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Train & Fly
Table of Contents
Train
One of the best ways to travel in Vietnam is by train. Vietnam’s rail network extends to most destinations of interest to a first-time visitor in Vietnam and it’s safe, comfortable, not too expensive, and allows you to see the countryside at a leisurely pace. What more could you ask for? Read on to find out just how Vietnam’s train system works – where the trains go, what they cost and how long they take – along with a stack of other useful information.
Vietnam’s train system serves a large swathe of the country – only the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta are left out. The first length of 71km of track was laid in 1881 and ran from Saigon to My Tho – a service which no longer runs. The route, more or less as it stands today, was completed in 1936 and stretches for 2,600km in its entirety
Vietnam’s train system serves a large swathe of the country – only the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta are left out. The first length of 71km of track was laid in 1881 and ran from Saigon to My Tho – a service which no longer runs. The route, more or less as it stands today, was completed in 1936 and stretches for 2,600km in its entirety
Where do the trains go?
Officially the Vietnamese train system consists of seven rail lines, but of those only three are much used by foreign travellers in Vietnam.
- Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
This is the main north-south running line and is by far the most popular for both foreign tourists and Vietnamese travellers. A mind-boggling variety of trains run on this line – everything from express services to local trains even goats think are slow. While there are over 100 stations on the line, the popular and fastest trains service around 20 stations, into which most major coastal stops are covered. The stations include: Hanoi, Vinh, Dong Hoi, Dong Ha, Hue, Danang (for Hoi An), Quang Ngai, Dieu Tri (for Qui Nhon), Nha Trang, Thap Cham, Muong Man (for Mui Ne) andWhile trains running this route are sometimes referred to as the “Reunification Express”, the title doesn’t belong to any particular train nor service. - Hanoi to Lao Cai
This line, striking northwest from Hanoi, terminates at the border town of Lao Cai. From here it is a straightforward run up to the hill station at Sapa – one of northern Vietnam’s most popular spots. Most of the trains run at night, and, somewhat strangely, different cars are owned and run by different companies, meaning while you’re all on the same train, the quality of service and comfort can vary considerably. - Hanoi to Dong Dang
Dong Dang is the border town, in Lang Son province, on the Chinese frontier and this train, running northeast of Hanoi, is the most popular way to reach it.
What classes are available?
The main classes on Vietnamese trains are hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper r
Do the trains run on time?
They leave on time, but often arrive late. Be sure to get to the train station a good half an hour before departure.
How long do the trains take?
Officially the Vietnamese train system consists of seven rail lines, but of those only three are much used by foreign travellers in Vietnam.
Where do the trains go?
The fastest trains trundle along at a maximum speed of around 70 km/h, but the main issue is that, as much of the line is single track (most of the time there are not separate lines for each direction) long delays can occur if your train has to wait for a train coming the other way.
Rough trip times are (depending on the class of train and number of stops): Hanoi to Lao Cai 7- 8 hour.
Hanoi to Dong Hoi 10.5- 12 hours.
Dong Hoi to Dong Ha 2-3 hours. Hanoi to Hue 11,5 – 17 hours.
Hue to Da Nang 3-4 hours.
Da Nang to Nha Trang 10-12 hours. Nha Trang to Muong Man 4-7 hours.
Muong Man to Saigon 3.5-4.5 hours.
How to buy a ticket? The best way to purchase a train ticket in Vietnam are:
Rough trip times are (depending on the class of train and number of stops): Hanoi to Lao Cai 7- 8 hour.
Hanoi to Dong Hoi 10.5- 12 hours.
Dong Hoi to Dong Ha 2-3 hours. Hanoi to Hue 11,5 – 17 hours.
Hue to Da Nang 3-4 hours.
Da Nang to Nha Trang 10-12 hours. Nha Trang to Muong Man 4-7 hours.
Muong Man to Saigon 3.5-4.5 hours.
How to buy a ticket? The best way to purchase a train ticket in Vietnam are:
- Go to the train station in person and buy the ticket. In Vietnam, train tickets are priced in Vietnamese dong and at the station you can only pay in dong.
