Da Lat train station to get facelift

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has allocated VND500 million (US$ 28,000) for restoration of Da Lat Railway Station, a national heritage site.

Designed by two French architects called Moncet and Reveron, the station was built from 1932 to 1938 and was considered the most beautiful in Indochina at the time.

The station is in the shape of nearby Mount Lang Bian and is almost 70 meters long. It is a unique architectural work that combines European style with that of stilt houses in the Vietnamese highlands.

An 84km route used to connect Da Lat with Phan Rang Town on the central coast. The route included a 17 km cog railway section in the mountainous area to prevent the trains from sliding downhill. At that time, steam locomotives were used.

The Da Lat - Phan Rang railway route was cancelled in 1976 due to low effeciency in transportation. Then, the station was recognized a national heritage site in 2001.

In 2004 seven kilometers of the Da Lat-Trai Mat section was restored and the station put into operation again to serve tourists.

The station is now managed by the Saigon Transport Service Company.