughout the journey.
Performers from the Thai Nguyen Provincial Cultural Centre presented Then singing accompanied by the tinh lute, traditional bowl dancing and solo performances on the Mong flute.
Thanh Binh, born in 2004, said she was proud to perform the traditional bowl dance and help introduce the region's intangible cultural heritage to visitors.
Passengers also watched a performance of hau dong, a ritual associated with the Vietnamese tradition of worshipping the Mother Goddesses of the Three Realms.
Alongside the performances, visitors sampled Thai Nguyen teas and explored locally produced specialities, including green tea peanut sweets and traditional cakes.
Do Linh, a Hanoi visitor, said she had travelled to Thai Nguyen several times but had never experienced tea tasting aboard a heritage train.
With space limited in the communal carriage, artist Thanh Lich also performed the Mong flute in passenger carriages, bringing traditional mountain music directly to travellers.
After the two-hour journey, passengers arrived at Luu Xa Railway Station, where five themed tours offer further exploration of Thai Nguyen’s tea culture and heritage.
Accoridng to Vu Thi Thu Huong, deputy director of the Thai Nguyen Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the initiative aimed to promote tea tourism and strengthen tourism links between Hanoi and Thai Nguyen.
The Thai Nguyen International Tea Festival 2026 will run from October 30 to November 7, featuring cultural, trade and tourism activities at venues across the province, including major tea-growing areas.