The entrance fee for the Da Lat Railway Station in the namesake tourist city in Vietnam will increase to VND50,000 (US$2) per tourist from October 1, 2024.

The current ticket price is VND5,000 ($0.2).

According to the operator, the increase is dictated by the provincial government's decision issued on June 21, 2024 to officially recognize the Da Lat Railway Station as a tourist destination.

The entrance fee hike is aimed at maintaining and preserving the railway station's infrastructure and continuing to meet the criteria of a national historic relic site, plus improving the tourist experience.

The entrance fee of VND50,000 is applicable to visitors older than six, and those below six and shorter than 1.32 meters will be exempt.

The fee is for the visit to the Da Lat Railway Station, not the use of a rail route from the station to the Trai Mat Station in Da Lat's suburban area.

Tourists will pay an additional of VND72,000-100,000 ($2.9-4) each to ride the eight-kilometer Da Lat - Trai Mat rail route.

Several travel companies were shocked at the fee spike as no further investments have yet to occur in the station.

The director of a local travel company said the decision was hasty and unfair to visitors before adding renovations or services.

The increase also raises a question: why is there an entrance fee for Da Lat Railway Station as a 'tourist site,' when other historical landmarks like the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica and the Saigon Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh City are free to enter?

Phuoc Dang, CEO of Outbox Company, echoed this sentiment, stating that visitors need to understand the reason for the fee hike and what additional value they will receive.

"If visitors are paying more for the same experience, they may feel let down, which could lead to a decline in the station's popularity," Phuoc Dang warned.

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