Train travel in Vietnam

Train travel in Vietnam
Train rides are a great way to cover distance in Vietnam, whether it’s a short scenic ride or a long overnight trip designed to save airfare and hotel expenses.

Vietnam’s train lines run from Ho Chi Minh City all the way to Hanoi, stopping at major cities along the way. Two of the prettiest stretches are between Hue and Danang and the stretch in Phu Yen Province to the north of Nha Trang. Vietnam travel packages

There are several classes of train, depending on the rail line and times. The choices are hard seat (wooden benches), soft seat (similar to bus seats), hard sleeper (a cabin with six bunks with very thin padding) and soft sleeper (like a hard sleeper but with thicker mattresses and, usually, four bunks instead of six). Air conditioning is available in all sleeper cabins but may not be in all sitting cars. The trains between Lao Cai and Hanoi and the direct service between Ho Chi Minh City and Phan Thiet offer better facilities. White Dolphins cruise Halong

Dining options

Meal, snack and beverage carts generally pass by every few minutes. There is also a kitchen car where meals can be purchased, and passengers are permitted to hop off the train at stops to buy snacks. Do not linger, however, or you will be left behind. The food available is strictly Vietnamese (often rice, boiled cabbage and pork) and not very good.

Facilities are somewhat cramped, especially in sleeper cars. The cabins are often full, which may mean that you are sleeping with five strangers. The Vietnamese have a habit of sneaking children on board without tickets, which makes things all the more cramped. Large people may have trouble sitting up straight in the bunks or having enough room to lie flat.

From Hanoi, routes branch off to Lao Cai (from where buses travel to Kunming in China), Lang Son (leading to Beijing) and Haiphong. Other routes under construction may link Dalat to Phan Rang, and Ho Chi Minh City to the Cambodian border – if they are ever completed.

Why trains are the best way to get around Vietnam...
Vietnam's air-conditioned trains are safe, comfortable & inexpensive, the ideal way for independent travellers to get around and see Vietnam at ground level.  The train journeys are a genuine Vietnamese experience in themselves, an integral part of your visit to Vietnam.  You might even meet some Vietnamese people.  Inexperienced travellers sometimes think they'll save time by using internal flights - in fact, an overnight train ride from Hanoi to Hué or Danang actually saves time compared to flying, because the train leaves Hanoi city centre in the evening and arrives in Hué city centre next morning, but it's more than this, the train journey is a genuine Vietnamese experience, flying is a wasted opportunity.  Flying takes 4 or 5 hours out of your sightseeing day in getting to a remote airport, checking in, taking the flight itself, collecting your bags and getting back into the city centre.  And the sleeper train saves a hotel bill, too.  And what's the rush anyway?  Air-conditioned trains with sleepers and on-board catering link Hanoi, Hué, Danang, Nha Trang, and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).  Hoi An has no station, but it's just 30km by bus or taxi from Danang.  There are also trains from Hanoi to Haiphong (for Halong Bay) and Hanoi to Lao Cai (for Sapa).

The Reunification Express?
Trains between Hanoi & Saigon are sometimes referred to as the Reunification Express by guide books and tourist agencies, although there are now several trains on this route and no single train officially carries this name.  The line was completed by the French in 1936, and trains linked Hanoi to Saigon until 1954, when Vietnam was divided into north and south and the railway was cut.  The trains resumed on 31 December 1976, unifying the country once more.  You too can easily travel the length of Vietnam using the reunification railway, a travel experience in its own right.

The view from the train...
Coastal scenery between Hué and Danang seen from train SE1
between Hue and Danang
Along the coast and up into the hills...  The most magical part of the Hanoi to Saigon train journey is the world-class scenic section between Hué and Danang.  The train runs along the South China Sea, snaking from cliff to jungle-covered cliff past beaches and islands, then heads through the lush green mountains via the Hai Van Pass to reach Danang.  In Vietnamese it's Đèo Hải Vân meaning 'Ocean Cloud Pass', and I can't think of a better name.  These photos were taken in poor weather at the end of the rainy season - in the bright Vietnamese sun, the vivid blue skies, green waters and yellow beaches will take your breath away..