The Da Lat–Thap Cham railway or Da Lat-Phan Rang railway was an 84 km (52 mi) rack railway connecting the city of Da Lat to the main North–South railway at Tháp Chàm in Ninh Thuận Province. It was established by the French administration of Indochina in 1932 after thirty years of construction in phases, beginning in 1903. The first section, running 41 km (25 mi) from Tháp Chàm to Sông Pha, opened in 1919, and the second section, running 43 km (27 mi) from Song Pha to Da Lat, opened in 1932. Due to the mountainous terrain, the Sông Pha–Da Lat section used rack rails in three sections, and included five tunnels. The Da Lat–Tháp Chàm railway is occasionally referred to as a Crémaillère railway, referring to the French word for the rack used on its rails.
Refurbished rail cars at Da Lat station, now operated as a tourist attraction
Da Lat station from another point of view
A locomotive travels on the Đà Lạt–Tháp Chàm line
The Ngoan Muc Pass, along which the railway travelled
Da Lat or Dalat, is the capital of Lâm Đồng Province and the largest city of the Central Highlands region in Vietnam. The city is located 1,500 m (4,900 ft) above sea level on the Langbian Plateau. Da Lat is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam.
Image: Xuan Huong Lake 11
Image: Truc Lam Zen Monastery 11
Image: Cathedral of Da Lat
Image: Truong Cao dang Su pham Da Lat Tran Huy Phuong 1