Rail passenger numbers reach nearly 3.9 million in first half of 2026
Passenger transport remained a bright spot for Vietnam's railway sector in the first six months of 2026, with rail passenger numbers reaching nearly 3.9 million, up 5.2% fyear-on-year.
Vietnam Railways (VNR) said its transport operations delivered positive outcomes in the first half of the year, although freight transport was affected by fluctuations in fuel prices.
The railway sector carried nearly 3.9 million passengers during the six-month period, up 5.2% from the same period of 2025. Freight volume, by contrast, fell to about 2.3 million tons, or 85.9% year-on-year. Despite the decline in cargo volumes, transport revenue rose 8.4% to 2.9212 trillion dong.
Railway Transport Joint Stock Company (Traravico), VNR's main transport subsidiary, reported transport revenue of 2.7273 trillion dong, up 8.7% from a year earlier. Passenger transport revenue exceeded 2.003 trillion dong, rising 10.8%, driven by stronger travel demand during the Lunar New Year holiday, the April 30–May 1 holiday and the summer travel season.
According to Traravico, the Lunar New Year travel period delivered its strongest performance in recent years, with nearly 779,000 passengers, up 9.5% from a year earlier. Revenue reached nearly 556 billion dong, an increase of 12.4%.
Several routes recorded double-digit revenue growth, including Hanoi–Lao Cai, up 27%; Hanoi–Da Nang, up 12%; and Hanoi–Hai Phong, up more than 12%.
The "Heritage Journey" tourist train on the Hue–Da Nang route, launched in March, also attracted more travelers, helping passenger volume increase 11% while revenue jumped 41%. Meanwhile, 13 charter train services carried more than 5,400 passengers and generated more than 16 billion dong in revenue.
In freight transport, Traravico carried more than 1.65 million tons of cargo in the first half of the year. Although freight volume declined, freight revenue still rose 3.2% to 724.2 billion dong.
VNR said it plans to restructure freight operations to improve efficiency and expand cargo volumes.
Hai Phong News