Vietnam's air-conditioned trains are the best way for independent travellers to get around Vietnam. You might even meet some Vietnamese people! Inexperienced travellers think they'll save time using internal flights, but an overnight train from Hanoi to Hu� or Danang actually saves time, because the train leaves Hanoi in the evening and arrives in Hu� next morning, city centre to city centre. It saves a hotel bill too. But more than this, the train is a genuine Vietnamese experience, an integral part of your trip.

Air-conditioned trains link Hanoi, Hu�, Danang, Nha Trang & Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). The historic UNESCO-listed town of is just 30 km by bus or taxi from Danang. There are also trains from Hanoi to Haiphong (for Halong Bay) and Hanoi to Lao Cai (for the hill resort at Sapa). See interactive route map of trains in Southeast Asia.

The view from the train

Rice fields, palm trees, water buffalo, Vietnamese towns and villages. You get a real insight into Vietnam when you travel by train which you don't get from 35,000 feet. If you people watch you'll get insights on board the train, too - the real Vietnam is as much inside as outside the train. The most magical part of a Hanoi to Saigon train journey is between Hu� & Danang where 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. World class scenic! In Vietnamese it's Đ�o Hải V�n meaning Ocean Cloud Pass, and I can't think of a better name. In the bright Vietnamese sun, the vivid blue skies, green waters and yellow beaches will take your breath away. .

Ho Chi Minh or Saigon?

Since the end of the Vietnamese war, the official name for the conurbation as a whole has been Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). However, the city centre is still officially called Saigon, which is the city's traditional historic name. In fact, the city appears as Sai Gon in all Vietnamese railway timetables, it will say Sai Gon on your train ticket and as you can see from the photo, it actually says Sai Gon in big letters on the station itself. The ruling elite may toe the line and call it Ho Chi Minh, but everyone else calls it Saigon. So do what the locals do, call it Saigon!

---

Useful country information

Train operator

in Vietnam:

DSVN (Duong Sat Viet Nam), dsvn.vn

Online booking in English with overseas credit cards accepted: www.baolau.com or 12Go.Asia.

Map of train routes in SE Asia

Time zone:

GMT+7 all year. Cheap flights UK to Vietnam

Currency:

�1 = approx 30,000 Dong. $1 = 24,000 Dong. Currency converter

Dialling code:

Dial code +84.

Tourist information:

www.vietnamtourism.com Health & vaccination advice

Flights:

Hotels:

Find backpacker hostels

Scan multiple hotel providers to find the cheapest hotel rates

Visas:

Required by most western citizens, unless you qualify for the exemption.

If you need a visa, you can get an e-visa at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/web/guest/trang-chu-ttdt.

Note that e-visas aren't valid for entering or leaving Vietnam by rail via Dong Dang, only by road via Doing Dang, you either need a regular visa or use the 15-day visa exempt arrangement as below. But they work at the land borders of Lao Cai (for Kunming) and Moc Bai (for Cambodia).

Visa exemption: Citizens of UK, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark & Finland can now visit Vietnam visa-free for stays of up to 45 days.

Page last updated:

2 March 2024

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The Reunification Line

Trains between Hanoi & Saigon are often referred to as the Reunification Express, although there are a range of trains on this route and no single train officially carries this title. The line was completed by the French in 1936 and trains linked Hanoi with Saigon until 1954, when Vietnam was divided into north and south. Trains resumed on 31 December 1976, unifying the country. You too can travel the length of Vietnam on the reunification railway, an experience in itself. Over the last decade the Hanoi-Saigon train service has steadily improved with more trains & newer more comfortable rolling stock. Here are the principal trains, there are additional trains at peak times such as the Tet holiday period.

Schematic map of Vietnamese Railways routes.

Interactive map of train, bus & ferry routes in SE Asia.

Timetable southbound2024

Hanoi ► Hu� ► Danang ► Nha Trang ► Saigon (HCMC)

Km

Train number:

SE3

SE19

SE1

SE7

SE5

SE21

SNT1

0

Hanoi depart:

19:20 day 1

19:50 day 1

20:55 day 1

06:10 day 1

15:30 day 1

-

-

115

Ninh Binh

21:34 day 1

21:58 day 1

23:10 day 1

08:26 day 1

17:46 day 1

-

-

175

Thanh Hoa

22:41 day 1

23:05 day 1

00:15 day 2

09:38 day 1

18:58 day 1

-

-

319

Vinh

01:24 day 2

01:45 day 2

02:41 day 2

12:17 day 1

21:37 day 1

-

-

522

Dong Hoi

05:41 day 2

06:05 day 2

07:05 day 2

16:56 day 1

02:30 day 2

-

-

688

Hu� arrive

08:40 day 2

09:13 day 2

09:59 day 2

20:33 day 1

05:37 day 2

-

-

688

Hu� depart

08:45 day 2

09:18 day 2

10:04 day 2

20:38 day 1

05:42 day 2

-

-

791

Danang (for ) arrive

11:14 day 2

11:50 day 2

12:32 day 2

23:05 day 1

08:30 day 2

-

-

791

Danang (for ) depart

11:29 day 2

-

12:47 day 2

23:25 day 1

08:50 day 2

08:15

-

928

Quang Ngai

14:22 day 2

-

15:29 day 2

02:03 day 2

12:15 day 2

11:37

-

1,095

Dieu Tri (for Qui Nhon)

17:29 day 2

-

18:35 day 2

05:02 day 2

15:26 day 2

14:54

-

1,315

Nha Trang

21:41 day 2

-

22:44 day 2

09:45 day 2

20:27 day 2

19:18

20:00 day 1

1,551

Binh Thuan for

01:58 day 3

-

03:11 day 3

14:01 day 2

01:19 day 3

00:01

|

1,726

Saigon arrive:

05:45 day 3

-

06:50 day 3

18:10 day 2

05:10 day 3

04:15

04:45 day 2

Timetable northbound2024

Saigon (HCMC) ► Nha Trang ► Danang ► Hu� ► Hanoi

Train number:

SE4

SE2

SE20

SE8

SE6

SE22

SNT2

Saigon depart:

19:00 day 1

20:35 day 1

-

06:00 day 1

15:00 day 1

11:00

21:05 day 1

Binh Thuan (for )

22:41 day 1

00:04 day 2

-

09:46 day 1

18:46 day 1

14:49

|

Nha Trang

02:37 day 2

03:56 day 2

-

13:46 day 1

23:30 day 2

19:12

05:30 day 2

Dieu Tri (for Qui Nhon)

06:52 day 2

08:17 day 2

-

18:52 day 1

03:51 day 2

00:06

-

Quang Ngai

09:54 day 2

11:07 day 2

-

21:54 day 1

07:09 day 2

03:21

-

Danang (for ) arrive

12:42 day 2

13:36 day 2

-

00:36 day 2

10:02 day 2

06:05

-

Danang (for ) depart

12:57 day 2

13:51 day 2

18:05 day 1

00:56 day 2

10:22 day 2

-

-

Hu� arrive

15:27 day 2

16:17 day 2

20:36 day 1

03:26 day 2

13:38 day 2

-

-

Hu� depart

15:32 day 2

16:22 day 2

20:41 day 1

03:31 day 2

13:43 day 2

-

-

Dong Hoi

18:49 day 2

19:30 day 2

23:56 day 1

07:02 day 2

17:05 day 2

-

-

Vinh

23:11 day 2

23:47 day 2

05:01 day 2

11:29 day 2

21:33 day 2

-

-

Thanh Hoa

02:01 day 3

02:29 day 3

07:39 day 2

14:39 day 2

00:47 day 3

-

-

Ninh Binh

03:10 day 3

03:37 day 3

08:58 day 2

16:13 day 2

02:01 day 3

-

-

Hanoi arrive:

05:30 day 3

05:55 day 3

11:20 day 2

19:12 day 2

04:25 day 3

-

-

Notes by train number

These trains run every day, additional trains may run at busy periods. You can check these times using dsvn.vn.

Hanoi to Saigon is 1,726km or 1,070 miles. Map showing Saigon station. Map showing Hanoi station.

If a 5am arrival in Saigon or Hanoi seems early, remember that in Southeast Asia it's usual to rise early and you'll find plenty of taxis available at this time.

SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4: The best trains, with (4-berth), (6-berth), .

Trains SE3 & SE4 were equipped with smart refurbished cars in 2015, trains SE1 & SE2 got similar refurbished cars in 2016. Trains SE1 & SE2 also have a handful of VIP 2-berth compartments (only about 4 per train). SE1 & SE2 also convey privately-run Livitrans tourist sleepers between Hanoi, Hue & Danang. Trains SE3 & SE4 also convey privately-run Violette Trains tourist sleepers between Hanoi, Hue & Danang, .

SE5, SE6, SE9, SE10: (4-berth), (6-berth), , , . Trains SE5 & SE6 were re-equipped with some of the latest modern seats cars & sleeping-cars in 2018.

SE7, SE8: Only runs at busy times, if it's running a month or two ahead. , , .

SE19, SE20: , , , , .

SE21, SE22: , , , .

SE11, SE12, SE25, SE26: On certain dates you'll find additional seasonal trains. I have not shown them here.

SNT1, SNT2: Air-con soft sleepers (both older & newer types), air-con hard sleepers (both older & newer types), air-con soft seats. Ask for a 'chat luong cao' (newer higher quality) sleeper. Also has privately-run Golden Trains sleepers attached. If you use this train and get photos, please get in touch!

SPT1/2, PT3/4: Air-con soft seats, also has various sleepers.

Livitrans, Violette, Lotus Train tourist sleepers, Hanoi-Hu�-Danang: Private company Violette Trains sells its own 4-berth soft sleepers on train SE1/SE2/SE3/SE4, private company Livitrans does the same on train SE3/SE4, private company Lotus Train doers so on SE19/SE20. These cost around twice the price of normal Vietnamese Railways soft sleepers, although they are identical to the regular sleepers with some free snacks and different colour blankets, .

Livitrans and Golden Trains tourist sleepers, Saigon-Nha Trang on trains SNT1 & SNT2, . Private companies Livitrans and Golden Trains offer their own soft sleepers between Saigon & Nha Trang on trains SNT1 & SNT2. Fare $38 for a bed in a 4-berth sleeper, bookable at www.baolau.com or 12Go.Asia - look for the Golden Trains or Livitrans logo rather than VR logo in the search results.

How to get to Hoi An:

How to get toPhan Thiet & Mui Ne:

How much does it cost?

Train fares in Vietnam are cheap, and sleeper trains save hotel bills and the cost of taxis to/from airports way outside the cities. The fares shown below are typical fares for the best carriages on the best trains, SE1, SE2, SE3 & SE4.

Fares vary by season, by train number (the less prestigious SE 5/6/7/8/21/22 are slightly cheaper) and by carriage type (fares for seats or berths in older car types are a bit cheaper). The old system of charging foreigners higher fares than Vietnamese citizens was abolished way back in 2002.

.

Children aged 0 to 4 travel free, children 5 to 9 travel at 25% off. Children 10 and over pay full fare.

Fares are shown in 1000s of Vietnamese Dong. �1 = approx 30,000 Dong. $1 = 24,000 Dong.

Fares from

Hanoi to:

Soft seat

Hard sleeper

Soft sleeper

air-con

air-con

lower berth

air-con

middle berth

air-con

top berth

air-con

lower berth

air-con

upper berth

Hue

515

1009

937

830

1109

1063

Danang

567

1034

958

849

1137

1090

Nha Trang

830

1260

1170

1035

1386

1328

Saigon

980

1295

1204

1088

1503

1340

Fares from

Saigon to:

Soft seat

Hard sleeper

Soft sleeper

air-con

air-con

lower berth

air-con

middle berth

air-con

top berth

air-con

lower berth

air-con

upper berth

Nha Trang

369

722

670

593

779

746

Danang

581

882

819

725

969

929

Hue

790

1087

957

878

1230

1147

Hanoi

980

1295

1204

1088

1503

1340

Fares from

Hu� to:

Soft seat

Hard sleeper

Soft sleeper

air-con

air-con

lower berth

air-con

middle berth

air-con

top berth

air-con

lower berth

air-con

upper berth

Hanoi

515

1009

937

830

1109

1063

Saigon

790

1087

957

878

1230

1147

Danang

97

158

147

130

174

168

Nha Trang

433

712

689

583

781

748

Fares from

Danang to:

Soft seat

Hard sleeper

Soft sleeper

air-con

air-con

lower berth

air-con

middle berth

air-con

top berth

air-con

lower berth

air-con

upper berth

Hanoi

567

1034

958

849

1137

1090

Saigon

581

882

819

725

969

929

Hue

97

158

147

130

174

168

Nha Trang

483

705

621

569

805

751

Fares from

Nha Trang:

Soft seat

Hard sleeper

Soft sleeper

air-con

air-con

lower berth

air-con

middle berth

air-con

top berth

air-con

lower berth

air-con

upper berth

Hanoi

830

1260

1170

1035

1386

1328

Saigon

369

722

670

593

779

746

Danang

483

705

621

569

805

751

Hue

433

712

689

583

781

748

Tickets & reservations

Do I need a reservation? Can I stop off?

• Yes and yes. But you cannot buy an open ticket and hop on & off trains at random, as all trains require a reservation. All tickets come printed with a specific date, train number, car number and reserved seat or berth number. So you need a separate ticket for each individual train journey you make. If you want to travel from Saigon to Hanoi (or vice versa) stopping off on the way, no problem, you simply need to book separate tickets for each stage of the journey, either or as you go.

Do I need to book in advance?

