Binh Tri Thien Railway JSC reported that floodwaters had dropped below the trackbed, although several sections lost ballast. After working through the night to reinforce and repair damaged areas, crews restored train services early Friday morning.
Trains are now operating at a cautious speed of 5 km/h to ensure safety.
The North-South railway line through Hue City reopened at 5 am on October 31 (Photo by VNR)
Hundreds of railway staff and workers strengthened the trackbed, added ballast, and checked rail stability overnight on October 30 to reopen the line as soon as possible.
At 6.30 am on October 31, a ballast train from Sy Hien Station travelled to Van Xa Station to test the track and fill washed-out sections.
After three days of disruption, the entire North-South railway has largely reopened, except for trains SE5/6 and SE9/10, which remain suspended due to earlier schedule adjustments.
During the closure, railway authorities arranged overland transfers to safely move passengers across the flooded section.
The section through Hue City closed at 4 pm on October 27 when floodwaters rose 15-20 centimetres above the tracks.
On October 27 and 29, railway authorities positioned ballast trains on the Bach Ho and Da Vien bridges over the Huong River to stabilise the structures and prevent them from being swept away as water levels surged.
Nguyen Trong Tung, director of the Thua Thien Hue Railway Operations Branch, said crews removed the ballast trains on the morning of October 30 after the river began to recede.
