Đà Lạt Railway Station, Lâm Đồng

Overview

Best months: Nov - May (dry season). Nov - Jan for cool air and tail-end rain views from the train window. Feb - May for wild cherry blossoms along the route.
Entry fee: 50,000 VND station entry (free if you buy a train ticket). Train to Trại Mát: Vietnamese visitors 72,000 VND one-way / 108,000-150,000 VND return; foreign visitors 150,000 VND one-way / 170,000 VND return. Children under 1m free.
Opening hours: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM (some sources cite 5:30 PM). Best visiting window: 8-10 AM for comfortable weather.
Address: 01 Quang Trung, Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng

Things to Know

Crowds: Can get busy with tour groups during peak times and midday. Early morning (8-10 AM) offers more comfortable weather and typically fewer crowds.
Safety: The old wooden train carriages rock noticeably at speed - worth knowing if prone to motion sickness.
Accessibility: Easy walk or short ride from Đà Lạt city centre; accessible by Grab. Narrow road access directly at the station entrance.
Seasonal: Nov-May: dry season overall - best for visiting. Nov-Jan: cool air, occasional tail-end rain visible from train windows. Feb-May: wild cherry blossoms along hillsides and roads near the route.

Gallery

About This Place

What Makes Đà Lạt Railway Station Special

Đà Lạt Railway Station was built between 1932 and 1938 by French architects Moncet and Revéron as the terminus of the Tháp Chàm - Đà Lạt railway, a mountain line ordered by Indochina Governor-General Paul Doumer starting in 1908. The full railway ran 84km with a dramatic 1,500m elevation gain, including 12 stations, 5 tunnels, and 16km of rack-and-pinion track - a technology at the time shared only with Switzerland, climbing an average 12% gradient to reach the plateau.

The Station Building

The station building itself is widely considered the most elegant in Indochina, and holds several distinctions: the only railway station in the Central Highlands, Vietnam's highest at 1,500m elevation, and the only one that once ran a steam-powered rack-and-pinion locomotive. Its architecture - 66.5m long, 11.4m wide, 11m high, with a curved roofline - is shaped to echo both the three peaks of Langbiang Mountain and the traditional longhouse (nhà rông) roofs of Central Highlands ethnic architecture, fusing French colonial design with local form. A large facade clock is set to the date Dr. Alexandre Yersin discovered the Đà Lạt plateau.

Decline and Recognition

The railway was destroyed during wartime in 1972, briefly restored after 1975, then shut down again due to poor economic viability - most of the original track and stations were dismantled or abandoned. The Đà Lạt terminus survived and was recognised as a national historical-cultural relic in 2001. Today, only a short 7km stretch survives, turning what was once an engineering achievement into one of Vietnam's most nostalgic train journeys, running on vintage wooden carriages to Trại Mát village.

How to Get There

How to Get to Đà Lạt Railway Station

The station is about 1-3km from Đà Lạt's central market on Quang Trung Street (sources vary slightly on exact distance), easily reached by motorbike, car, taxi, or Grab, or walkable from central accommodation. The tourist train to Trại Mát runs 5 scheduled departures daily plus an evening service, though posted timetables don't always match actual departure times in practice - arriving at the station directly to confirm and buy tickets is more reliable than planning solely around the online schedule.

What to Expect

What to Expect at Đà Lạt Railway Station

Inside the Station

The station interior preserves original wooden ticket windows, period benches, vintage signage, and tiled floors largely unchanged since 1938, along with a small historical photo and documentary display on the original railway. Ticket counters 1 and 2 sell grounds-only entry; counter 3 sells train tickets (which include free station entry).

The Tourist Train

The train itself uses old wooden carriages that rock noticeably at speed, with onboard saxophone or violin music and complimentary warm artichoke tea, making the 25-30 minute journey to Trại Mát feel deliberately old-fashioned rather than purely functional. As the train leaves the station, colonial buildings quickly give way to vegetable farms, greenhouses, and pine-covered hills - a slow reminder that Đà Lạt has always been more agricultural than urban.

Unlike modern trains, nobody boards this one because it's the fastest way anywhere; most passengers spend the journey looking out the windows, taking photos, or simply enjoying how slowly it moves through the outskirts of the city.

The Trại Mát Stop

At Trại Mát, a 30-40 minute stop allows time to walk to Linh Phước Pagoda ('chùa Ve Chai'), about 5 minutes away, before the train returns - or some travellers taxi back instead of waiting.