• Booking opens 60 days before departure, and sometimes over 90 days before departure, at least for the end-to-end journey, for example Hanoi to Saigon on trains SE1 or SE3. Shorter segments - for example Hanoi to Hue or Nha Trang to Saigon on the SE1 or SE3 - open later, with the really short hops only opening a week or two ahead.
• At peak holiday periods such as Tet (Vietnamese new year, in late January or February) you should pre-book as soon as booking opens, but at other times it's not usually difficult to a few days in advance if you're not fussy about the exact date, train or class. If you're booking for the same day or the following day, you might find the best quality SE trains full, but slower trains may have berths available, or perhaps you'll find the soft sleepers full, but hard sleepers available, so be prepared to be flexible. However, you're unlikely to get stuck as there's usually something available to your destination even at fairly short notice.
• If it's mission-critical to be on a specific train on a certain date in a certain class, I recommend pre-booking tickets online through 12Go.Asia or www.baolau.com, .

Can I buy all 4 berths to have a compartment to ourselves?

• Privacy-loving westerners often ask this - even though they'll happily sleep with 300 strangers on a long haul flight. Yes, you can pay for 4 tickets for sole occupancy of a 4-berth soft sleeper if you really want to, but you may need to politely but firmly repulse any attempt by other passengers to join you, or by staff to allocate passengers to your spare beds. My advice is don't bother, you'll be safe and comfortable sharing a 4-berth soft sleeper and might meet some Vietnamese people this way, rather than sitting in isolation.
• Vietnamese Railways offer 2-berth 'VIP' compartments on train SE1 & SE2, but only two such compartments per train, and only on SE1 & SE2, so best forget it unless you're very lucky. offer 2-berth compartments, you could use those.

How to buy tickets online

Option 1, buy from 12Go.Asia

• 12Go.Asia provides an excellent service for booking train tickets in Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia. They show real-time availability of seats & berths, booking confirmation is instant and international credit cards are accepted. You can now click an option to choose exact seats or berths from a seating plan, to make sure you're all together in one compartment.
• 12go sells tickets for both regular Vietnamese Railways trains and many privately-run cars such as Livitrans, Violette, Fansipan, Orient Express and Golden Trains.
• Bookings can only be made when Vietnamese Railways open reservations, usually 60 days ahead for longer distances such as Hanoi-Saigon, perhaps only a week or two for shorter hops such as Hue-Danang. So if the train you want is labelled unavailable come back later. Livitrans & Golden Trains reservations may open further ahead.
• 12Go.Asia charge the official Vietnamese Railways price plus around 60,000 dong ($2.70) service fee per ticket plus around 4% of the price (perhaps $3 per ticket for Hanoi-Hue, for example) for online credit card payment.
• You will be emailed an e-ticket which you can either print out or keep on your phone to show when boarding the train. It's now really easy, as for regular Vietnamese Railways trains there is no need to collect tickets or have them sent anywhere, just show your e-ticket!
• Children under 6 go free with no ticket required, unless you want to give them their own berth. Children under 10 get 25% off berth prices or 50% off seat prices. Children 10 & over pay full price.
• If your bank card is rejected, don't assume it's 12go that's the problem. They accept all cards from all countries, but your own bank may be blocking a Vietnamese transaction, so call them.
• By default, they'll put all your party together in the same compartment, except where that's not possible if for example there are only a handful of berths left on the train.

Option 2, buy from www.baolau.com

• Train & bus booking agency www.baolau.com offers easy online booking in plain English with international credit cards accepted. The availability shown by Baolau is 'live' and seats are instantly confirmed. In most cases you simply print your own tickets. Feedback has been very positive, further feedback is always welcome.
• Baolau's system now allows you to choose your exact seats or berths from a seating plan graphic. This works for all regular Vietnam Railways seats & sleepers although not for the privately-run sleepers. Tip: To travel in a VIP 2-berth sleeper on train SE1 or SE2, first select 4-berth soft sleeper, then select berths in a 2-berth compartment on the berth plan graphic. There are only two such compartments on the train. The price will change to the 2-berth price after you proceed.
• Baolau charge the official Vietnamese Railways price + 40,000 dong ($1.80) service fee per ticket + 2.7% of the price (perhaps $1.40 per ticket for Hanoi-Hue, for example) for online credit card payment.
• You will be emailed an e-ticket which you can either print out or keep on your phone to show when boarding the train. It's now really easy, as for regular Vietnamese Railways trains there is no need to collect tickets or have them sent anywhere, just show your e-ticket.
• Children under 6 free, aged 6 to 9 get 25% off berth prices, 50% off seat prices, 10 and over full price.
• If your credit card is rejected, don't assume it's Baolau that's the problem. They accept all cards from all countries, but your own bank may be blocking a Vietnamese transaction so call them.
• By default, they'll put all your party together in the same compartment, except where that's not possible if for example there are only a handful of berths left on the train.
• Private sleepers on key routes: As well as the regular Vietnamese Railways cars, Baolau also sells tickets for Violette & Livitrans on the Hanoi-Hue-Danang route, for Livitrans & Golden Trains on the Saigon-Nha Trang route, and for Fansipan, Orient Express, Sapaly, King Express & Chapa Express on the Hanoi-Lao Cai route.

www.baolau.com now lets you choose your exact seats or berths from a graphic like this so you can see what's available and make sure you'll all be in the same compartment together. This works for most Vietnamese Railways seats & sleepers, although not for privately-run sleepers such as Livitrans or Violette.

Option 3, order from these agencies

You can also order tickets through one of these reliable Vietnamese train booking agencies, obviously with a small fee or mark-up for their service:

• VietnamImpressive: www.vietnamimpressive.com are a reliable Hanoi-based agency which specialises in train bookings and has the Vietnamese Railways ticketing system installed in their offices. They get regular glowing reports from seat61 correspondents. Indeed, I have used them myself and seen their offices in Hanoi, and met their MD. They answer emails promptly and are very helpful.
• International Rail Australia: If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Asia or Africa, you can order Vietnamese train tickets using the contact & booking form at www.internationalrail.com.au. This is a reliable Melbourne-based train specialist who can arrange tickets for you through their contacts in Vietnam. Book at least 7-10 days before travel to allow them to turn around your booking.

Option 4, buy from Vietnamese Railways

• Vietnamese Railways launched online booking in 2014 at dsvn.vn (DSVN = Duong Sat Viet Nam = Vietnamese Railways). For English, click the UK flag top right. Until 2022 it only accepted Vietnamese-issued credit cards, but it should now accept overseas cards. Tip: At the time I write this, DSVN are geo-blocking, it's crazy how many websites around the world now do this to reduce cyber attack risk. If it says access denied simply set your VPN to a Vietnamese IP address. Haven't got a VPN? What is a VPN and why you need one.
• How to use dsvn.vn Go to dsvn.vn, click the UK flag for English and use the journey planner in the usual way. In the search results, select a train, select a carriage with the class you want, and select an exact seat or berth and click to buy. Soft sleepers are shown as a side view with 4 beds (two upper, two lower) in each compartment, hard sleepers are also shown as a side view with 6 berths per compartment, upper middle & lower. Seats are shown as a top-down view with two-abreast seats either side of a centre aisle - it's obvious if you think about it. You may need to fake a Vietnamese mobile phone number with a +84 country code if it rejects your real one. If it doesn't accept your non-Vietnamese credit card, .
• Remember that the official Vietnamese Railways website is dsvn.vn: vietnamrailways.net, vietnam-railway.com, vietnamrailway.com are not Vietnamese Railways themselves but travel agencies pretending to be.

Option 5, let Railbookers arrange a tour

• The easiest option, though not the cheapest, is to let a professional tour company such as Railbookers organise your hotels, trains, transfers and stopovers as a package. Railbookers offer several suggested tours of Vietnam including a journey from Hanoi to Saigon on the Reunification Railway with a stopover in Hoi An. These can be customised to your own requirements, I recommend asking them to add a stopover in Hue. As it's a package, they'll take care of you if for example anything disrupts one part of the trip. They have offices in the UK, USA & Australia.
  In the UK call 0207 864 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk.
  In the USA call free 1-888-829-4775, www.railbookers.com.
  Canada call free 1-855-882-2910, www.railbookers.com.
  Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au.
  New Zealand call toll-free 0800 000 554 or see website.

How to buy tickets at the station

It's easy to buy train tickets at the station when you get to Vietnam. Trains are busy, but except at peak holiday times such as Tet, if you book a day or two ahead you'll usually find tickets available, even if your first choice of class or train is sold out. Reservations were computerised in 2002 and you can buy tickets for most train journeys in Vietnam at Saigon and Hanoi booking offices. So you can buy both a Saigon-Hue ticket and a Hue-Hanoi ticket in Saigon, for example. However, at other stations such as Hue, Danang or Nha Trang, you may only be able to book journeys starting at that station. At ticket offices, you pay in Vietnamese Dong, US dollars are not generally accepted, nor are non-Vietnamese credit cards.

Tip: If you have internet access such as hotel WiFi, see for yourself what trains & classes are available on the Vietnamese Railways website dsvn.vn. Then book online, selecting the option to collect tickets & pay at the station within 24 hours. This avoids long conversations at the ticket counter about what trains & classes remain available and hurried decisions about which to choose.

Buying tickets in Hanoi

At Hanoi main station on Le Duan Street, enter by the main central doors and turn right through a narrow passageway to the ticket office, see the photo bottom right. Go to the window marked Tourist.

Hanoi main station. The ugly concrete central section of an otherwise attractive French colonial station is the result of American bombs which flattened this part of the station on 21 December 1972. Photo courtesy of David Smith.

Hanoi station, main hall inside the main entrance. Note the ticket gates at the entrance to the platforms.

To your right after you enter the main doors is a clearly-marked passageway to the ticket office.

Buying tickets in Saigon

At Saigon station, the smaller downstairs ticket office (shown below, centre picture) used to be for travel today, but now seems to handle advance bookings too. There is a larger ticket office is upstairs, but recent reports suggest this is now only handling booking changes and you may even find it closed. A numbered queuing system may be in operation, so look out for it. Press the button and take a ticket from the small box at the entrance to the ticket office, take a seat and watch the screens which will show you which counter to go to when your number comes up. Feedback on ticket purchase in Saigon is always appreciated!

Tip: If you don't mind a 50,000 dong ($2.50) fee per ticket, buying at the city centre ticket agency at 275C Pham Ngu Lao saves you going to the station. It's open 08:00-17:00 every day. It can be tricky to spot, see the photo below on the far right.

Useful Vietnamese words

Ng�i or Gh� = seat.

Năm or Giu�ng = sleeper berth.

M�m = soft class

C�ng = hard class.

Di�u H�a (�H) = air-conditioned.

Toa = coach, carriage.

Ga = Station, as in the French 'Gare'.

Gi� tau = train times. Gi� V� = ticket prices.

T1, T2, T3 = Tang 1, Tang 2, Tang 3 = lower, middle or upper berths.

K6 = 6-berth hard sleeper compartment.

K4 = 4-berth soft sleeper compartment. K=khoang = compartment.

Toan v� = Full price (adult fare with no discounts)

Luggage, bikes & motorbikes

You take your bags - of whatever size - onto the train with you and store them near your seat or berth, so you have access to them throughout the journey.

Bikes and even motorbikes can be transported on Vietnamese trains for a fee, although they don't necessarily on the same train as you. You take your bike or motorbike to the luggage office, pay the fee and hand it in. If it's a motorbike, the fuel tank must be drained and empty. They'll put a label on your bike and give you a receipt. You travel on the train as normal. At the other end you collect your bike from the station luggage office when it arrives, it usually travels on a separate train and it may take a day or two before it can be collected. Feedback appreciated.

What are Vietnamese trains like?

Air-conditioned soft sleepers

Most visitors to Vietnam choose soft sleeper if their journey involves overnight travel. Soft sleeper is a safe, pleasant and enjoyable way to go, especially on the best trains, SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4, SE5 & SE6 - although you should expect even newer cars to be a little tatty by western standards as they are intensively used.

Each soft sleeping-car has a corridor running down one side with seven 4-berth compartments opening off it, each of which can be securely locked from the inside. Each compartment has 4 berths, two upper and two lower. Each berth has an individual reading light and is supplied with pillow, sheet and duvet. By day you simply sit on the lower berths. You keep all your bags with you, there is luggage space beneath the bottom bunks and in the large recess above the compartment door.

The most modern cars used on trains SE1 to SE8 have a 2-pin power socket for recharging your mobile or camera, and you'll find a western-style toilet usually kept supplied with soap and toilet paper at one or both ends of the corridor. Several windows on the corridor side open which is useful for photography, but the compartment windows don't open. At night, there's a lock and usually an additional security catch on the door - flip out the security catch and the door can't be opened more than an inch or two even with a staff key.

There's a free water dispenser at the end of the corridor for both boiling and cold water, handy if you bring some powdered soup, instant coffee or hot chocolate with you, or buy some dried noodles from one of the stalls at the station. A trolley service comes down the train serving snacks, coffee, soft drinks and beer, and at meal times a member of the train staff will sell you a meal ticket for around 35,000 dong (�1 or $1.60). A set meal with mineral water will then be delivered to your compartment around half an hour later from the kitchen car.

attached to SE1 & SE2 between Hanoi, Hu� & Danang.

Which trains have the best cars? Trains SE3 & SE4 received smartly-refurbished air-conditioned carriages branded '5-star' in January 2015, in red & blue with a broad white stripe. Trains SE1, SE2, SE5, SE6, SE7 & SE8 received similar refurbished cars in 2016. Though there is no sign of any WiFi as originally reported in the press. Newly-built '5-star' cars were delivered in 2017, in white with a thin red stripe & blue around the windows, these are now making their appearance on trains SE1 to SE6, see the photos below. Vietnam Railways charge a fraction more to travel in the nicer, newer cars.

