Louis Vuitton, along with several other French fashion companies, expresses interest in operating a high-end railway service connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The plan involves renovating old train cars, each having been in service for 30 years or more, and exporting them to Vietnam, as shared by Olivier Brochet, France’s ambassador to Vietnam, during a meeting with Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang on Thursday.
They are seeking the Ministry’s consideration for waiving specific criteria that trains typically need to meet for operations in Vietnam, Brochet mentioned. The proposed route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City covers a distance of 1,730 kilometers and is recognized by the tourism platform Lonely Planet as one of the world’s eight most remarkable train journeys.
While Minister Thang expressed openness to the proposal, he sought detailed information about the use of old trains in the plan. Brochet also highlighted that French companies are exploring opportunities to operate additional railway routes such as Thu Thiem – Long Thanh in the south and Hanoi – Hai Phong in the north. Furthermore, they are interested in supplying aviation and airport equipment manufactured by Airbus and ATR to Vietnam.
Brochet informed that the French government has approved a non-refundable grant of EUR700,000 (US$762,800) for a company to conduct a feasibility study on renovating Hanoi’s iconic Long Bien Bridge, constructed by the French firm Daydé & Pillé in 1903. He added that the French Development Agency is prepared to contribute a portion of the renovation costs.
Minister Thang expressed the desire for French official development assistance loans for critical infrastructure projects and encouraged collaboration between French businesses and their Vietnamese counterparts for the development of key railway routes. He also emphasized Vietnam’s ongoing investments in new airports and the upgrading of existing ones in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, inviting French firms to explore potential opportunities in these areas.