Travel Tips

Travel Tips for Đà Lạt Railway Station

The station is worth visiting purely as architecture even without taking the train - one of the most elegant colonial structures in the Central Highlands, with several genuine historical 'firsts' attached to it. Whether the train ride itself is worth it depends on your trip pace: if you have time to spare and want a slow, nostalgic experience tied to a railway era that's otherwise vanished from Đà Lạt, it delivers exactly that.

If you're tight on time with only a day or two in the city, it's a reasonable one to deprioritise in favour of other sights, since the appeal here is atmosphere rather than spectacle.

Combine the train with Linh Phước Pagoda at Trại Mát for a half-morning excursion, and budget about 45 minutes for the station alone or roughly 2.5 hours for the full round-trip with pagoda visit.

Insider Tips

Based on real traveler experiences and commonly mentioned advice from multiple visitors.

Buy a train ticket (counter 3) rather than grounds-only entry (counters 1-2) if you want to ride - it includes station entry for free
Book train tickets in advance via ivivu.com/ve-tau (DAT to TMA) for peak season certainty
Arrive at the station directly to confirm departure times rather than relying solely on the online schedule
Bring ID (passport for foreigners, national ID/licence for Vietnamese visitors) to purchase tickets
If short on time, consider the station architecture alone worth visiting even without the train ride
Several 'onlys' worth knowing: the only railway station in the Central Highlands, widely considered the most beautiful in Indochina, the highest in Vietnam (1,500m elevation on the Lâm Viên Plateau), and the only one that once used a steam-powered rack-and-pinion locomotive.
Built 1932-1938 by French architects Moncet and Revéron as the terminus of the Tháp Chàm - Đà Lạt railway, ordered by Indochina Governor-General Paul Doumer starting in 1908. The full line ran 84km with a 1,500m elevation gain, 12 stations, 5 tunnels, and 16km of rack-and-pinion track - at the time, only Switzerland and Vietnam had this rack-and-pinion technology, climbing an average 12% gradient.
Building dimensions: 66.5m long, 11.4m wide, 11m high, with a curved roofline. The central block - one storey, with separate passenger and cargo halls - is shaped to echo the three peaks of Langbiang Mountain and traditional Central Highlands longhouse (nhà rông) roofs. The large clock on the facade is set to the date Dr. Alexandre Yersin discovered the Đà Lạt plateau.
The railway was destroyed during wartime in 1972. After reunification in 1975, it was briefly restored but shut down again due to poor economic viability; the rack-and-pinion track and most station buildings were dismantled or abandoned. Recognised as a national historical-cultural relic in 2001.
Today's operational stretch is only about 7km - a fraction of the original 84km line - running from the station to Trại Mát village. Trains depart 5 times daily plus one evening service: 7:15-9:15 AM, 9:20-11:20 AM, 11:55 AM-1:25 PM, 2:00-3:30 PM, 4:05-5:35 PM, and an evening run 6:15-9:20 PM. Schedules posted online don't always match actual departure times - go to the station directly to confirm rather than relying solely on the website.
Ticket counter layout: counters 1 and 2 sell station-entry-only tickets (for wandering the grounds and photos). Counter 3 sells train tickets to Trại Mát, which include station entry for free. If you buy entry-only first and change your mind, there's a supplementary ticket counter inside to upgrade to a train ticket.
Buy train tickets in advance online at ivivu.com/ve-tau (station code DAT to TMA) if you want to guarantee a seat, especially in peak season.
Bring ID: passport for foreign visitors, national ID or driving licence for Vietnamese visitors, when purchasing tickets.
'Hành Trình Đêm Đà Lạt' (Đà Lạt Night Journey): launched April 2024, evening departures at 6:15 PM and 8:20 PM show a completely different side of the city after dark - from the train, thousands of illuminated greenhouse flower farms on the outskirts create a glowing 'valley of lights' effect that's become genuinely popular since launch.
Two carriage classes: standard wooden carriages (toa phổ thông) for the classic rustic, nostalgic feel at a lower price - good for groups, families, or budget travel.
La Reine carriages, inspired by the Nam Phương Empress Palace, offer a more upscale experience: padded seating, Indochinese-French decor, artichoke tea, free wifi, sometimes live music - priced higher, best for couples or a special occasion.
The journey takes about 25-30 minutes each way on a train that rocks noticeably at speed - worth knowing if you're prone to motion sickness. Both carriage classes get live saxophone or violin music on board on most departures - atmospheric, but bring earplugs if you'd rather have a quieter ride.
Practical booking tips: reserve ahead especially for weekends and holidays when tickets sell out. Arrive about 30 minutes early for check-in and photos. Request a window seat for the best views. Keep your own belongings secure throughout - no dedicated storage. If you dislike crowds, avoid major public holidays.
At Trại Mát, the train stops for about 30-40 minutes before returning - enough time to walk to Linh Phước Pagoda (also called 'chùa Ve Chai', the Bottle/Ceramic-shard Pagoda), about 5 minutes on foot, known for its unique mosaic-shard architecture and several Vietnam records.
Total time budget: about 45 minutes if you only visit the station grounds. About 2.5 hours if you take the round-trip train and visit the pagoda at Trại Mát.
One-way option: some travellers take the train one-way to Trại Mát, visit the pagoda, then grab a taxi back to Đà Lạt rather than waiting for the return train - works well if your time is limited or you'd rather continue elsewhere from Trại Mát.
Worth it? If you want a slow, nostalgic glimpse of old Đà Lạt and the vanished railway era, and you're not rushed, yes. If you only have 1-2 days in the city, this is reasonably skippable in favour of higher-priority sights - the experience is more about atmosphere than spectacle.
The station building's Art Deco interior - original wooden ticket windows, vintage benches, tiled floors, and a small historical photo/documentary display - is worth 20 minutes even without taking the train.