2-berth VIP soft sleepers on trains SE1 & SE2: Soft sleepers usually have 4-berths per compartment, but since 2018 one of the most modern soft sleeper cars on trains SE1 & SE2 has two 2-berth VIP sleeper compartments, with two lower berths. The fare includes non-alcoholic drinks and meals, served in your compartment. The fare is round twice the price of normal 4-berth soft sleeper. However, with only 2 such compartments on the whole train (just 4 beds) you need to book early -and be very lucky - to get one.

Hanoi-Saigon train SE1 calls at Danang in early 2018. The SE1/SE2 is now a mix of air-conditioned cars refurbished in 2015-2016 such as the blue & red soft sleeper car in the foreground and new cars delivered in roof. Photo courtesy of Nathaniel Perkins.

4-berth soft sleeper of the latest '5-star' type delivered in 2017. Courtesy of Nathaniel Perkins. Larger photo.

4-berth soft sleeper refurbished to '5-star' in 2015-2016. Courtesy of Alan Trinder. Larger photo.

4-berth soft sleeper, unrefurbished. My father in law is reading the paper. Larger photo.

Train SE3 from Hanoi to Saigon at Danang in early 2018. The car in the foreground with the white roof is one of the new 5-star cars delivered in 2017. The other cars on the SE3/SE4 are modern cars refurbished in 2015 & 2016. Courtesy of Nathaniel Perkins.

A hot meal served in your sleeper from the kitchen car for around $2.

Air-conditioned hard sleepers

If the soft sleepers are full, or if you're in a group of 5 or 6 people, there's no reason why you shouldn't travel hard sleeper, especially if it's an overnight journey such as Hanoi to Hue with relatively little daytime element so you'll spend most of the time in your berth. Hard sleeper compartments have 6 berths, lower, middle and top on each side, but apart from the extra two berths, the facilities are exactly the same as for soft sleepers in terms of power sockets, water dispenser, toilets, luggage space and meals.

6-berth hard sleeper.

Boarding train SE1 from Hanoi to Danang & Saigon.

Refreshment trolley!

Air-conditioned soft seats

These can be recommended for daytime journeys such as Hue to Danang or Hanoi to Vinh, but for overnight trips always book a soft or hard sleeper so you can sleep properly. In the most modern cars used on the SE-numbered trains, you'll find power sockets in the wall for charging mobiles or cameras.

Air-conditioned hard seats

These have wooden seats in modern air-conditioned cars. A bit hard on the rear for a long journey, but perfectly acceptable for a few hours.

Air-conditioned hard seats car on train SE5 at Hanoi.

Air-conditioned hard seats. See larger photo.

Ordinary hard seats

Wooden seats in much older cars without air-con. However, these cars have windows that open, which can be an advantage for photography. The photos below show an ordinary hard seats car on train LC3 from Hanoi to Lao Cai, similar cars operate on trains LC4, TN1 & TN2.

Livitrans, Violette, Lotus Train

Several private companies sell their own 4-berth soft sleeper compartments on trains SE1/SE2/SE3/SE4/SE19 between Hanoi, Hue & Danang, aimed at foreign tourists. Livitrans offer soft sleepers on SE1/SE2, Violette offer soft sleepers on SE1/SE2/SE3/SE4, Lotus Train on SE19/SE20.

You can book 4 places to have sole or dual occupancy on a whole 4-berth compartment if you like. All these companies are fine with very little to choose between them, as their prices, sleeper compartments and service are very similar.

How much does it cost?

These privately-run soft sleepers cost roughly double the price of normal Vietnamese Railways soft sleepers. Livitrans, Violette & Lotus Train charge similar prices.

Hanoi to Hue costs around US$75 one-way per person in a 4-berth air-conditioned soft sleeper.

Hanoi to Danang costs around US$85 one way per person in a 4-berth air-conditioned soft sleeper.

Is it worth paying double the price?

Not really. Originally, these private companies used special carriages painted in their their own colour scheme, fitted with an interior superior to the regular sleeping-cars which DSVN (Vietnamese Railways) used at the time. A few years ago, DSVN upgraded trains SE1/2/3/4 trains with comfortable modern sleeping-cars and it stopped these private companies using their own (older) cars. Livitrans, Violette & Lotus now rent out one or more 4-berth compartments in one of DSVN's regular sleeping-cars and resell these berths with some free snacks and different bedding at much higher prices. In high-season these companies might lease a whole car, on low-season departures the Violette accommodation can be as little as one 4-berth compartment within a standard DSVN sleeping-car full of Vietnamese travellers who are amused that a westerner has paid double to travel in an identical compartment in the same car, simply with purple blankets rather than brown ones and a few packets of free crisps. If all the regular DSVN sleepers have sold out, these more expensive tourist cars can be useful, but don't expect them to be vastly superior to the regular Vietnamese Railways soft sleepers, as they are the same.

How to buy tickets

You can book Livitrans, Violette & Lotus Train tickets online at www.baolau.com & 12Go.Asia, look for the Livitrans, Violette or Lotus logos in the search results.

The Man in Seat 61 says, :Livitrans, Violette & Lotus Train now use exactly the same '5-star' air-conditioned soft sleepers that Vietnamese Railways (DSVN) themselves use on the SE1/2/3/4 trains, just compare the photos below with the photo of a . On some departures, it's not even a separate sleeping-car, just one or more 4-berth compartments in a standard DSVN sleeping-car occupied by normal Vietnamese travellers, with literally the only difference to justify the extra cost being the colour of the blankets and a few free snacks."

Lotus Train car. Photos courtesy of Lotus Train.

Lotus train 4-berth soft sleeper. Larger photo

Golden Trains, Saigon to Nha Trang

The privately-run Golden Trains sleeping-car is a cut above the regular Vietnamese railways sleepers between Saigon (HCMC) and the beach resorts of Nha Trang. It runs attached to the regular SNT1/SNT2 overnight train, . It is similar to the Livitrans & Violette 4-berth sleepers shown above.

How to buy tickets: You can buy Golden Trains tickets at www.baolau.com or 12Go.Asia - look for the Golden Trains logo rather than the VR logo in the search results.

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Video: Hanoi to Saigon by train

This 9-minute video shows the 1,079 mile journey from Hanoi to Hue, Danang & Saigon on trains SE1 and SE3, showing the scenery, the food, the Livitrans sleeper from Hanoi to Danang and the regular DSVN soft sleeper from Danang to Saigon. The video was made before the SE1 & SE3 were re-equipped with the smartly-refurbished cars in 2015-2016.

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Getting to Hoi An

Hoi An is a historic UNESCO-listed town featuring on most visitor's itineraries, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hội_An.

Hoi An is 30 km south of Danang, but has no station of its own. See location map. To reach it, first take a train to Danang, ,

Then take a taxi or minivan from Danang to Hoi An taking 30-45 minutes. There are several options:

Option 1, pre-book a minivan or taxi from Danang city centre to Hoi An at 12Go.Asia. Shared minivans from USD 3 upwards, taxis from USD 15 upwards.

Option 2, take a taxi from Danang station to Hoi An, this costs around 350,000 dong (USD 15) depending on your negotiation skills. There are always taxis waiting.

Option 3, local bus 01 used to link Danang and Hoi An before the pandemic, but it was then diverted away from the city centre and has not so far resumed. But for the record in case it resumes, here is the original pre-pandemic information: Bus 01 runs (or rather, ran) every 20 minutes between 05:00 & 17:30 every day, fare 20,000 dong + 10,000 dong for bags over 10Kg. To take the bus, leave Danang station, cross the square and go into Hoang Hoa Tham road. At the next intersection, turn left into Le Duan street. The bus stop will be on your right, ignore the old bus stop next to house number 299, it is currently (temporarily?) moved to outside the shop at number 151 Le Duan street, indicated by a blue bus sign (See location map). Bus number 1 is coloured yellow & runs to Hoi An every 20-30 minutes. Board through the back door and take a seat. The conductor will come through to collect your fare. Have a 20,000 dong note handy (or 30,000 if you've luggage) as he won�t give change - the official price in May 2017 is 20,000 dong. Smile and ignore any further requests for money as there is no difference in ticket price for locals and tourists - it's just 20,000 dong + 10,000 dong for a bag over 10Kg! The bus reaches Hoi An bus station in about 1 hour, you can walk the remaining 2 km to Hoi An town centre. Further feedback always appreciated.

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Hanoi to Lao Cai & Sapa

Sapa is a hill station established by the French in 1922, and its beautiful scenery and colourful local tribal people make it popular with overseas visitors. The best way to get there is by overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai, then transfer by bus, car or taxi the final 38 km (24 miles) to Sapa. There are 2 or 3 overnight sleeper trains between Hanoi & Lao Cai, you can book a regular Vietnamese Railways soft or hard sleeper or choose from a wide range of of a higher standard. The line from Hanoi to Lao Cai was built by the French and opened in 1910 as part of the metre-gauge Vietnam to Kunming railway. The Lao Cai to Kunming section was destroyed landslides in 2002, but onward train travel from Lao Cai to Kunming is possible again on a new standard-gauge railway opened in 2014, see the . Hanoi to Lao Cai is 296 km (185 miles). The timetables below are compiled from the timetables on Vietnamese Railways websites dsvn.vn & www.gahanoi.com.vn (in Vietnamese only). Click here for a Vietnamese Railways route map.

Train timetable

Hanoi ► Lao Cai (for Sapa)

Lao Cai ► Hanoi

Train number:

SP1

SP3

Train number:

SP2

SP4

Km

Days of running:

*

daily

Days of running:

*

daily

0

Hanoi

depart

21:35

22:00

Lao Cai

depart

20:55

21:30

296

Lao Cai

arrive

05:15

05:55

Hanoi

arrive

04:35

05:25

* Train SP1/SP2 used to run every day, post-pandemic it's only running on peak dates.

SP1 & SP2: Vietnamese Railways air-conditioned 4-berth soft sleepers, also offers a limited number of 2-berth VIP soft sleeper compartments with two lower berths. This train also conveys various privately-run sleeping-cars for tourists, .

SP3 & SP4: Vietnamese Railways air-conditioned 4-berth soft sleepers, may also offer a handful of 2-berth VIP soft sleeper compartments with two lower berths. Also conveys various privately-run sleeping-cars for tourists including Livitrans, Violette, Sapaly, Fanxipan, Chapa, Laman, Damitrans, .

Since 2017 there is no daytime train on this route.

How much does it cost?

Here are the fares are for the regular Vietnam Railways carriages. For the privately-run tourist sleeping-cars, .

One-way fares in 000 dong

Air-conditioned soft sleeper

4-berth

lower

4-berth

upper

Hanoi to Lao Cai

430

410

�1 = approx 30,000 Dong. $1 = 24,000 Dong

Children aged 0 to 4 travel free, children 5 to 9 get 25% off. Children 10 & over pay full fare.

Upper berths cost slightly less than lower berths, but for simplicity only one price per class is shown above.

Which station in Hanoi?

• Trains to Lao Cai leave from platforms 5 to 10 of Hanoi's main railway station. In principle, these platforms can be accessed from either the main 'A' station building on Le Duan street or from the 'B' station building on Tran Quay Cap street on the far side of the tracks. However, the check-in desks for some private sleeper operators are at the B station, others are at the A station, so you need to go to the right one. And sometimes you'll find the doors from the 'A' station onto the platforms locked so cannot always walk across if you go to the wrong one.
• The check-in & voucher exchange desks for Livitrans, Violette and Fanxipan are in the 'A' station on Le Duan street, and passengers are let onto the platforms from that side of the tracks. The Orient Express & Sapally desks are at the 'B' station.
• However, it's a good idea to confirm with your operator which station - 'A' or 'B' - you should use as therehave been changes over the last few years, even taxi drivers & railway staff can get confused. Make sure your taxi driver knows which station you want. Map of Hanoi showing stations.

How to buy tickets

• Buy tickets online at 12Go.Asia or www.baolau.com. These are two reliable train & bus booking agencies, . You usually print your own ticket.
• 12Go.Asia or www.baolau.com sell tickets for the regular Vietnamese Railways sleepers and also for the privately-run sleeping-cars operated by Fansipan, Orient Express, Sapaly (three of the best companies, ), King Express, Chapa Express.
• www.baolau.com lets you select your exact seats or berths from a plan showing which seats & berths are available, so you can make sure you're all in the same compartment together. This feature works for Vietnamese Railways seats & sleepers (but not the privately-run sleepers) as long as you book more than 72 hours ahead.

Buying at the station

• You can buy tickets at the station when you get to Vietnam, assuming you want tickets for the regular Vietnamese Railways seats or sleepers, not tickets for the high-quality . Tickets to Lao Cai can be bought either at Hanoi's main station ticket office (easiest to reach), or at the 'B' station on the far side of the tracks which has its own ticket office.
• Apart from peak holiday periods such as Tet (Vietnamese new year, in late January or early February), it's not difficult to book a soft sleeper a few days in advance or even on the day, especially if you can be flexible on your choice of departure date. On weekdays you may find berths available even the day before, at weekends berths can be harder to get as that's when the locals travel.
• At ticket offices, you pay in Vietnamese Dong. If you're sure of your itinerary and it's important to be on a specific train on a specific date, then pre-book with 12Go.Asia or www.baolau.com.
• Traveller Rob Damen travelled from Hanoi to Lao Cai and back: "We just went to Hanoi station 2� hours before departure and had no problem buying tickets. We bought them at the small ticket window in the waiting area, for the price stated on the boards at the station. Our train arrived about 45 minutes before departure so we had plenty of time to get comfy in our beds. Back from Lao Cai to Hanoi we took the daytime train [this no longer operates] and we were able to arrange soft seats. In order to get the correct tickets I used your shortlist of Vietnamese words and made a note that I gave to the lady at the ticket window. She looked a bit surprised but she got the message so we got two soft seats for 168,000 dong each. The ride took 11 hours which was quite long and we had a lot of young children in the coach so it was rather noisy. The views from the train are not spectacular but that was ok, as we passed time playing games like yahtzee and some card games. We arrived right on time at Hanoi Station.
• Traveller Jens Kupsch travelled on the daytime LC4 train: "We crossed the border from China around 07:30, and bought tickets to Hanoi at Lao Cai station about an hour ahead of departure. It didn't seem to be a problem."

