Heritage trains connect cultures

“Having experienced the Metro Line 6 project, we understand more about the beautiful country of Vietnam and the lovely Vietnamese people” – is the sympathetic and impressive sharing of Ms. Caroline Beresford - New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam, after the visit on the afternoon of April 3, 2025 - a unique cultural journey in the heart of Hanoi, where traditional values ​​are told on the train cars, through each dish and drink that seems to have slept in memory.

In the poetic space of Truc Bach Lake, the journey began at Thuy Trung Tien Tu - a sacred temple located on a small island, known as "the land where birds nest", the only island in the heart of Hanoi with hundreds of storks and herons living there. Here, the New Zealand Embassy delegation was introduced to the history of Truc Bach land - a place that preserves many cultural and historical values ​​of the ancient Thang Long citadel - and enjoyed the art of Chau Van singing, which has been recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. The melodious sounds and powerful lyrics opened up a profound cultural space, touching the emotions of each international guest.

Chau Van art performance - Intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO

Immediately after that, Metro Line 6 officially “started”, bringing delegates to a miniature Hanoi, where cultural and culinary heritages are vividly recreated on the tram cars, with affectionate names such as: Pho - Bun - Soy Car, Kitchen - Cupboard - Tray Car, Rice - Paddy - Rice Car. Each train car is like a miniature museum, preserving simple but very interesting stories of Hanoians through the ages.

At the Pho – Bun – Soi car, Hanoi Pho is not just a dish, but the soul of Vietnamese cuisine. Special guests were told about the formation and development of this dish, discovered the differences of Pho in different regions, and how to enjoy the dish which is considered the “national soul” of Vietnam.

Ambassador, Deputy Ambassador of New Zealand and Mr. Nguyen Dan Huy - Secretary of Truc Bach Ward Party Committee, founder of Metro Line 6 project - with "Giant bowl of pho"

At the Subsidy Kitchen - Cupboard - Tray carriage, the space of Hanoi during the subsidy period appears clearly through each item such as: wooden cupboard, meatless rice tray, ration stamps... vividly recreated to help visitors imagine a difficult but warm period of humanity and also clearly demonstrate the virtues of the Vietnamese people: diligence, hard work, perseverance, always striving to improve.

Interesting story about a bowl of pho mixed with cold rice during the subsidy period

A special highlight of the journey was the Rice – Paddy – Rice carriage, where Vietnamese culinary culture was spread through an interesting interactive experience: the spring roll “competition” between the Ambassador, Deputy Ambassador and members of the New Zealand Embassy. Under the guidance of culinary expert – Journalist Vinh Quyen, Ambassador Caroline Beresford, Deputy Ambassador Rebecca Wood and other members enthusiastically showed off their spring roll skills and enjoyed the results in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Tour group visits the Rice - Paddy - Rice Warehouse

Ambassador Caroline Beresford and her colleagues at the New Zealand Embassy had a very interesting experience in the spring roll contest with Truc Bach Ward Party Secretary Nguyen Dan Huy and culinary expert Vinh Quyen.

The cultural journey on Metro Line 6 not only brings a culinary experience, but also a profound dialogue between the past and the present, between Vietnam and the World. Through vivid storytelling, cleverly integrating experiential elements, the project has touched the emotions of participants - not only by sight, smell or taste, but also by sincere emotions before the beauty of Vietnamese culture.

New Zealand Ambassador and Deputy Ambassador enjoy experiencing Hanoi's sidewalk iced tea culture

Speaking at the final stop, Ms. Rebecca Wood - Deputy Ambassador of New Zealand expressed: "Vietnam is really developing very quickly. We feel the obvious change not only in modern urban areas but also in the way you preserve and spread traditional culture".

Metro Line 6 tells a very different story of Hanoi – not noisy, not hurried, but profound, rustic, sincere, helping special guests have an emotional journey and interesting, complete experiences.

Vietnam.vn