FAQ

Common questions from travelers who've visited this place.

Should I choose standard carriages or La Reine carriages?

Choose standard wooden carriages (toa phổ thông) if you want the classic rustic, nostalgic experience at a lower price - good for groups, families, or budget-conscious travellers. Choose La Reine carriages if you want a more upscale, romantic experience: padded premium seating, warm Indochinese-French decor inspired by the Nam Phương Empress Palace, complimentary artichoke tea, free wifi, and on some departures live music or a light meal - priced higher but well-suited to couples or anyone wanting a special-occasion ride.

Can I ride the Đà Lạt train at night?

Yes - 'Hành Trình Đêm Đà Lạt' (Đà Lạt Night Journey), launched April 2024, runs evening departures at 6:15 PM and 8:20 PM. Instead of daytime scenery, you'll see Đà Lạt's outskirts lit up at night, including thousands of illuminated greenhouse flower farms that create a striking 'valley of lights' effect from the train window - a different, increasingly popular alternative to the daytime ride.

Is the train ride to Trại Mát worth it?

Depends on your trip pace and priorities. Yes, if you want a slow, nostalgic experience connected to Đà Lạt's vanished railway era, have time to spare, and enjoy travelling without rushing - the old wooden carriages, onboard music, and artichoke tea create a deliberately old-fashioned atmosphere. Not particularly, if you only have 1-2 days in Đà Lạt and have higher-priority sights on your list - the appeal here is mood and nostalgia rather than spectacle, and the route itself passes through fairly ordinary residential and farming areas rather than dramatic scenery.

What are the train ticket prices to Trại Mát?

For Vietnamese visitors: 72,000 VND one-way, 108,000-150,000 VND return (pricing has varied across recent periods). For foreign visitors: 150,000 VND one-way, 170,000 VND return. Children under 1m travel free. Station-grounds-only entry (without the train) is 50,000 VND, but this fee is waived if you purchase a train ticket instead.

Why is Đà Lạt Railway Station historically significant?

It holds several distinctions: the only railway station in Vietnam's Central Highlands, widely considered the most beautiful station in former French Indochina, the highest-elevation station in Vietnam (1,500m), and the only one to have run a steam-powered rack-and-pinion locomotive. It was part of an 84km railway (built 1908-1932) connecting Đà Lạt to Tháp Chàm near the coast, using a rare rack-and-pinion technology - at the time shared only with Switzerland - to climb a 1,500m elevation gain. The line was destroyed in 1972 and never fully rebuilt; the station was recognised as a national historical-cultural relic in 2001.

How do I buy tickets and what's the ticket counter system?

Counters 1 and 2 sell station-grounds-only tickets (50,000 VND) for visiting the building and grounds without riding the train. Counter 3 sells train tickets to Trại Mát, which include free station entry. If you initially buy grounds-only access but decide you want to ride the train, there's a supplementary ticket counter inside the station to upgrade. Bring ID - passport for foreign visitors, national ID or driving licence for Vietnamese visitors. Booking in advance online via ivivu.com/ve-tau (route DAT to TMA) is also an option, especially useful in peak season.

Nearby Locations

Crazy House2.7 km5 min by motorbike Datanla Waterfall4.9 km10 min by motorbike Linh Phước Pagoda4.9 km10 min by motorbike Tuyền Lâm Lake5.3 km11 min by motorbike Langbiang Mountain11.9 km24 min by motorbike Elephant Waterfall18.2 km36 min by motorbike

Similar Experiences

Explore more things to do like this around Vietnam

History