 We sincerely thank Ashik Eqbal Tokon, VOV Spectators' Association Bangladesh, for this thoughtful card! |
B: Peter Reuderink, a 63-year-old retired professional from the Netherlands, wrote: “It’s always a pleasure to listen to your broadcasts in English. It was nice to send you a reception report for the broadcast on September 6 on the frequency of 11885 kHz, which featured interesting stories about the celebration of the August Revolution and National Day of Vietnam and the founding of the Voice of Vietnam.”
A: Mr. Reuderink told us that shortwave listening has been his passion since he was 17. In fact, he still treasures his very first QSL card from the Voice of Vietnam, dated 1980, 45 years ago.
B: That card is a piece of history that reflects Peter’s enduring connection with VOV. I believe many of our listeners keep VOV’s QSL cards in their collections. We’d be delighted if some of you would send us photos of your VOV QSL cards. We’ll feature them on our website.
A: Our regular Indian listener Shivendu Paul sent us greetings and best wishes for Vietnam’s 80th Independence Day and the 80th anniversary of the Voice of Vietnam. He also congratulated the winners of our “What do you know about Vietnam?” contest, whose prize is a free trip to Vietnam.
B: Thank you very much, Shivendu, for your warm greetings and kind wishes. Every participant in the contest is going to receive a certificate of participation as a token of our appreciation.
 A lovely photo from Shivendu Paul, Murshidabad Betar Shrota Poribar, a registered Radio Listeners’ organisation of Government of West Bengal, India. |
A: Muhammad Aqeel Bashir, a regular listener in Pakistan, sent warm congratulations to VOV. He wrote: “Your programs are very special to me, especially the news and current affairs reports, which are always based on facts and journalistic authority. I was very impressed to know that the Vietnamese Prime Minister praised VOV as the voice of the nation and a trusted international friend.”
B: Ashik Eqbal Tokon of Bangladesh wrote: “This celebration is an extraordinary milestone for Vietnam, as well as for devoted listeners like me across the world. As a dedicated DXer and lifelong VOV listener, I can say you have made Vietnam feel like a second home to me.”
A: Thank you, dear listeners, for your kind words. VOV will surely continue to provide accurate information about Vietnam in its foreign language broadcasts so the world can know Vietnam better.
 We thank Rabi Sankar Bosu, Founder and President of New Horizon Radio Listeners’ Club, India for this card |
B: Yigal Benger of Ochtrup, Germany, asked: “Does Vietnam have trains that run on diesel, steam, or electricity? Do you plan to put high-speed trains into operation?”
A: Vietnam’s railway system uses mainly diesel locomotives, which operate on a North–South line of more than 1,700 kilometers and on several branch lines.
B: Steam trains were once used but today are no longer in regular service. The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism has reported that a steam-powered “Revolution Express” tourist train will start operating this year under a partnership between the Indochina Rail Tourist Service and Wafaifo Optimisers.
A: Two steam locomotives from the 1960s have been restored to working order. They will pull two retro-style carriages, each seating up to 57 passengers, with a custom kitchen and baggage car.
B: These two locomotives, the last remaining working pre-independence steam engines in Vietnam, were built locally to the French Mikado design. Once operational, the train will take passengers across the central region to explore the beautiful beaches of Danang and the mysterious tombs and palaces of Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam.
A: The Revolution Express will make a daily round trip between Danang and Hue, the UNESCO-recognized imperial citadel. Traveling through the stunning Hai Van coastal mountain range, the train will stop at Lang Co, adjacent to a beautiful lagoon and beach.
B: Tickets for this train aren't on sale yet and there’s no information about pricing, but booking information will be available in the coming months on the website revolutionexpress.com.
A: Some metro trains powered by electricity are operating as part of the urban transportation systems of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
B: “Cat Linh-Ha Dong”, the first metro line in Hanoi, began operating in 2021. Stretching 13 kilometers with 12 stations, it’s an elevated line designed to ease congestion in the western part of Hanoi. Several other lines are under construction or in the planning stage, including the “Nhon-Hanoi Station” line, which will combine elevated and underground sections.
A: Ho Chi Minh City’s first metro line, called “Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien” is nearing completion. Stretching 19.7 kilometers with 14 stations, it will connect the central business district with the eastern part of the city. Future metro lines are being planned to form a wide network serving Ho Chi Minh City’s growing population.
B: Vietnam has planned a national North–South high-speed railway with trains designed to run at speeds of 200–350 kilometers/hour. This project is part of Vietnam’s transportation development strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2050. Its completion will mark a new era for Vietnam’s railways, bringing faster, safer, and more sustainable travel.
A: We hope that you will arrange your time for a trip to Vietnam and explore our country by train. We believe it will be an unforgettable experience for you.
B: Next, we’d like to welcome Eric Zhu of China. In his first letter to VOV, he says he enjoys VOV’s programs very much, because they’re informative and helpful. Zhu is an English teacher at a middle school and plans to exhibit his QSL card collection to his students, to encourage them to learn more about Vietnam through broadcasts.
A: Tanjim Tatini of Bangladesh, who has been a faithful listener to VOV5 for 12 years, says he enjoyed the Current Affairs commentary on Monday, discussing the 80th UN General Assembly and the future of multilateralism.
B: From India, we’ve received another message from Sanil Deep, who expressed his appreciation for the “Letter Box”, “Discovery Vietnam”, “Personality of the Week”, and our weekend music shows.
A: Sanil told us how much he enjoys learning about Vietnam’s culture, traditions, and people through our broadcasts.
B: Before we wrap up today’s program, we’d like to take a moment to thank all of you, our dear listeners, for tuning in and for sending us feedback. Your messages mean so much to us.
A: Please keep listening, keep writing, and keep sharing your thoughts with us. We welcome your feedback at English Service, VOVWORLD, the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu street, Hanoi, Vietnam. You can email us at englishsection@vov.vn. Once again, thank you all for listening. Goodbye!