Brakes go on Halong Express
The luxury Halong Express train service in Vietnam has been cancelled 18 months after its launch due to lack of demand.
A South Korean company invested US$1 million in the service, operated by the Hanoi Railway Company.
The six-carriage train – running between Hanoi and Halong City – could seat 310 passengers and was equipped with bars and LCD TVs.
The service, priced at a modest US$15 for tourists and US$5 for locals, targeted tourists heading for Halong Bay, but passengers deserted the train in favour of buses and private transport, which offered a quicker journey.
The train journey took five hours due to problems with the rail track.
Ian Jarrett
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