Tracking the past on Vietnam's 'Reunification Express'

North-south rail trip throws fresh light on the 1954-75 war

A train heads south through the city of Hue, a stop near the midpoint of the "Reunification Express" -- the 1,700-kilometer train route linking Hanoi in the north with Ho Chi Minh City in the south. (All photos by Oliver Raw)

OLIVER RAW

April 3, 2025 08:00 JST

HANOI -- The capital of Vietnam abounds with nationalist pride. Pictures of a smiling Ho Chi Minh, the nation's founding father, are everywhere, and during state celebrations and public holidays, flags deck the city's streets in flaming red.