What The Tren Maya Could Learn From Vietnam’s New Trains

Since its inaugural trip in 2023, the Tren Maya has encountered delays, engine failures, derailments, lawsuits, and ongoing protests. Direct service to Palenque has disappeared. Consequently, the train has too many empty seats to make the rail line successful.

So what ideas could the Tren Maya borrow from successful passenger rail services in other countries?

Vietnam’s Luxury Rail Service

Vietnam’s railway network, long defined by the utilitarian Reunification Express line, has expanded its offerings with a dedicated luxury train service. This initiative, operated by a private tourism company in coordination with the state-run Vietnam Railways, represents a strategic move to cater to the high-end travel market by emphasizing experiential journeys.

Known as The Vietage, the service operates on a limited schedule along the country’s central and southern coastal corridor. Its primary route connects Da Nang—providing access to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hoi An—with the coastal city of Nha Trang. A separate extension also serves Ho Chi Minh City. The journey is designed not for efficiency, but for the experience; the segment from Da Nang to Nha Trang, for example, takes approximately six hours.

The carriages’ interiors incorporate elements inspired by Indochine aesthetics, featuring materials such as dark wood, leather, and linen. Unlike standard trains, it features a limited number of seats configured into private booths to ensure passenger space and privacy, with each booking including access to a dedicated service attendant.

A key differentiator is the onboard catering. Passengers are served a set menu curated to reflect regional Vietnamese cuisine, prepared in a dedicated galley kitchen. The fare also includes a selection of complimentary beverages, including local beers, wine, and non-alcoholic options. Additional amenities, such as a complimentary 15-minute head-and-shoulders massage, are integrated into the journey.

The service’s introduction reflects a broader global trend in which the journey itself is marketed as a premium experience. Analysts view it as an attempt to capture a segment of travelers seeking slower, more scenic modes of transport that offer a different perspective of the landscape. The route provides views of central Vietnam’s coastline, rural rice paddies, and local villages, all framed from the comfort of an air-conditioned carriage.

How Would the Vietnamese Model Work in Mexico?

Vietnam’s experiment in luxury rail is not unique; other Southeast Asian countries, like Thailand and Malaysia, are also adopting similar strategies. Further afield, nations as diverse as Peru, South Africa, Canada, and Australia are entering this market.

The objective is not to completely rebrand a national rail service as a luxury experience, but rather to offer it as a complementary option. As in Vietnam’s case, this approach can generate positive attention and diversify offerings without disrupting standard passenger operations.

For the Tren Maya, this model would involve implementing long-promised features, such as putting sleeper cars and specially designed restaurant wagons into active service. The food offered onboard would require a significant upgrade, as the current offerings of cold paninis and frozen pizzas would not suffice in a luxury market. Service in general would also need considerable refinement. At the same time, onboard staff are often attentive and friendly, and the boarding process is currently managed by military personnel who are not typically focused on hospitality nuances.

The central idea is not to dismantle the Tren Maya’s core philosophy of democratic access, but to offer more options and to change traveler perceptions and capitalize on one of the fastest-growing trends in tourism. After all, nearly all the necessary infrastructure is already in place.