Arranging a transfer from Lao Cai to Sapa

• Lao Cai to Sapa is about 38 km (24 miles) and the road journey takes about 50 minutes by bus, shared minibus taxi or private car on a scenic winding road up into the hills. If you have pre-booked a hotel the best idea might be to ask them to arrange your transfer. But don't worry if you don't have a transfer arranged, on arrival at Lao Cai you'll be besieged by offers of a transfer to Sapa by minibus or taxi.
• A ticket for the regular bus from Lao Cai to Sapa costs around 30,000 dong ($1.50). These red-and-yellow buses leave regularly from the top of the car park outside the station, next to the big sign giving times & prices.
• Alternatively, a seat in a shared minibus taxi costs about 55,000 dong ($2.50) per person, or a private car about US$25 per vehicle.
• On the way back, the shared minibus taxis all leave from outside the Sapa church, running to no fixed schedule, just filling up with passengers and leaving when full. You'll need to leave Sapa around 17:00-17:30 to meet the trains, to allow for any delays on the road down. Or you can arrange a transfer back to Lao Cai direct from your hotel, ask at reception.

The train to Lao Cai & Sapa in pictures

Hanoi 'B' station on the far side of the tracks from Hanoi main ('A') station, accessed from Tran Quay Cap street. In the evening the B station comes alive as several busy sleeper trains carrying both Vietnamese and western tourists head north to Lao Cai.

4-berth soft sleeper as used on trains SP1/2, SP3/4. for more info.

Scenery on the road from Lao Cai to Sapa.

Sapa church.

Hanoi to Sapa by tourist sleeping-car

• In addition to the regular Vietnamese Railways (Duong Sat Viet Nam = DSVN) sleepers & seats, overnight trains SP1/2/3/4 between Hanoi & Lao Cai convey a bewildering range of privately-run sleeping-cars aimed at tourists. Before forking out $33 for a bed in a privately-run sleeper rather than $16 for a bed in a regular Vietnamese Railways air-con soft sleeper, read the advice below. Operators include: Livitrans, Violette, Sapaly, Fanxipan, Chapa, Laman, Damitrans.
• All these private operators offer berths in shared 4-berth air-con soft sleeper compartments, some also offer berths in 2-berth air-con soft sleeper compartments, basically a 4-berth with the two upper berths unused, for more or less double the price. If the allocation of 2-berth compartments has sold out you can pay for all 4 berths in a 4-berth, the price is pretty much the same.
• The privately-run sleepers all have air-conditioning, fresh clean bedding, complimentary mineral water and (in some cases) snacks, and clean western-style toilets. These private sleepers are all very comfortable, just remember that this is still Vietnam with Vietnamese standards, you'll enjoy the trip more if you don't turn up with unrealistic expectations of 5-star western-style luxury for $33!
• Is paying for a privately-run sleeper worth it? Until about 2015, the various private sleeping-cars had remodelled interiors a cut above the regular Vietnamese Railways (DSVN) soft sleepers, and some were nicer than others. For example, many had smartly wood-panelled interiors instead of the dated formica in DSVN's own sleepers. And the private cars were all painted in the operator's own colours and branding, which made for a colourful train. But in 2015 DSVN replaced its own cars with more modern air-conditioned sleeping-cars and revoked the operating licences for the private operators' older cars. The private operators had to lease the new type of DSVN sleeping-car, with interiors exactly the same as those now used by DSVN themselves, see the photos below. And the private car exteriors are now the same red white & blue as DSVN's own cars. No more private branding, other than a sticker in the window stating who operates the car. So has that sunk in? If you pay $33 for a bed in a privately-run sleeper, you get exactly the same type of compartment with exactly the same d�cor as if you had paid $16 to travel in a regular Vietnamese Railways soft sleeper. So what's the difference? The private cars are staffed by the operator's own staff. There's usually a vase of flowers on the table, and some small complimentary bottles of water. Bedding is provided by the operator, so may be branded and maybe a bit better than the regular bedding in the DSVN cars. Of course, you'll end up travelling with other western tourists rather than actual Vietnamese people, which you may consider an advantage or disadvantage depending on your point of view. And the private cars may be kept slightly cleaner than the regular cars. To quote one recent traveller, "I had a good look at both the SP3 & SP1. The tourist cars were easily identified because of the vase of plastic flowers and the complimentary bottles of water. But for all of them, everything else was identical to the VR [=DSVN] soft sleeper cars � cabin, bunks, sheets, pillows, etc."
• Which private operator should you choose? As all the car interiors and exteriors are now identical, there's not a huge amount to choose between the various different private operators other than price - which is also pretty similar between operators - and the 'extras' each operator claims to offer, which frankly are also pretty much the same.
• How much does it cost? A bed in a privately-run sleeper typically costs $34-$36 one-way in a shared 4-berth sleeper or $70-$79 per person for travel in a 2-berth sleeper. However, the best operators are usually acknowledged to be Fanxipan and Orient Express (both on train SP1/2) and Sapaly Express (on train SP3/4). If you use one of these private sleepers, feedback is always appreciated.
• Can I buy all 4 berths in a compartment to have a room to ourselves? Yes, if you insist, if the very few compartments allocated for 2-berth occupancy are sold out as they often are. But meeting fellow tourists and talking over a beer into the night is great fun. Would I recommend paying double to miss all the fun and sit in glorious isolation? No!
• How to buy tickets: You can book Fanxipan, Violette, Sapaly, Chapa Express & Livitrans online at www.baolau.com or at 12Go.Asia, two reliable train & bus ticketing agencies, . Just run an enquiry between Hanoi and Lao Cai, then look for the logos in the search results. If you're already in Vietnam, you can book these tourist sleepers via local travel agencies, but not at the station.

A rather nice Livitrans 4-berth soft sleeper. Photos courtesy of www.baolau.com.

Violette 4-berth soft sleeper. Look closely - it's identical to Livitrans apart from extras & bedding.

Video: Hanoi to Lao Cai by Orient Express

Note that this shows the earlier wood-panelled incarnation of the Orient Express, before the introduction of the new standard sleeping-cars across all private operators as well as Vietnamese Railways themselves. But it gives you a good idea of the trip.

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Phan Thiet & Miu Ne

The seaside resort of Phan Thiet is at the end of a 15 km branch line from Binh Thuan, a junction station on the main Saigon-Danang-Hue-Hanoi Reunification line, formerly known as Muong Man. One or two direct trains run from Saigon to Phan Thiet, shown in the timetable below. When you arrive at Phan Thiet station you'll find plenty of buses & taxis waiting to take you to the popular resort of Mui N�, 24 km northeast of Phan Thiet, a 25-30 minute drive. Alternatively, you can take any mainline train from Saigon to Binh Thuan station and then a taxi to Pan Thiet (15.7 km) or Mui N� (38 km). See Phan Thiet & Mui Ne map. See Vietnam train route map.

Saigon ► Phan Thiet

Phan Thiet ► Saigon

Train number:

SPT2

SPT4*

Train number:

SPT1

SPT3*

Saigon station

depart

06:30

07:15

Phan Thiet

depart

13:10

14:30

Bin Thuan

arr/dep

10:28

11:23

Bin Thuan

arr/dep

13:26

14:46

Phan Thiet

arrive

10:40

Saigon station

arrive

17:10

19:20

* Train SPT3/SPT4 only runs on key holiday dates, check if it's running on a given date using www.baolau.com.

Train SPT1/SPT2 runs every day, with these classes:

- air-con soft seats in a regular car with 64 seats, shown as NML or A64LV at www.dsvn.vn or when booking on www.baolau.com.

- air-con soft seats in a VIP car with only 48 seats, shown as NML48 or A48LV at www.dsvn.vn or when booking on www.baolau.com.

- air-con soft sleeper used in day mode.

Bus or taxi connection Phan Thiet station to Mui N�: Bus number 9 (the red bus) runs from the road outside Phan Thiet station to Mui N� every 20 minutes from 05:30 until 20:00, bus fare 6,000 dong ($0.30) The bus runs the length of Mui N� stopping at various points all across the resort. Alternatively, there are plenty of taxis, it's a 25-35 minute drive and will cost in the region of 230,000 dong ($12)

How much does it cost?

Saigon to Phan Thiet by train

Air-con regular soft seat 161,000 dong

Air-con VIP deluxe seat 187,000 dong

Air-con soft sleeper upper 222,000 dong

Air-con soft sleeper lower 250,000 dong

Phan Thiet to Mui Ne by bus

Minimal, exact fare not known.

Phan Thiet to Mui Ne by taxi

Around 260,000 dong (�9 or $11)

How to buy tickets: Buy tickets at the station or at Saigon's city centre ticket office or book online at www.baolau.com. If Baolau won't show the direct train, try booking online at the Vietnamese Railways site www.dsvn.vn, it may work or may reject your credit card, give it a go.

Alternative: If the times of these direct trains don't suit you, simply take any mainline train between Saigon & Bin Thuan shown in the for around 170,000 dong (�6 or $8), then catch a taxi between Bin Thuan & Phan Thiet (15.7 km) or Mui Ne (38 km), cost to Mui Ne around 500,000 dong (�15 or $24), taxi journey around 1 hour. You can book a Saigon to Phan Thiet train+taxi journey at www.baolau.com.

Traveller Andrew Stewart took the train from Phan Thiet back to Saigon and comments: "It was a nice trip. Much better than the bus that I took to get there. So many roadworks on that road. It took 8hrs and 30mins from Saigon on the bus."

Soft seats on train SPT2 from Saigon to Phan Thiet. Photos courtesy of Molly McCahan.

Bus number 9 links Phan Thiet & Mui N� every 20 minutes. Be prepared for the bus to stop some 20m away from the bus stop sign! Photos courtesy of Alistair Weaver.

Hanoi, Hue or Danang to/from Phan Thiet or Mui N�

• Simply take a train from Hanoi, Hue or Danang to Binh Thuan station as shown . Then use a local taxi between Bin Thuan station and Phan Thiet (15.7km) or Mui Ne (38km). A taxi between Bin Thuan and Mui Ne costs around 500,000 dong (�15 or $24) and takes around an hour.

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Hanoi to Haiphong & Cat Ba

Trains link Hanoi with Haiphong, for ferries to Cat Ba island. See route map.

Hanoi ► Haiphong

Km

Train number:

HP1

LP3

LP5

LP7

0

Hanoi Main station

depart

06:00

09:20

15:15

18:10

2

Hanoi Long Bien station

depart

|

09:30

15:26

18:21

5

Hanoi Gia Lam station

depart

06:23

09:56

15:47

18:47

102

Haiphong

arrive

08:25

12:00

18:00

20:55

All these Hanoi-Haiphong trains have air-conditioned soft seats. Hanoi to Haiphong is 102 km (63 miles).

Haiphong ► Hanoi

Saturday & Sunday

Train number:

LP2

LP6

LP8

HP2

Haiphong

depart

06:10

09:10

15:00

18:40

Hanoi Gia Lam station

arrive

08:17

11:20

17:08

20:52

Hanoi Long Bien station

arrive

08:38

11:41

17:29

|

Hanoi Main station

arrive

08:49

11:52

17:40

21:15

How much does it cost?

Hanoi to Haiphong

Air-con soft seat 85,000 dong (�3 or $5)

Hanoi Long Bien stationis 3 km northeast of Hanoi main station, immediately south of the huge steel Long Bien bridge over the Red River (which was a target for American bombers on several occasions during the Vietnamese war). The small road outside the station is only accessible to pedestrians, bicycles and motorbikes, not cars, so if your taxi drops you on the main road by the river, don't worry, it's just a 100m walk up the side road and round the bend to the station. Map of Hanoi showing main & Long Bien stations.

Hanoi's 'Train Street': These trains pass through between Hanoi main station & Long Bien.

How to buy tickets: You can book online at www.baolau.com or 12Go.Asia. Or buy at the station.

Ferries to Cat Ba Island: There are various ferries from Haiphong to Cat Ba island. You can book one of up to 6 departures per day at www.baolau.com. This starts with a bus transfer from 41 Ben B�nh, Minh Khai, Hong Bang in Haiphong which is 1.5 km 18-minute walk from Haiphong station, see walking route.

An air-con soft seat car on a Hanoi to Haiphong Express train. Photo courtesy of Lewis Baston.

Haiphong's distinctively French colonial railway station. Photo courtesy of Lewis Baston.

Hanoi's train street

Northern train street: You may hear of a narrow street in Hanoi where trains squeeze through and street life magically makes way, while intrepid tourists sit in trackside cafes and take photos. There have been occasional accidents and at times the street has been closed off with warning signs - you'll have to check whether it's currently open or not. But of course you can always see it safely by train! The street is between Hanoi main station and Hanoi's Long Bien station on the railway from Hanoi to Haiphong. So you'll pass through this street if you take any train to or from Haiphong that starts/terminates at Hanoi main station, or you could simply take a train one stop between Hanoi main station and Long Bien station, . Map of Hanoi showing location of both 'train streets'.

Southern train street: There is also a less touristy, less well-know 'train street' to the south of Hanoi station, on the reunification line from Hanoi to Saigon. All trains between Hanoi and all points south pass through this train street 1 minute after leaving or 1 minute before arriving at Hanoi main station. You'll also find a selection of trackside cafes here. Map of Hanoi showing stations & location of both 'train streets'.

