Hanoi special train wows tourists

The train is scheduled to depart from Hanoi railway station at 07:05 p.m. and leave Gia Lam railway station at 10:25 p.m. back to the city's centre. In the photo is one of the two Vietnamese steam locomotives on display at Gia Lam train factory.

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The train connects the two sides of the Red River, departing from the Hanoi railway station and running through Long Bien bridge - a symbolic steel structure built more than 120 years ago, before heading to Gia Lam railway station. From there, passengers can walk to the nearby Gia Lam train factory.

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The train factory has been converted into a community space, with erected booths displaying creative brands and products in various fields, ranging from handicrafts to fashion and communication-advertisement.

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In particular, the visitors are given the chance to see with their own eye the first steam locomotive which is also the iconic symbol of the Vietnamese railway industry.

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The steam locomotive was manufactured in the 1960s by engineers at Gia Lam train factory with the assistance of foreign experts.

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A series of music and art performances, as well as an exhibition on the station's history, are also held at the location.

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Gia Lam train factory has been transformed into a space for 16 exhibitions incorporating unique visual effects with outstanding art pieces.

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An installation art exhibition titled "The Call" by artist Thu Tran features 40m - 60m long strips of paintings hung on the ceiling.

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To offer more experiences to visitors, organisers put on new technologies in displaying three-dimensional paintings and virtual tours.

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The festival is jointly organised by the municipal People’s Committee, the Architecture Magazine under the Vietnam Association of Architects, the municipal Department of Culture and Sports with the support of UNESCO Office in Hanoi, the UN Human Settlements Programme(UN-Habitat), international organisations, businesses, creators, and artists.