The dream of bringing back the legendary Thap Cham - Da Lat railway
In the early days of winter, we followed a survey team from Don Duong Xanh Co., Ltd. (DD Tours) to search for the remaining traces of one of the world’s most unique mountain railways, the historic Thap Cham - Da Lat line. Lam Dong Province is placing great hope in reviving this legendary railway shortly.
Trekking along the historic railway route
Starting from the remains of Krong Pha Station at the foot of Song Pha Pass (formerly Ninh Son District, Ninh Thuan Province, bordering Don Duong District of Lam Dong), the first station on the mountain railway journey, we were guided by Mr. Ha Van Hong (68 years old).
Mr. Hong worked as a maintenance worker on the Thap Cham -Da Lat railway from the age of 17, right after national reunification. He recalled that at the time, only two trains operated daily, one uphill and one downhill, each consisting of six to eight freight cars. Every day, Mr. Hong and a 12-member team walked along the tracks to clear weeds, sift soil mixed with gravel, and realign displaced rails. Workers traveled using small handcars.
Our trek along the old railway route, from Krong Pha Station (Km 41) to Eo Gio Station (Km 52), took nearly seven hours. Most of the journey followed the original railway bed, passing through villages, farmland, streams, mixed forests, grasslands, orchards, and vast, majestic mountain forests wrapped in clouds. Along the way, we felt both nostalgia and longing as we touched or observed the remaining relics of the unique cog railway: stone retaining walls, bridge piers, tunnels, embankments, and mountain cuttings.
Memories shaped by generations
After surveying the route with DD Tours and digging through historical archives—with the kind help of Mr. Huynh Van Su—we connected with two locals who have witnessed over 70 years of history: Mr. Nguyen Huu Do and Mr. Lam Trung Chau.
Mr. Nguyen Huu Do, now 75, fondly recalled his student days at Tran Hung Dao High School (now Yersin University). He and his friends from D’ran used to hop onto the trains every weekend to return home, before making the journey back to Da Lat for their studies.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lam Trung Chau (90 years old) still remembers the echoing sound of train whistles, as his home was near the station. In his book Stories of Old D’ran, in the chapter The Sound of Train Whistles, he wrote: “The train from Phan Rang to Da Lat arrived in D’ran at exactly 6 p.m. When it reached the curve near the hill with the ancient Giac Nguyen Pagoda, it let out a long whistle. The sharp sound tore through the quiet air of the small town…”
Expectations for the return of the mountain railway
On January 14, 2025, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 90/QD-TTg approving the implementation plan for Lam Dong Provincial Planning for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050. One of the priority projects is upgrading Da Lat Station into a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Center, transforming it into a multifunctional hub of transport, commerce, culture, and high-end services.
At the same time, the restoration of the Thap Cham - Da Lat cog railway has become one of the most anticipated tourism infrastructure megaprojects. By early 2026, the project had made significant progress in procedures and investor engagement. The total investment is estimated at around 29 trillion VND. The railway will span approximately 84 km, connecting Phan Rang - Thap Cham City (Khanh Hoa) with Da Lat City (Lam Dong).
The project plans to fully restore 16 km of cog rail sections on steep mountain passes, rebuild 16 stations and passenger stops, and rehabilitate five mountain tunnels. Eo Gio Station in D’ran Commune, located at an altitude of 1,000 meters, is envisioned as a key tourism stop, with the station reconstructed in its original French architectural style to serve as a scenic viewpoint, cafe, and souvenir area.
Compared to the original Thap Cham - Da Lat line, the restored route will include two additional stations to strengthen connectivity between tourist destinations along the way. The railway will use modern diesel locomotives, combined with cog systems and lightweight carriages, ensuring smoother, safer operations than with the old steam engines.
Despite strong interest from international investors, the project remains in the pre-feasibility study and investment approval stage. Optimistically, construction is expected to begin before 2030, so that within the next few years, the emotions we felt while trekking through the clouds can be experienced by generations of residents and visitors alike.
The Thap Cham - Da Lat Railway was approved by French Governor-General Paul Doumer in 1908. Due to extremely challenging terrain, construction lasted several decades and was only completed in 1938. Stretching 84 km, the line included 16 km of cog railway to conquer the steep slopes of Ngoan Muc Pass, with gradients reaching up to 120 degrees. This rare engineering achievement at the time was found only in Switzerland and Vietnam. Specialized steam locomotives were used to grip the cog rails during ascent and descent. Da Lat Station was built in 1932 and finished in 1938, designed by French architects Moncet and Reveron.