Hanoi's famous northern 'train street'. Photo courtesy of David Smith.

A train passes through Hanoi's northern 'train street'. This is train LP6 from Haiphong to Hanoi, it has just called at Hanoi's Long Bien station and is on the last leg into Hanoi main station. Photos courtesy of David Smith.

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Hanoi to Halong Bay by train

The beautiful Halong Bay is on many visitors' lists of Vietnam highlights to visit. There are two ways to travel there from Hanoi:

Option 1, take a train from Hanoi to Haiphong , then use local buses between Haiphong and Halong.

Option 2, a direct train runs between Hanoi and Halong as shown below. This is a regular Vietnamese Railways train, not a tourist train, although there have been abortive attempts to run a tourist train between Hanoi & Halong in the last few years. This loss-making regular train was reported in the Vietnamese media as slated for withdrawal in December 2013, but it's still in operation, a rustic 4-carriage train used by the locals and an experience! Feedback would be appreciated.

Hanoi ► Halong

Halong ► Hanoi

Train number:

51501

Train number:

51502

Days of running:

*

Days of running:

*

Hanoi

depart

04:55

Halong

depart

13:45

Halong

arrive

11:45

Hanoi

arrive

20:31

* UPDATE 2024: This train has not resumed post-pandemic.

Yen Vien station is in the suburbs of Hanoi, you'll need a taxi given the early start from Hanoi, although buses 10 or 54 run there from Long Bien bus station during the day. .

Fare: 70,000 dong (�2.50, $3), hard class seats only.

How to buy tickets: You can easily check these times & buy tickets online in English at reliable ticketing agency www.baolau.com.

Feedback would be appreciated!

Traveller Matthias Meuller report (December 2016): "The train runs! It was one of my best trips ever. It's a train for women who buy fruits, vegetables, tomatoes, herbs, chicken and so on cheap in the mountains and sell it on at a little market in Halong. They take the goods by train from Mao Khe to Halong. No tourists there! You sit for two hours in the market and they want that you eat, drink, hold their babies. It's wonderful, yet none of the travel agencies in Hanoi want to believe that this train exists. I rode back to Hanoi with the train. It takes 6 hours but it's wonderful, slung in a hammock, talking with the girls from the market, who count their money and play cards. Buses link central Hanoi with Yen Vien station every 10 minutes."

Traveller Graham Phelan reports (October 2016): "I took this train in October as I love train travel and didn�t want to take the tourist bus to Halong City - I would do anything to avoid tourists! I took a taxi in the morning to Yen Vien station from my place in Hanoi, it wasn�t expensive just 166,000 VND (about �7) and cheaper if you�re leaving from Hanoi Old Town. I was absolutely wrecked getting the morning train so I missed a lot of the landscapes on the way to Halong City but I enjoyed them on the way back! People have to be aware that this train is not a comfortable train, you have to sit on a wooden seat! So make sure you bring some entertainment, a small cushion if you can find one, some toilet roll and most importantly food! This trip showed me the real Vietnam and it was a massive culture shock but I don�t regret it at all. Also make sure to get your hotel or wherever you�re staying to book a taxi for you at the station as there are absolutely none there. On arrival back into Hanoi buses do run to go to the main city bus station, the cost is 7,000 VND, about �0.25. Or you can just do as I did and find a taxi on the street since they�re so cheap."

Traveller Ferry Quast reports (September 2016): "Yes, the Hanoi-Halong train is running. It consists of 4 standard-gauge cars. These cars are some of the oldest I've ever taken. One had bench seats, the other 3 were empty and aimed at passengers with loads of vegetables and fruit [see the photo below]. For the first 2-3 hours the train was quite busy, but for the rest of the trip we were almost alone on the train. It was very slow and we think that we never had more than 25 or 30 km/h. Great experience if you want to get in touch with locals. In contrast to the train, Ha Long's train station was the newest I've seen in Vietnam. Reaching downtown Hanoi after arrival in Hanoi Vien Yen station shouldn't be a problem, there are still buses - until 10pm or so as locals told us."

One of the 3 cargo cars on the Hanoi to Halong train. Be assured one car does have seats!

The very modern Halong station.

Photos courtesy of Ferry Quast.

The seats car. Courtesy Matthias Mueller.

Unloading market goods. Courtesy Matthias Mueller

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Beijing & Nanning to Hanoi by train

There is a safe, comfortable & affordable overnight sleeper train between Beijing & Nanning every day, connecting with an equally safe & comfortable daily sleeper train between Nanning, Guilin & Beijing. Twice a week, these two trains convey a direct soft sleeping-car between Hanoi & Beijing. You can also use the Hanoi-Nanning sleeper train in conjunction with Nanning-Shanghai or Nanning-Guangzhou (for Hong Kong) trains. After a brief spell in early 2015 reduced to twice a week, the Hanoi-Nanning train went back to running every day, and Beijing-Hanoi through cars have been restored, twice a week.

Update 2024: International trains between China & Vietnam remain suspended post-pandemic.

• Beijing - Nanning train Z5/Z6 runs every day in each direction, taking 1 night.
• Nanning - Hanoi train T8701/T8702 runs every day in each direction, taking 1 night.
• A through sleeping-car with 36 soft sleeper berths runs direct between Beijing & Hanoi leaving Beijing West on Thursdays & Sundays and leaving Hanoi on Tuesdays & Fridays, taking 2 nights. It's attached to the Z5 then T8701 southbound, the T8702 & Z6 northbound.
• So you can travel between Beijing and Hanoi any day of the week with a change of train at Nanning using two separate tickets OR you can travel between Beijing and Hanoi in a direct soft sleeper twice a week with just one ticket.
• At the time I write this, e-visas aren't valid for entering or leaving Vietnam by train via Dong Dang (only for arriving or leaving at Dong Dang by road), so you either need a regular visa or use the 15-day visa exemption if available for your nationality.

Beijing, Nanning ► Hanoi

Hanoi ► Nanning, Beijing

Train Z5, runs every day, soft & hard sleepers, restaurant

Through cars:

Train MR1 / T8702, runs every day, soft sleepers only.

Through cars:

Beijing West

depart

15:45 day 1

Thur & Sun

Hanoi Gia Lam station

depart

21:20 day 1

Tue & Fri

Guilin

depart

11:36 day 2

Fri & Mon

Dong Dang, Vietnam border

arrive

01:55 day 2

Wed & Sat

Nanning

arrive

15:40 day 2

Fri & Mon

Dong Dang

depart

02:50 day 2

Wed & Sat

Train T8701 / MR2, runs every day, soft sleepers only.

|

Pingxiang, Chinese border

arrive

04:31 day 2

Wed & Sat

Nanning

depart

18:10 day 2

Fri & Mon

Pingxiang

depart

06:20 day 2

Wed & Sat

Pingxiang, Chinese border

arrive

22:01 day 2

Fri & Mon

Nanning

arrive

10:10 day 2

Wed & Sat

Pingxiang

depart

22:41 day 2

Fri & Mon

Train Z6, runs every day, soft & hard sleepers & restaurant

|

Dong Dang, Vietnam border

arrive

23:22 day 2

Fri & Mon

Nanning

depart

11:00 day 2

Wed & Sat

Dong Dang

depart

01:00 day 3

Sat & Tues

Guilin

arrive

14:22 day 2

Wed & Sat

Hanoi Gia Lam station

arrive

05:20 day 3

Sat & Tues

Beijing West

arrive

09:55 day 3

Thur & Sun

Beijing to Hanoi is 2,996 km or 1,861 miles. Nanning to Hanoi is 396km. .

Gia Lam station is 6km from Hanoi's main station, across the river. Map of Hanoi showing Gia Lam station.

How much does it cost?

• Southbound fares (1) Beijing to Nanning costs RMB 752 ($124 or �80) in a soft sleeper or RMB 473 ($78 or �50) in a hard sleeper, bought at the station or online with small extra fee fromwww.chinahighlights.com/china-trains. (2) Nanning to Hanoi costs RMB 248 (�28 or $38) in a soft sleeper bought at the station or $35 + booking fee if you pre-book from outside China through agencywww.chinahighlights.com/china-trains. (3) Beijing to Hanoi using the direct twice-a-week sleeping-car costs $336 bought fromwww.chinahighlights.com/china-trains. When usingwww.chinahighlights.com/china-trains you'll find Hanoi listed under 'G' as Gia Lam, Hanoi.
• Northbound fares (1) Hanoi to Nanning costs around CHF 31.53 = 750,000 dong (�22 or $36) in a soft sleeper. (2) Nanning to Beijing costs RMB 752 ($124 or �80) in a soft sleeper or RMB 473 ($78 or �50) in a hard sleeper using a domestic Chinese ticket. (3) An international through ticket from Hanoi to Beijing costs CHF 293 (about $294) converted into dong, in a soft sleeper.
• In Hanoi, a metered taxi between Hanoi old quarter & Gia Lam station costs around VND 100,000 (�3.50 or $5).

How to buy tickets online

• To buy southbound tickets from China to Hanoi To buy tickets from Beijing, Guilin or Nanning to Hanoi in advance from outside China, you can book online from reliable ticketing agencies www.baolau.com orwww.chinahighlights.com/china-trains. On Chinahighlights you'll find Hanoi listed under 'G' as Gia Lam, Hanoi. On days when the direct through car runs Beijing to Hanoi you can book Beijing to Gia Lam, Hanoi as one ticket. If you want to travel on the other 5 days of the week, simply book Beijing to Nanning on train Z5 then buy another separate ticket from Nanning to Gia Lam, Hanoi on train T8701.
• To buy northbound tickets from Hanoi to China To buy tickets from Hanoi to Nanning, Guilin or Beijing, use these links to reliable Vietnamese online ticketing agency Baolau.com: Book Hanoi to Nanning using Baolau.com Book Hanoi to Guilin using Baolau.com Book Hanoi to Beijing using Baolau.com Simply click Modify and change the date to your date of travel. You can also book through another reliable Vietnamese ticketing agency, www.vietnamimpressive.com who can have tickets waiting for you at any Hanoi hotel or you can collect from their offices in Hanoi. It might be cheaper to book solely the Hanoi to Nanning train online, then buy your Nanning to Beijing ticket at the domestic rate throughwww.chinahighlights.com/china-trains, but remember that you have to allow time to collect your ticket at the station in Nanning, and there isn't a huge amount of time between trains to do this is there's a delay or long queues at the station. You can also buy northbound Hanoi to Nanning tickets atwww.chinahighlights.com/china-trains but in this case tickets will need to be collected in China.
• To buy tickets in person at Hanoi, Nanning or Beijing stations, .

What's the journey like?

The daily Z-category sleeper train between Beijing & Nanning has air-conditioned 4-berth soft sleepers, air-conditioned hard sleepers and a restaurant car serving freshly-cooked Chinese dishes. It passes through some excellent scenery in southern China. Exterior photo courtesy of Nandakumar Narasimhan, interior & scenery photos courtesy of Chris "Mzungu" Holden.

The sleeper train between Nanning & Hanoi

This is the Nanning to Hanoi train at Nanning station. Below right, a comfortable 4-berth soft sleeper compartment, with two upper and two lower berths, curtains, fresh clean sheets & pillows, and small table. Interior photo courtesy of Philip Spittle. See more photos of this train here. If you get any photos of this train, inside or out, please get in touch.

Nanning to Hanoi train boarding at Nanning station. Courtesy of Sumio Toyama

4-berth soft sleeper. Larger photo.

Hanoi Gia Lam station

Gia Lam station (see location map) is a tiny suburban station across the river in northern Hanoi, a 20 minute taxi ride from the main station. Why does the train to Nanning start here? Its Chinese carriages are standard gauge 4' 8�", as used in Europe, China & North America. Vietnam's railways are metre gauge, just over 3'. A third rail has been laid as far as Gia Lam station, making the tracks dual gauge, allowing the Chinese train to run that far but no further. You can see the three rails in the photo above.

Buying tickets in Hanoi

• Buying your ticket to Nanning, Guilin or Beijing: At Hanoi main ('A') station on Le Duan street, go to the ticket counter for foreigners & international trains, open 07:00-17:30 daily. You will need to show your passport and a valid visa for China. You can pay in Vietnamese dong or (reportedly) US dollars. Credit cards are not accepted, even though there's a MasterCard sign.
• Alternatively, tickets are also sold by Vietnam Hanoi Railways Tourist Company (Travel Agency - 152 Le Duan Street, Hanoi, email [email protected] or call (84-4) 3518-6782. Again, you'll need to show your passport and Chinese visa to buy a ticket.
• If you're going to Nanning, it can help to know that Nanning is 'Nam Ninh' in Vietnamese.
• Incidentally, Vietnamese Railways cannot book domestic trains within China, so don't bother asking for onward tickets from Nanning to Shanghai or Guangzhou or wherever.
• Getting a Chinese visa in Hanoi You'll need a visa to enter China, and indeed you will need to show your Chinese visa at Hanoi station when buying a train ticket to Beijing. In 2010 it was reported that the Chinese embassy in Hanoi wouldn't issue visas for anyone who wasn't a Vietnamese citizen or resident but in 2012 a later report says they now will. If they won't, either get your visa in your home country before you leave, or arrange your Chinese visa in Hanoi through a suitable travel agency such as www.hanoibackpackershostel.com.
• Traveller Peter Day reports: Tickets (soft class only) are available from Window 7 at Hanoi main railway station. There is a system in place where you get a number which indicates your place in the line - locals ignore it, you should too. Tickets are available to purchase in cash only, Vietnamese dong only as far as one could tell. You go to the window first and the lady tells you how much, then you go get the cash and return to buy the tickets. The cost of two tickets to Guilin was over 6 million dong, clearly Beijing would be more - getting that amount of dong out of ATMs is problematic because of limits on each transaction and number of daily withdrawals allowed. We had to use 2 cards. They check you have visas for China.
• Traveller Alex Hartland reports: "I booked my Hanoi-Beijing train ticket yesterday at Hanoi station. I was sent from window 10 to window 1 to window 6 and finally window 8. The woman at window 8 spoke pretty good English, but I don't think it's the standard window for Hanoi to Beijing bookings. The paperwork took a while to process (about 45 minutes) and the final cost was 4,635,000 dong. She told me I could pay in dollars if I wanted to, but again not sure if this is standard procedure. She checked my passport & Chinese visa, too."

