From pets and flowers to grapefruits and Tet gifts, passengers on trains departing Hanoi Station for early Lunar New Year reunions carried a variety of special belongings as they prepared to celebrate the Year of the Snake.

A journey home with sentimental cargo

On the afternoon of January 23, hundreds of passengers, mostly university students and freelance workers, crowded Hanoi Station with their belongings as they boarded trains heading home to celebrate Tet.

At the boarding gates, railway staff checked tickets and identification documents, assisting passengers with their luggage.

Trang Nguyen, a university student from Thanh Hoa, shared that she opted for the train this year instead of her usual bus ride because of her pet cat.

“Buses are overcrowded at this time, and pets are usually stored in the luggage compartment, which makes me uncomfortable. Since I got an early holiday, taking the train home feels more relaxed,” Trang explained.

Yen Nhi, another passenger, brought her beloved cat along and chose a private cabin for convenience.

“The great thing is that I don’t need to buy an extra ticket for my cat, so I can travel comfortably,” she said.

Gifts that carry the spirit of Tet

Some passengers brought gifts that reflected their connection to home.

Hoang Thang, traveling to Nghe An, carried a large bouquet of lilies.

“Of course, you can buy flowers anywhere, but I like the feeling of bringing a little piece of Hanoi home as a gift to set the Tet mood,” he said.

Another passenger brought over a dozen Dien grapefruits, a popular Tet specialty, as part of their luggage.

Huyen Trang, smiling as she carried a bouquet of snow plum blossoms, explained, “I always take the train because I love its nostalgic, slow pace. Every year, I bring a small gift like flowers, candied fruits, or a little something festive for my family.”

In the cargo hold, railway staff carefully loaded three large peach trees destined for Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.

As departure time approached, passengers rushed to the ticket gates, carrying Tet hampers and last-minute items. Inside the train, they worked to organize their belongings neatly.

In the midst of the festive bustle, some emotional farewells took place on the platform as family members saw their loved ones off.

According to Vietnam Railways, over 300,000 Tet train tickets had been sold by this point, highlighting the enduring tradition of traveling by train for the Lunar New Year.

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Trang Nguyen (from Thanh Hoa) shared that in previous years, she usually took the bus home for Tet. However, this year, because she adopted a cat, she had to change her mode of transportation.
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Among the belongings Yến Nhi brought onto the train was her beloved cat.
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A large bouquet of lilies was a special gift from Hoang Thang as he set off to Nghe An to celebrate Tet with his family.
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Over a dozen Dien grapefruits were also heavy Tet gifts carried by a passenger before boarding the train.
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Huyen Trang carried a large snow plum blossom bouquet, smiling brightly on the platform that afternoon.
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Three large peach trees sent to Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City were also among the items checked in on the year-end train.
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As the train's departure time approached, a woman hurried toward the ticket gate, carrying a basket of Tet gifts.
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Inside the train cars, passengers busily arranged their luggage neatly.
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A woman grew emotional as she bid farewell to a loved one at the train station on the afternoon of the 24th day of the lunar December.
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According to statistics from the Railway Transport Joint Stock Company, over 300,000 tickets for the Lunar New Year (Year of the Snake) trains have been sold to date.

Thach Thao