- Travel agents and hotels often offer this service – normally for a small fee
Flights
Travel by plane is the first choice for many tourists and using the national airline has become a habit for many people.
Of all the current means of transportation, aircraft is rated as the safest and fastest means of transport. Because of this convenience, airlines are increasingly appearing in Vietnam and other countries.
Here are some useful information when traveling to Vietnam
Of all the current means of transportation, aircraft is rated as the safest and fastest means of transport. Because of this convenience, airlines are increasingly appearing in Vietnam and other countries.
Here are some useful information when traveling to Vietnam
Airports
Vietnam has two hub international airports, Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi and Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. A third airport, Da Nang Airport, in Da Nang, accepts a far smaller number of international flights. Over a dozen other domestic airports are scattered across Vietnam:
Domestic airports in the north of Vietnam:
- Hanoi Airport (HAN)
Location: 40 minutes from the center of Hanoi, 3.5 hours to Halong Bay, 4.5 hours to Sapa - Hai Phong Airport (HPH)
Location: 2.5 hours to / from Hanoi and 1.5 hours to Halong Bay
Domestic airports in the center of Vietnam:
- Da Nang Airport (DAD)
Location: 10 minutes to the center of Da Nang, 30 minutes to Hoi An and 2.5 hours to Hue - Hue Airport (HUI)
Location: 20 minutes to the center of Hue, 2.5 hours to Da Nang and 3 hours to Hoi An - Nha Trang Airport (CXR)
Location: 35 minutes to the center of Nha Trang and 2.5 hours to Dalat - Dalat Airport (DLI)
Location: 45 minutes to the center, 3.5 hours to Nha Trang - Vinh Airport (VII)
Location: 15 minutes to the center of Vinh
Domestic airports in the south of Vietnam:
- Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN)
Location: 30 minutes to the center of Ho Chi Minh city - Con Dao Airport (VCS)
Location: 10 minutes to the center of Con Dao
Phu Quoc Airport (PQC)
Location: 20 minutes to Duong Dong
Flight times
Some examples of flight times of domestic flights in Vietnam:
| From | To | Flight times |
|---|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City | Hanoi | +/- 2 hour |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Phu Quoc | +/- 1 hour |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Dalat | +/- 50 min |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Da Nang | +/- 1 hour |
| Hanoi | Da Nang | +/- 1 hour |
| Hanoi | Hue | +/- 1 hour |
| Hanoi | Dalat | +/- 2 hour |
| Hanoi | Phu Quoc | +/- 2 hour |
Airlines
The four largest airlines in Vietnam are:
- Vietnam Airlines is still the main operator on most routes, both within Vietnam and from Vietnam to other international destinations. The company has flights to most cities in Vietnam and offers reasonably good services for its size.
- Jetstar Pacific and VietJetAir are budget airlines and therefore often a lot cheaper. You can fly safely with these airlines. Just keep in mind that these airlines have not a good reputation for departing on time.
- Bamboo Airways is the newest airline company in Vietnam, started their first commercial flights in late 2018, but already building up a good reputation
International airlines fly to Vietnam
A growing number of international carriers are now flying to Vietnam, including the following:
Aeroflot (Hanoi)
Air Asia (Hanoi)
Air China (Ho Chi Minh City)
Air France (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
ANA (Ho Chi Minh City)
Asiana (Ho Chi Minh City)
Bangkok Airways (Ho Chi Minh City)
Cathay Pacific (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
China Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
China Eastern (Ho Chi Minh City)
China Southern (Hanoi)
EVA Air (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Hong Kong Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
JAL (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Jetstar (Ho Chi Minh City)
Korean Air (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Lao Airlines (Hanoi) Lufthansa (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Malaysia Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Philippine Airlines (Ho Chi Minh City)
Qantas (Ho Chi Minh City)
Qatar Airlines (Ho Chi Minh City)
Royal Brunei Airlines (Ho Chi Minh City)
Silk Air (Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
Singapore Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
THAI (Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City)
United (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City
Ticketing
You’ll almost invariably get a better rate for a long haul fare shopping around online, but traditional agents are still worth a try