Buying tickets in Beijing

• You can't buy an international ticket to Hanoi at any Beijing station, or at normal ticket outlets either. But here's how you can buy in person in Beijing. If you have any further feedback, please email me!
• Traveller Laurent Fintoni reports: "I was told to go to Bei Feng Wo Lu (a street near Beijing West station) and look for a shop opposite the Tian You hotel. So I would say for anyone else, the easiest might be to get a cab or directions to Tian You hotel on Bei Feng Wo Lu. Opposite the hotel is what looks like a travel agent, though when I went it had the shutters pulled down - however it was open, not quite sure why that was. The shop sign is blue, and you can tell you found it as there is a small window on the side of the shop's main doors which says they sell train tickets. However, you want the main shop not the window. Once in there if you tell them you want to buy Beijing to Hanoi tickets, I had a sentence written in Chinese for me, she pulls out what seems to be the same form that Que Clothier mentions. The woman speaks no English, just point at the answers on the form and she does it all for you. I was charged only 1086 RMB without a 50 RMB charge, but not quite sure why as she answered in Chinese when I asked her if she wanted the charge. Her form mentions the charge, making the price 1166, the same as Chris Emmerson reported. She'll also point at a calendar and ask for dates as well as how many tickets. There are about 3 banks within 100 to 200 metres of the shop on Bei Feng Wo Lu, all do currency exchange and have ATMs however none seem to change Travellers Cheques so be careful. Once you pay her it's all done, it was really easy, the trickiest part is finding the shop, but with the Tian You Hotel being quite big (and having its name written in English on the front in big letters) it shouldn't be too difficult."
• Traveller Chris "Mzungu" Holden reports (2011): "I got my tickets from the same place as Laurent Fintoni [see above] got his. It was easy to find, took me about 30mins to get the tickets from a helpful and friendly chap who spoke no English but pointed to the booking forms and a calendar when needed. It cost me RMB 2,200 (2150+50 commission) from memory."

Buying tickets in Nanning

• Tickets are sold at the station reservations office at Nanning main station, counter 16, but according to one recent report now counter 1. It's not difficult to get places even on the day.

Travellers reports

• Traveller Phillippa Smith reports (2018): "We bought our tickets at Ga Ha Noi about 10 days before travel. Our travel dates were a week before Chinese new year and so tickets were very limited meaning to had to book the train 2 days before our ideal travel date, proving quite a squeeze on our 30 days visa allowance in China. We didn't have to show our visa for China to buy the tickets. In fact, we had to buy the train tickets to show as proof of entry into China to get our Visas at the Hanoi Embassy. Generally speaking the train is comfortable and is of a higher standard than sleeper trains across Thailand. We had two beds in a 4-berth compartment and were lucky to have it all to ourselves for the whole journey. The compartment had a lockable door. The train stopped at Dong Dang [the border station] at 1am where all passengers had to alight with their baggage which is then x-rayed and you are stamped out of Vietnam. This took around 45 minutes. Back on the train about an hour later we stopped at the Chinese border station to go through immigration into China. We got off the train again with all our luggage, and a Chinese official scanned the passengers looking for foreigners. We were the only non-Chinese and he made a bee-line for us! He took our passports away for 5 minutes as we continued to queue, then returned them to us and asked us the complete an entry form before going though immigration. We were back on the train within 20 minutes. During the time the train was in the station and shortly before, the toilets on board are all locked so it's a good idea to go before the train pulls into a station. The following morning we were treated to some beautiful mountain views and the sight of Chinese workers harvesting the bamboo by the side of the tracks. We arrived at Nanning station right on time before catching a bullet train to Guilin.
• Traveller Jim Ryder went Beijing to Hanoi: "I got my Beijing to Hanoi tickets at the same blue fronted shop featured in "Buying in Beijing" section [pictured above right]. I had decided at 9:00am on a Thursday to leave Beijing to Hanoi and thought I would take my chances at finding the shop and getting onboard. It was not difficult to find following your instructions and once inside the building the lady agreed to get me a ticket on the 3:00 pm train that very day. It was on the pricey side at 2000 Yuan but there were no other choices apparent. After a few moments I was out and hopped a public bus 2 stops to the train station. My ticket was a second class, lower berth exactly as I requested. However when I went to board the train there seemed to be a lot of discussion. My ticket was different from everyone else's. They put me an empty car except for one other passenger, my roommate and carefully watched us and escorted us everywhere we went. It very much like VIP service as my roommate agreed. His ticket was exactly like mine. They had us in the 1st lounge during our wait in Nanning and stationed a guard right next to us. All else was normal, beautiful and fun.'
• Traveller Richard Brown travelled Nanning to Hanoi: "We have just arrived in Ha Noi this morning, 30 December 2014. Several agents online offer booking services but most sources we could speak to told us the Nanning-Hanoi tickets must be booked in Nanning. I am not sure that is the case but you definitely have to go to the train station to pick them up as they are not the typical Chinese train tickets. They issued one ticket for the two of us. Tickets are printed on multi-carbon paper using an antique pin-printer. We can confirm that at Nanning main station, counter 1 is currently the one where you get the Ha Noi tickets. It is also labelled "English Speaking Counter" but the clerk could not speak English; she did get another clerk with reasonable English skills and, despite our Mandarin deficit, things went smoothly. At least at this time of the year, I believe you could get tickets on the day of travel. We booked our tickets on Saturday around 6:00pm for the Monday train. They offered us tickets for the next day and there were probably berths available on Saturday but they close sales for same day tickets at around 4:00pm. On Monday the train included several carriages with seats numbered 1-15 and then a separate string at the end numbered confusingly 4-1. The end string were the sleeper cars. Only one of these carriages had passengers so I suspect there were plenty of empty berths. The sleeper carriages were the only ones that made the trip to Ha Noi from Pingxiang at the border. The attendant in our carriage was selling water and the ubiquitous cups of dried noodles. Boiling water was of course free. We arrived at Pingxiang at 10:00pm and the English announcement said we would be there for an hour and 40 minutes. Immigration and customs was routine. We all re-entered the carriage after about 20 minutes and waited. One or two passengers joined us from Pingxiang. After about two hours we were off to Dong Dang. After 20 minutes we arrived in Vietnam. Clearing immigration and customs took about 45 minutes. Even though it was literally the middle of the night a woman was changing US$ or RMB to VND and selling sim cards and snacks. The exchange seemed fair. The train left Dong Dang and made no further stops until reaching Ha Noi. I believe that the station we arrived was different than your site currently reports . I almost certain that we arrived at Ga Yen Vien Nam; our taxi ride took about 20 minutes and we paid 300,000 VND. We knew were getting ripped off as we were told the "meter not working" story but we had few options at 6:00am local time. The roughly US$15 fare should have been about US$7 but we arrived unscathed. One thing we learned in China is to expect the unexpected. None of what happened to us may happen tomorrow so anyone reading this should not take it as the gospel truth. But we found reading what others had experienced better prepared us for what came our way."
• Traveller Steve Mercer reports from a northbound trip in 2013: "This train was by far the best of them all. There was carpet in the corridor & compartments. Plus there were free plastic shoes, although 5 sizes too small. Very handy. The taxi dropped us off at the station but I have to admit it�s not immediately apparent where you go to check in or wait. We went into the first waiting room, but a guard frantically shouted 'Nanning' at us and pointed at the correct waiting room. Boarding the train was very organised. We showed our passports before getting on and we also gave the Guard our tickets which he swapped for a credit card size card. We would give this back at the end of the journey. He then showed us to our berths. It was a good trip with no interruptions apart from the borders. Just before the Vietnam border we were woken and told we must take all our bags with us. This border point was a bit disorganised. When you put your bag on the scanner belt it was set up so you had to turn around and fight your way through the crowd behind you to get to the other side of the scanner. Then you hand your passport in. It�s not a quick process as I was waiting for it to be handed back when he looked up and gestured us to go and sit down. I�m always a bit reluctant to let my passport out of my sight, but it was all good. They did them in batches and then called your name out to come and get them. However as we were the only Western foreigners there, he came and handed them to us. It was then back on the train and off to the Chinese border. This time someone came round and handed out the immigration cards for us to fill in than came round again to collect them and our passports. We got off with all our bags and went into the immigration hall. A bit more organised this one. I can�t remember but I�m not sure if they were scanned. An immigration officer did some random checking of the bags though. It was back on the train and wait for our passports to be returned before heading off to Nanning. There were no more interruptions."
• Traveller Melissa Jacka reports from a southbound trip in 2013: "Tickets for the Nanning-Hanoi train were only available from Nanning train station, we got them about 20 hours in advance and following the advice on Seat 61 we went straight to counter 16 - the queue took about 20 minutes, and we had to show our passports and Vietnamese visa. We had no problem getting soft sleeper tickets for a Sunday night train. Adults were 190 RMB and the kids were 90 RMB. As mentioned in earlier advice the beds were reallocated by the conductors. Dinner in the dining car was simple, but fresh, tasty, clean and cheep - rice, chicken dish & beer for one was 30 RMB. The train now leaves at 18:20 and arrives at around 05:30 the next day (but this includes winding the clock back 1 hour at the border), and includes two stops where you and your luggage get off the train, the first at about 21:30 and the second at about 00:30."

Nanning - Hanoi by bus

• If the train is full or you prefer daytime travel, there are several daily buses between Nanning & Hanoi, using modern coaches and travelling by day. Buses reportedly leave Nanning bus station at 08:30. 09:00 & 09:30, journey time 7-8 hours, fare around RMB 150 (�15 or $25). The scenery is reported as well worth the trip!

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Hong Kong to Hanoi by train

It's easy to travel between Hanoi & Hong Kong by train with a change of train in Nanning & Guangzhou. You can choose to make the journey in 2 nights & 1 day using the Hanoi-Nanning sleeper train and a Nanning-Guangzhou sleeper train, with a day exploring Nanning in between. Or you can make the whole trip in under 24 hours using the Hanoi-Nanning sleeper train then a 300km/h high-speed train to Guangzhou and another high-speed train to Hong Kong. It costs as little as $86 or so in total one-way, and it's a genuine overland travel experience. Remember that you'll need a visa for China, so you'll need to satisfy any return/onward ticket requirements, which is usually more of a logistical headache than the actual travelling. If you have any more information including fares for travelling via this route, please e-mail me.

Covid-19 update: Travel to China remains restricted, international trains are suspended.

Hanoi ► Hong Kong classic option

• This is the classic option, taking 2 nights & 1 day in total. The two sleeper trains save two hotel bills, it gives you a day to explore Nanning, and is less rushed than the high-speed option below.
• Day 1 evening, take the overnight sleeper train from Hanoi to Nanning, leaving Hanoi Gia Lam station around 21:40 every day and arriving Nanning main station around 10:10 next morning, . The fare is around VND 568,000 ($30) with a comfy soft sleeper berth.
• Day 2, spend most of the day exploring Nanning.
• Day 2 evening, travel by overnight train from Nanning to Guangzhou. There are several possible trains all running every day: Train K1234 leaving Nanning at 17:50 and arriving Guangzhou main station at 07:25 next morning, train K398 leaving Nanning at 19:15 and arriving Guangzhou main station at 07:48, and train K1206 leaving Nanning at 22:50 and arriving at Guangzhou East station at 11:46 next day. All these trains have soft & hard class sleepers. The fare is about 285 RMB ($47) in a soft sleeper, or 184 RMB ($30) in a hard sleeper.
• If you arrive at Guangzhou main station, a taxi to Guangzhou East station costs about RMB 30 (�3) or you can take the well-organised metro with English-language signing from Guangzhou main station on red line 5 to Guangzhou east station on yellow line 1, for just RMB 4.
• Day 3, travel from Guangzhou East (Guangzhou Dong) to Hong Kong Hung Hom station by . There are a range of departures daily, for example one leaves Guangzhou East at 10:37 and arrives at Hung Hom at or there's one at 14:00 arriving Hung Hom at 15:48. Fare about HK$190 ($26).

Hanoi ► Hong Kong high-speed option

• This is the fastest option, taking less than 24 hours between Hanoi and Hong Kong using 300km/h (186mph) high-speed trains between Nanning, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. You only have to spend one night on a sleeper train.
• Day 1, evening: Take the overnight sleeper train from Hanoi to Nanning, leaving Hanoi Gia Lam station around 21:40 every day and arriving Nanning main station around 10:10 next morning (day 2), . Fare around VND 568,000 ($30) with a comfy soft sleeper berth.
• Day 2, travel from Nanning to Guangzhou by high-speed train in just a few hours, leaving Nanning main station on train D3625 at 13:22 and arriving Guangzhou South at 17:22. The fare is around RMB 172 ($25) in 2nd class or RMB 275 ($40) in 1st class.
• Day 2 evening, travel from Guangzhou to Hong Kong by , leaving Guangzhou South at 19:08 and arriving Hong Kong West Kowloon Terminus at 20:08. Fare about RMB 215 ($31) in 2nd class or RMB 323 ($47) in 1st class.

