Nguyen Xuan Thanh, Vinh station manager, stated on 2/7 that the additional carriages allow each train to accommodate approximately 200 more passengers. Each train has increased from 12 to 15 carriages and will remain so until the end of 2025, when the airport renovations are complete. Afterward, operations will be adjusted based on actual demand.

"The airport closure caused significant disruption, while Vinh station handles a large number of passengers daily. Therefore, we proposed adding train carriages, and Vietnam Railways agreed," Thanh said.

Passengers on the Thong Nhat (SE4) train stopped at Vinh Station on 30/4. Photo: Duc Hung

Passengers on the Thong Nhat (SE4) train stopped at Vinh Station on 30/4. Photo: Duc Hung

Vinh station currently handles around 3,000 passengers embarking and disembarking daily, which can reach 5,000 during peak periods. The passenger trains passing through include SE1 to SE12, SE17 to SE20, SE23-SE24, NA1-NA2, and QB1-QB2.

Vinh Airport, located in Vinh Hung ward (Vinh City), suspended operations from 1/7 to upgrade its runway, terminal, and apron with a budget of nearly 1,000 billion VND. Previously, the airport handled 15 to 20 flights per day, up to 40 during peak times, serving around 2 million passengers annually (2.6 million in 2022). After the upgrade, the capacity is expected to reach 3.5 million passengers per year.

With the airport closed, air travelers can use Tho Xuan Airport (Thanh Hoa) or Dong Hoi Airport (Quang Binh).

Duc Hung