One of Da Lat’s main tourist attractions is, without doubt, its railway station, one of the most distinctive monuments inherited from the French colonial era anywhere in the country.
Considered one of the finest works of French railway engineering in Vietnam, the station was — despite its European origins — designed in harmony with the features of its surroundings, something rarely seen in the colonial architecture of the time.
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The history of Da Lat railway station
Following the French occupation of Vietnam, numerous infrastructure projects were launched across the country.
In the early 20th century, Paul Doumer, then Governor-General of French Indochina, championed the idea of building a railway line between Tháp Chàm (in Ninh Thuận province) and Da Lat.
Building the railway to Da Lat
The great challenge was overcoming the steep mountain gradients and rugged terrain of the area. To manage it, they turned to Swedish engineers, experts in rack railways. In total 84 km of track were built, of which some 16 km used a rack-and-pinion system — a genuine technical feat for the time.
Work dragged on until 1932, and the Da Lat railway station was finally completed in 1938, becoming one of the first colonial buildings raised in the city.
Da Lat, Vietnam’s “Little Paris”
Thanks to its cool climate and mountain scenery, Da Lat quickly became a hugely popular holiday destination among the French, who came to escape the heat and humidity of Saigon.
During the colonial era, as many as two trains a day ran between Da Lat and Nha Trang, and on to Saigon. European-style villas and houses began appearing all over the city, until Da Lat earned the nickname “Little Paris”.
The successive wars led to the gradual abandonment of the railway line, which by 1975 was already unusable. When Vietnam’s railway system was rebuilt, the north of the country took priority, leaving Da Lat station as a silent witness to that colonial past.
What to see at Da Lat railway station
These days you can no longer reach Da Lat by train, but in 1991 a short stretch of track was restored for tourism.
Beyond visiting the station building, one of its biggest draws is the chance to have a drink in one of the old carriages, now converted into a permanent vintage-style café that’s worth the visit on its own.
From here a roughly 7 km tourist ride departs, running along the old track to Trại Mát station, where you can visit Linh Phuoc Pagoda.
The trip takes roughly 30 minutes, runs up to 5 times a day and only requires a minimum of 10 passengers, which is usually met without trouble. The price varies according to the class of carriage you choose.
Entry to the station costs 5,000 VND, and train tickets range from 150,000 VND in first class (round trip) to 100,000 VND in standard class.
✔️ Information reviewed and last updated on February 7, 2026