Hong Kong ► Hanoi classic option

• This is the classic option, taking 2 nights & 1 day in total. The two sleeper trains save two hotel bills, it gives you a day to explore Nanning, and is less rushed than the high-speed option below.
• Day 1, morning: Take an from Hong Kong Hung Hom station to Guangzhou East (= Guangzhoudong). There are a range of departures daily, including one leaving Hung Hom at 11:17 and arriving Guangzhou East at 12:58. Fare about HK$190 ($28).
• If you need to transfer to Guangzhou main station, a taxi from Guangzhou East to Guangzhou main station costs about RMB 30, or you can take the well-organised metro with English-language signing from Guangzhou East on yellow line 1 to Guangzhou main station on red line 5, for just RMB 4.
• Day 1, evening: Travel from Guangzhou to Nanning by comfortable overnight sleeper train. There are several trains to choose from. Train K483 leaves Guangzhou main station at 21:22 and arrives Nanning at 09:40 next morning. Or train K1208 leaves Guangzhou East at 17:02 arriving Nanning 06:15. Or train K1233 leaves Guangzhou main station at 19:30 arriving Nanning at 08:10. Soft and hard class sleepers are available on all these trains. The fare is about 285 RMB ($47) in a soft sleeper, or 185 RMB ($30) in a hard sleeper.
• Day 2, spend the day exploring Nanning.
• Day 2, take the overnight train from Nanning to Hanoi, leaving Nanning main station every day around 18:10 and arriving Hanoi Gia Lam station around 05:20 next morning (day 3), . Soft & hard sleepers available, fare RMB 248 (�25 or $38).
• Alternatively, there are also buses between Nanning & Hanoi, reportedly leaving Nanning bus station at 08:30. 09:00 & 09:30, journey time 7-8 hours, fare around RMB 150 ($25). The scenery is reported as well worth the trip!

Hong Kong ► Hanoi high-speed option

• This is the fastest option, taking only 24 hours between Hong Kong and Hanoi using the new 300km/h (186mph) high-speed train then a sleeper train. You only have to spend one night on a sleeper train. However, it's a bit rushed as you need to transfer fairly sharply between stations in both Guangzhou and Nanning, so I'd recommend a taxi for this.
• Day 1, travel from Hong Kong to Guangzhou by , leaving Hong Kong West Kowloon Terminus at 08:30 and arriving Guangzhou South (= Guangzhounan) at 09:28. Fare around RMB 215 ($31) in 2nd class or RMB 323 ($47) in 1st class. You need to be at the station at least 45 minutes before departure to complete customs & border formalities, .
• Day 1, travel from Guangzhou to Nanning by high-speed train in just a few hours, leaving Guangzhou South at 11:06 on train D3834 and arriving Nanning main station at 15:15. The fare is around RMB 172 ($25) in 2nd class or RMB 275 ($40) in 1st class.
• Day 2, take the overnight train from Nanning to Hanoi, leaving Nanning main station every day around 18:10 and arriving Hanoi Gia Lam station around 05:20 next morning (day 3), . Soft & hard sleepers available, fare RMB 248 (�25 or $38). Alternatively, there are several modern buses from Nanning to Hanoi every morning.
• Alternatively, there are also buses between Nanning & Hanoi, reportedly leaving Nanning bus station at 08:30. 09:00 & 09:30, journey time 7-8 hours, fare around RMB 150 ($25). The scenery is reported as well worth the trip!

How to buy tickets

• To buy tickets starting in Hanoi, in advance over the internet Step 1, arrange your Hanoi to Nanning ticket through either www.baolau.com or www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains, both are reputable agencies. You can collect tickets from their offices in Hanoi, or have them delivered to your hotel in Vietnam. Step 2, book the Nanning to Guangzhou train online using either www.baolau.com, www.china-diy-travel.com or www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains. You collect tickets from the ticket office at Nanning station. Booking opens 60 days before departure. Step 3, book from Guangzhou to Hong Kong West Kowloon as a second transaction at www.baolau.com or www.china-diy-travel.com with ticket collection at either Nanning or Guangzhou South stations, obviously it makes sense to pick up your Nanning-Guangzhou and Guangzhou-HK tickets together in Nanning. Arranging tickets this way means you have the necessary proof of entry & exit to apply for a Chinese visa.
• To buy tickets starting in Hanoi, in person You can easily buy a Hanoi to Nanning ticket at the international booking counter at Hanoi main station on Le Duan street, reported as open 07:00-17:30 daily. You'll almost always find places available, even on the day of departure. It can help to know that for Nanning is 'Nam Ninh' in Vietnamese. Alternatively, tickets are also sold in Hanoi by Vietnam Hanoi Railways Tourist Company (Travel Agency - 152 Le Duan Street, Hanoi, email [email protected] or call (84-4) 3518-6782. You'll need to show your passport and Chinese visa when buying tickets, so arrange your Chinese visa first. It's easiest to get a visa in your home country before you leave, but you can also get a visa in Hanoi. It was reported back in 2010 that the Chinese embassy in Hanoi wouldn't issue visas for anyone who wasn't a Vietnamese citizen or resident, but since 2012 they apparently now will. If they won't, you can still arrange a Chinese visa in Hanoi through a suitable travel agency such as www.hanoibackpackershostel.com. Remember you will need to comply with any entry/onward ticket requirements when applying for a Chinese visa. You can buy an onward ticket from Nanning to Guangzhou and Guangzhou to Hong Kong when you get to Nanning station, or you can arrange the Nanning to Guangzhou ticket online with reliable Chinese train ticket agency www.china-diy-travel.com and collect the ticket at the station in Nanning.
• To buy tickets starting in Hong Kong, in advance over the internet Step 1, arrange your Nanning to Hanoi train ticket, through agencies www.baolau.com orwww.chinahighlights.com/china-trains. Pre-booking overcomes the annoying requirement for an onward ticket when applying for your Chinese visa. Step 2, now book your train from Guangzhou to Nanning online at www.baolau.com orwww.chinahighlights.com/china-trains or www.china-diy-travel.com. Booking opens 60 days before departure and you can collect tickets at Guangzhou South station. Step 3, now book your train from Hong Kong West Kowloon to Guangzhou at www.baolau.com orwww.chinahighlights.com/china-trains or www.china-diy-travel.com and collect tickets at the station. Or if using the slower from Hung Hom (Hong Kong) to Guangzhou East, book online at www.it3.mtr.com.hk. Arranging tickets this way means you have the necessary proof of entry & exit to apply for a Chinese visa.
• To buy tickets starting in Hong Kong, in person You can buy Hong Kong to Guangzhou and Guangzhou to Nanning tickets at the China railway office at Hung Hom railway station. They may be able to do the Nanning to Hanoi ticket, but if not, buy it when you get to Nanning. Alternatively, you can buy tickets from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, Guangzhou to Nanning and (if they can do it) the Nanning to Hanoi at the CTS (China Travel Service) Central branch or CTS Mongkok branch in Hong Kong, as these two branches are equipped with the Chinese Railways ticketing system. Again, if they cannot do the Nanning to Hanoi train, buy this when you get to Nanning at the station. The Nanning to Hanoi train can easily be booked at Nanning station reservations office counter 16, though a more recent report says counter 1. You'll usually find places available even on the day of travel.

Chinese visas

• You'll need a Chinese visa to cross China between Hong Kong and Hanoi, either a transit visa or tourist visa. The requirements vary depending on your nationality and where you apply for the visa, but you'll often have to prove you have a ticket into and out of China. This can be a pain when you can only buy train tickets close to departure, or you plan to buy as you go, at the station on the day. It can also lead to a 'Catch 22' if you plan to buy train tickets in Hanoi and need to show the visa to get the train tickets. One way round this is to use a local Hong Kong or Vietnamese travel agency to sort all your tickets, using the agency's booking confirmation to get the visa, even though the agency can't get the tickets themselves until close to departure time. The ultimate fall-back is that old favourite, buy the cheapest refundable airline ticket into & out of China, make a free-cancellation hotel booking for all of the nights you plan to be in China using a hotel site such as booking.com, use these to get your visa (which won't specify entry points or itinerary) then cancel everything.

What are the trains like?

Above left: This is the Nanning to Hanoi train. The Guangzhou to Nanning train is very similar Above right: A comfortable 4-berth soft sleeper compartment on the Nanning to Hanoi train, the compartments on the Guangzhou to Nanning train are similar. It has two upper and two lower berths, curtains, fresh clean sheets & pillows, and small table. Cheaper hard sleepers are also available. Interior photo courtesy of Chris at www.myeggnoodles.com.

Travellers' reports

• Traveller Hendryk went from Hong Kong to Hanoi: "At the Hung Hom station in Hong Kong there's now a china-railway-office where you can book the tickets to Guangzhou East (190 HKD) and onwards to Nanning for between 268 HKD and 298 HKD, soft sleeper for the next day or later (same day was fully booked). They charge a service fee of 200 HKD for that. We took the 11:28 train to Guangzhou East and the 15:43 sleeper train to Nanning, it also departs from Guangzhou East, so no changing station necessary. We arrived in Nanning at 7:07am. We almost overslept, but a good sign to get off is when the stewards change your placeholder cards back to your ticket. In Nanning as said above, it was very crowded in the train station, maybe because of that weekend. At the counter number 16 (you should ask that before at the train info - no English signing anywhere) we had to wait for more than an hour but we got the soft sleeper tickets to Hanoi Gia Lam for 1.10.2012, departing 18:20, for 215 RMB each. [2012]
• Traveller Jeremy Buddress travelled from Hanoi to Hong Kong: "We bought our Hanoi-Nanning tickets at Counter 10 of Hanoi main station - a 4 berth soft sleeper for 1,102,000 VND per person. The process was a little confusing. We went to the station on a Tuesday to try and confirm costs and times. While the ticket machine at the entry to the main waiting area spits out slips for you spot in the queue, the '5' button that we pressed for "International Tickets" produced a 5000-series number which never ended up on the display even after 45 minutes of waiting, so we went to a ticket window to ask. So, after stepping up to on of the other ticket counters we learned that the train did in fact leave every day (contradicting what one travel agent told us, even after making a "confirming" phone call). We weren't ready to buy yet as we were still waiting for our China visas, which is another story. But it does bring up a good point - you do need your passport when you buy tickets with the proper China visa ready to go. So after getting our visas we returned to the station on Thursday afternoon. Unfortunately the noonish hour was apparently lunch so we waited until Counter 10 reopened around 13:30. Counter 10 is the only one labelled 'International Tickets" in English. The transaction was speedy and we paid in cash. We caught a cab from the Old Quarter to the Gia Lam Train Station in northeast Hanoi for about 70,000 VND. Gia Lam is much smaller than the main station but nice enough. We boarded our train right on time with only six other passengers. The stop at the Vietnam border control was no more than 20 minutes (off of the train, minus luggage) and at the China border was only about 15 minutes (off of the train, with luggage). Arrival and departure times were spot on per your timetable. On arriving in Nanning we grabbed a room at a hotel across the street from the train station for 80 RMB, as the train didn't leave for Guangzhou until 00:30 that night. Getting our tickets for this leg was a bit more challenging, as the Nanning ticket area is labelled almost entirely in Chinese. Fortunately we were able to buy our domestic tickets at the international counter (

  16, also labelled in English) for 197 RMB per person in a hard sleeper. These were 6 berth, open to the corridor bunks that were full to capacity. There appeared to be an earlier train around 19:00 that night, but it was full minus hard seats. Our train left about 15 minutes late from Nanning, but again it was smooth sailing after that. Arrival at the Guangzhou Main Station was a bit hectic as it is quite massive. Meeting our friend "out front" proved to be a challenge. The KFC is a nice landmark, attached to the station, right in front, if you need to meet someone there. [April 2009, but still current]

• Traveller Erandathie Jayakody travelled from Hong Kong to Hanoi: I didn't buy the tickets in advance, I bought tickets along the way. China Travel Services in Hong Kong can arrange tickets for you with a few days notice from Hong Kong to Guangzhou and from Guangzhou to Nanning. There is a China Travel Service and another travel agent at the Hung Hom Station in Hong Kong (at the concourse, not at the MTR station itself). However, I found it cheaper to buy the tickets from the station. I caught the train from Hung Hom station in HK to Guangzhou East Station on 2 January 2009. Hong Kong to Guangzhou was HKD$ 190. It left promptly at 10.42 and arrived in Guangzhou at about mid-day. Buying the ticket from Guangzhou was a bit difficult as I got caught up in the Chinese New Year rush, however I managed to buy a sleeper ticket to Nanning to depart same evening. The ticket to Nanning and Guilin are sold at Counter 7. The ticket cost RMB 173. The train departs from the Guangzhou main Station, the taxi ride from Guangzhou East Station to the main station costs about RMB 30. The train left at 16.52pm and arrived in Nanning at approximately 6am. I then bought a ticket for the new overnight train from Nanning to Hanoi []. [January 2009]
• Traveller Cath Battersby traveller Hong Kong to Hanoi: We bought our tickets 3 days ahead at Hung Hom station at China Railways (HK) holdings, under McDonalds. We paid HK$999 for 2 of us HK to Nanning hard sleeper. (HK$190 HK to Guangzhou, RMB 179 Guangzhou to Nanning and HK$100 commission each). Soft sleeper would have been a total of HK$1235 for 2. We had to pay in cash. The staff were very helpful and provided us with a B & W map of Guangzhou metro. We left HK at 11.17. We weren�t allowed through security until 10:35. Buy any drinks/snacks you need in advance, nothing past security except toilets and duty free. Excellent train and trouble free departure/immigration. Upon arrival at Guangzhou the signs to the metro are in English and easy to follow. It is fairly simple to work out how to get to the main station with the coloured maps on display. Large signs at Guangzhou main station show you which waiting room you need for your train. Lots of snack food and hot water available. The overnight train to Nanning was a smooth journey. The signs in Nanning are now in English too and we bought tickets for train

  5517 to Pingxiang (RMB 17, 8am � 11:30). Hard seats, friendly co-passengers and some great scenery on this trip! In Pingxiang there were a large number of people vying for our business. We paid RMB 5 for a mototaxi/tuktuk to the border and changed money in the back. Very quick and easy at the Chinese border and more money changing opportunities (although we didn�t see anywhere official). It�s useful to have Dong as you�ll need to pay a small fee (VND 2000) for your �medical check� at Vietnamese immigration. We had a trouble free entry. Once through immigration we could not find anyone that would take us to Dong Dang. This may have been a scam but we had to settle for paying US$5 each (cheaper if you can pay in Dong) for a taxi to Lanson. We were taken straight to a minibus office and we paid VND 110,000 (their starting price was VND 200,000) for a seat to Hanoi�s main train station. This took about 3 hours and left almost immediately. [January 2009]

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Kunming to Hanoi by train

Until 2002 a twice-weekly metre-gauge sleeper train linked Kunming in China with Hanoi, but floods and landslides damaged the Chinese part of the line and it was discontinued. However, a brand new standard-gauge Kunming-Hekou railway line was completed and in December 2014 trains ran once more between Kunming and the border town of Hekou. It's possible once again to travel between Kunming and Hanoi by train, safely, comfortably and affordably, using a Chinese train from Kunming to the Chinese border town of Hekou, then a taxi a few km to the border post, walking across the border and on to Lao Cai station in Vietnam for a Vietnamese sleeper train to Hanoi. Here's how.

