A special promotion of up to 50% will be for groups that book the whole train from Hanoi Station. Passengers will also be supported to book hotels and meals with preferential prices. Meals on the train will be served based on passenger demand.

The railway sector earlier launched a programme to slash up to 40% of tickets on North-South trains between May 27 and August 15.

Last year, the Vietnam Railway Corporation earned the revenues of VND6.5 trillion (US$282.6 million), equivalent to 78.3% compared to 2019. Average income of employees was VND8.27 million (USD360) per month, equivalent to 86.2% from a year earlier.

The railway industry is forecast to continue facing a challenging time in 2021 due to the pandemic. The railway infrastructure upgrade project worth VND7 trillion (USD304.3 million) which is underway is hampering the normal operations of the industry, adding more difficulties to the sector.

In addition, the railway industry is facing stiff competition from aviation. Local airlines have kept selling tickets at promotional prices, affecting passenger and cargo volume in the railway sector.