Vietnam Railways has applied flexible train fares on its electronic ticketing system from May 1, 2026. The new pricing method was rolled out after a trial period to make better use of available seats on each train and give passengers more chances to buy tickets at lower fares.
What Are Flexible Train Fares?
Flexible fares are a pricing mechanism that adjusts ticket prices according to the actual operating conditions of each train. When some seats have already been sold for long-distance journeys, the system reviews the remaining shorter sections, calculates the chance of filling empty seats, and offers suitable discounts at the time of purchase.
According to information from the railway sector, discounts under this program range from 15% to a maximum of 35%. Tickets eligible for the promotion are clearly displayed on the sales system so passengers can identify them before payment.
How Is AI Used to Manage Train Fares?
A new point in this program is the use of artificial intelligence in ticket sales data analysis. Instead of applying one fixed fare at all times, the system can consider seats already sold, travel segment, purchase time and actual demand to suggest a more suitable fare.
Rail transport often serves both passengers traveling the full route and passengers taking shorter sections on the same train. If short-section fares are adjusted reasonably, remaining seats can be used more efficiently while passengers gain more money-saving choices.
Results After the Trial Period
During a one-week trial from April 22 to April 29, 2026, the flexible fare feature recorded 9,376 tickets sold, with revenue of about VND 2 billion. The direct discount amount for passengers reached VND 523 million.
The seat occupancy ratio reached 79%, up 9% compared with the same period and 12% higher than the previous month. Passengers receiving promotional fares accounted for 10.36% of total passengers on the trains included in the trial.
How Can Passengers Recognize Flexible Fare Tickets?
On the electronic ticketing system, seats with flexible fares are displayed in light green. The system also shows the ticket price and discount amount so passengers can compare options before choosing a seat.
Passengers can look up this ticket type through official railway sales channels such as dsvn.vn, vetau.com.vn, mobile train-ticket apps and several linked e-wallets.
Train Boarding Passes No Longer Show Ticket Prices from July 10
Another change related to ticket information is that, from July 10, train boarding passes no longer display the ticket price. Removing the fare from the boarding pass keeps personal and transaction information more concise when passengers present tickets during travel.
The fare is still shown during booking, on invoices, confirmation messages or related payment information. Passengers should keep their ticket code, transaction details and identity documents for checking, exchange or refund procedures when needed.
Who Benefits from Flexible Train Fares?
Passengers traveling shorter sections are more likely to benefit from this policy, especially when seats remain after long-distance tickets have been sold. Travelers with flexible plans who can choose different train times and travel dates also have more opportunities to find better fares.
For the railway operator, flexible pricing helps improve seat occupancy, increase operating efficiency and compete more effectively with other transport options on routes with many travel choices.
Notes When Buying Flexible Fare Train Tickets
Flexible fares do not always appear on every train, every route section or at every time. Prices may change according to seat availability, booking time, operating policy and travel demand during the day.
Before payment, passengers should carefully check departure station, arrival station, travel date, train number, seat type and exchange or refund conditions. For holidays, Tet, weekends or peak seasons, booking early helps passengers have more options.
Check and Book Train Tickets
To check train times, fares and seat availability by date, passengers can search online or contact the hotline 1900 636 212 for help choosing a suitable itinerary.
Questions About Flexible Train Fares
Why can the same train, same carriage and same seat type have different prices?
The same train, carriage and seat type can still have different prices because fares are calculated according to purchase time, route section, remaining seats, promotional policy and operating conditions of each train. When flexible pricing is applied, some seats in the same class may be opened at different promotional levels to fill available seats on suitable sections.
Is buying early always cheaper?
Buying early usually gives passengers more choices of train time, seat type and seat position. However, whether the fare is lower depends on the route section, travel time, booking volume and flexible fare program in effect. Passengers should check several options or ask ticketing staff to compare suitable journeys.
Why is the train fare not printed on the boarding pass?
From July 10, the train boarding pass no longer shows the ticket price so the information on the pass is simpler and transaction details are less exposed when passengers present tickets during travel. The fare is still shown during booking, payment, invoice or confirmation messages, so passengers should keep those records for reference.
How can passengers find better train fares?
To find better fares, passengers should be flexible with travel date, departure time, stations and seat type, and should check the price again before payment because fares may change with seat availability. A convenient option is to stay in contact with Alltours ticketing staff, a major railway ticket agency in Vietnam, for fare updates, train comparisons and timely seat holding. Passengers can call 1900 636 212 for support.
Reference sources: Vietnam Railways, VnEconomy and Lao Dong Newspaper.