Update 2024: International trains between China & Vietnam remain suspended post-pandemic.

Kunming ► Hanoi

• Step 1, travel from Kunming to Hekou North (= Hekoubei) by train. There are several trains a day, for example the K9832 leaving Kunming at 09:29 arriving Hekou North at 15:53, and the K9822 leaving Kunming at 16:00 and arriving Hekou North at 21:44. The fare is 70.5 RMB ($11) for a regular hard seat (comfortable enough) or RMB 182 ($30) with a seat in a soft sleeper. There's even an overnight train with hard sleepers, departing 22:48 arriving 06:07. You can check times & fares (and if you don't mind a few dollars booking fee, buy tickets) atwww.chinahighlights.com/china-trains.
• Step 2, transfer from Hekou North station in China to Lai Cai station in Vietnam: Either take a bus the several kilometres from Hekou North station to the Hekou border point for RMB 2, journey time 10-15 minutes, or take a taxi for around RMB 10-15, there will be plenty of taxis waiting at the station. Walk across the border to the Vietnamese side (border controls can take up to an hour) then walk another 25 minutes or take a 5-minute taxi ride into Lao Cai, just 2.5km (1.5 miles) from the border post. There are hotels in both Hekou and Lao Cai if you need them. You may want to visit the pleasant hill station at Sapa for a day or two before going on to Hanoi, Sapa is just 40km from Lao Cai by taxi, bus or minibus, .
• Step 3, travel from Lao Cai to Hanoi by overnight sleeper train, . There are several sleeper trains every night, some with cheap DSVN (Vietnamese Railways) soft & hard sleepers and others with a variety of comfortable privately-run soft sleeping-cars with 2 & 4-berth compartments aimed at tourists.
• If you use this route using the new trains, feedback & any photos would be much appreciated.

Hanoi ► Kunming

• Step 1, travel from Hanoi to Lao Cai by overnight sleeper train, . There are cheap DSVN (Vietnamese Railways) soft & hard sleepers and a variety of comfortable privately-run soft sleeping-cars with 2 & 4-berth compartments aimed at tourists. You may want visit the pleasant hill station of Sapa for a day or two before going on into China, Sapa is 40km from Lai Cai by taxi, bus or minibus.
• Step 2, transfer from Lao Cai station to Hekou. Lao Cai is just 2.5 km (1.5 miles) from the Chinese border. You can walk (25 minutes) or take a taxi (5 minutes) from Lai Cai station to the border post and walk across into Hekou on the Chinese side. Passing through both sets of customs takes about an hour. In Hekou, the Hekou North (=Hekoubei) station is a few kilometres away. You take a taxi for around RMB 10-15.
• Step 3, travel from Hekou to Kunming by train. There are several trains a day, for example you should easily make the K9694 leaving Hekou North station (= Hekoubei) at 16:16 arriving Kunming at 22:29. The fare is 70.5 RMB ($11) for a regular hard seat (comfortable enough) or RMB 182 ($30) with a seat in a soft sleeper. There's even a sleeper train to Kunming with hard sleepers, leaving Hekoubei at 23:20. You can check times & fares (and if you don't mind a few dollars booking fee, buy tickets) atwww.chinahighlights.com/china-trains.
• If you use this route using the new trains, feedback & any photos would be much appreciated.

What's the journey like?

For photos of the Hanoi to Lao Cai trains, . Photos below courtesy of Jan Bockaert.

Hekou North station.

Boarding the train to Kunming.

Hard class seats.

Mountains seen from the Hekou-Kunming train.

Traveller's reports

• Traveller Jan Bockaert travelled from Hanoi to Kunming by train in December 2014: "Two days ago, I took the train from Hanoi to Kunming in China over the new line from Hekoubei to Kunming. The trip went exactly as described on your site. Lonely Planet has some warnings about the border crossing from Lao Cai to Hekou. But it went butter smooth, very friendly and professional at both sides of the border. It took me about half an hour, an hour and a half if you factor in the time difference between China and Vietnam. Hekou North [Hekoubei] station is quite far from the city centre, in the middle of nowhere. You can get a taxi from the border post to the station for 20 yuan, but the first driver I took asked 40. (about 5 euro) None of the drivers wanted to use the meter. The station building isn�t finished yet. You can�t leave your luggage yet, and there is no shop in the station, although there was a small stand in front of the station. Part of the station crew was also still in training. The ticket office was open from 5:30 till 6:20 from 9:00 till 11:00 and from 14:30 till 16:30. The woman selling me the ticket spoke decent English. I booked a hard seat at around 10 in the morning, and by the time we left, the compartment was fully booked. Most of the wagons seemed to be sleepers however. The first part of the line goes (literally) trough some very spectacular mountains, i guess the first hour or so, about 80 percent of the trip went trough tunnels. The view on the other 20 percent of the line is very nice. Once you are out of the mountains, it gets dark quickly. I had to wait almost 8 hours in between getting of the train in Lao Cai and getting on the train in Hekou, but both Lao Cai and Hekou are big enough cities to keep you busy with changing money, buying a Chinese sim card etc. I had a very relaxed day."

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Europe to Vietnam by Trans-Siberian Railway

If you have the time (we're talking around two weeks), you can travel from London to Vietnam by train.

• Step 1, London to Moscow by train. There are daily departures via Brussels, Berlin & Warsaw. The journey takes 2 nights, from around �250 one-way with sleeper. Update 2024: Trains to Russia are suspended due to Covid-19 and now sanctions.
• Spend at least 1 night in Moscow.
• Step 2, Moscow to Beijing by Trans-Siberian Railway. Two direct trains every week all year round, 6 nights. Fares from around �500 one-way with a bed in a 4-bed sleeper. Update 2024: Moscow-Beijing trains remain suspended post-pandemic.
• Spend at least 1 night in Beijing.
• Step 3, . There are two direct trains a week, 2 nights, about $320 or �220 one-way in soft sleeper. Alternatively, there are daily trains with a change in Nanning. Spend at least 1 night in Hanoi. Update 2024: Trains between China & Vietnam remain suspended post-pandemic.

How to plan & book this trip

• There aren't any travel agencies who can arrange the whole trip, so you will need to plan it out and arrange each stage of the journey yourself. It's an exercise in project management! Unless time is no object, you should book the key sections in advance through various travel agencies.
• Book London-Moscow as shown on the London to Russia page.
• Book Moscow-Beijing through a local Russian agency such as Real Russia, .
• Book Beijing to Hanoi .
• You'll need to pre-arrange visas for Belarus, Russia, possibly Mongolia, China & Vietnam, and in many ways complying with the various visa requirements (which sometimes require confirmed onward tickets to be held) is actually the biggest challenge, not buying the tickets, so check this out carefully using the relevant embassy websites.
• Where do you start? First, read through the seat61 pages linked above. Then sketch out your itinerary using a simple spreadsheet like this, deciding where and for how long you want to stop off. Next, check out the visa situation for each country. Finally, follow the advice on each seat61 page to buy tickets for each train journey that you want to pre-book.

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Guidebooks

Paying for a guidebook may seem an unnecessary expense, but it's a tiny fraction of what you're spending on your whole trip. You will see so much more, and know so much more about what you're looking at, if you have a decent guidebook. The best guidebooks for independent travel are the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide. You won't regret buying one of these guides!

Buy at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website, from around �2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

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Hotels in Vietnam

In Saigon: Continental Hotel

The famous and historic Continental Hotel is one of my favourite hotels worldwide, not merely a place to stay but a Saigon landmark since 1880. Indeed, the Continental is the backdrop for much of the action in Graham Greene's novel 'The Quiet American', set in Saigon during the Franco-Vietnamese war. If it's in your price range or if you can stretch your budget, the Continental is superbly located, right next to the Opera House in the centre of Saigon and a stone's throw from Saigon's distinctive town hall, post office and cathedral. It's quiet, understated, clean and comfortable with high ceilings, marble floors and wood panelling, and not a corporate clone like so many chain hotels. The breakfast buffet is good, and it has a pleasant central courtyard and bar if you prefer to eat or enjoy a beer al fresco. There's free WiFi, too. A double room costs around $140 (�88) per night. Tripadvisor reviews. Nearby, the famous Rex Hotel was where many American officers stayed during the Vietnam war. If you prefer something more glitzy and glamorous, try the impressive Majestic Hotel, a mere parvenu dating from 1925 with many art nouveau features, located across the road from the Mekong river.

The Continental Hotel, a Saigon landmark since 1880, next to the Opera House with simple, spacious rooms.

In Hanoi: Budget: Hanoi Trendy Hotel. Top end: Sofitel Metropole

A little budget gem, the Hanoi Trendy Hotel & Spa (formerly the Hanoi Art Hotel) may not be historic or grand, but it's an excellent low-cost choice from $45 a night for a room with toilet & shower, tea & coffee making facilities, free WiFi, safe, free mineral water, a great breakfast, and great staff at reception who really put themselves out to help you. It's well located in central Hanoi, a short walk from the War Remnants Museum, a 10-15 minute taxi ride from Hanoi's main station. Of course, at the luxury end of the scale we have Hanoi's most venerable and upmarket hotel, the luxurious and expensive Sofitel Metropole, which comes complete with outdoor swimming pool and lido bar.

In Hu�: Budget Than Thien Hotel, top end La Residence Hotel & Spa.

At the top end, look no further than La Residence Hotel & Spa, located in the former French governor's residence on the banks of the Perfume River. For the budget-conscious, try the equally central Than Thien Hotel. Both get great reviews.

In Sapa: Victoria Hotel

The best hotel in Sapa, now renamed BB Resort & Spa, which even runs its own train from Hanoi, . You'll find a real log fire burning in the lobby and restaurant, and they do an excellent breakfast buffet. The hotel features an indoor swimming pool and adjacent spa, too. If your budget can stretch, this is the place to stay!

My favourite hotel search: www.booking.com

Booking.com is my favourite hotel booking site and I generally use it to book all my hotels in one place. I've come to trust booking.com's review scores, you won't be disappointed with any hotel that scores 8.0 or more. Crucially, booking.com usually lets you book with free cancellation, which means you can confirm accommodation risk-free before train booking opens and/or you can hold accommodation while you finalise your itinerary and alter your plans as they evolve - a feature I use all the time when planning a trip. I never book hotels non-refundably!

You might also want to check Tripadvisor's recommendations: Tripadvisor Vietnam hotels.

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Flights to Vietnam

Overland travel by train & bus around Vietnam is an essential part of the experience, so once there, don't cheat and fly, stay on the ground! But if a long-haul flight is unavoidable to reach Vietnam in the first place, check Opodo and also try the Skyscanner search tool to compare flight prices & routes worldwide across 600 airlines.

1) Check flight prices at Opodo, www.opodo.com

2) Use Skyscanner to compare flight prices & routes worldwide across 600 airlines

3) Lounge passes

Make the airport experience a little more bearable with a VIP lounge pass, it's not as expensive as you think! See www.loungepass.com

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Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least �1m or preferably �5m medical cover. It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself. Here are some suggested insurers. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

www.staysure.co.uk offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & gets 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot.

www.columbusdirect.com is also a well-know brand.

If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list. Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, �500 per month at time of writing. The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works: 1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android. 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader. The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out). I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great. See details, download the app and get a Curve card, they'll give you �5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing. Why you need a VPN

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure. A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi. It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply. See VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from Buy from Amazon.com.

What is the best way to get from Hanoi to Hoi An?

The fastest way to travel from Hanoi to the Ancient Town is by plane, with a certain number of daily flights between these cities. The flight takes about 1.5 hours. There are several airlines to choose from, including Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific, Vietjet Air, and Bamboo Airways.

How long is the train from Hanoi to Dong Hoi?

It takes 1 hour to get from Hanoi to Dong Hoi by plane and 10 hours by train.

Is Vietnam Railways good?

Taking the train in Vietnam is nothing like it is in Europe, North America, Japan or China: rail travel in Vietnam is low-tech, slow, informal, and exciting. What's more, train travel is relatively cheap, comfortable, efficient and easy to book.

Is there a train from Hanoi to Hoi An overnight?

Although the train only takes you as far as Da Nang railway station, it's still a popular way to travel to Hoi An. The journey time is around 16 hours and the ticket cost is around $40 USD per person one-way. You can opt for a premium seat or a shared 4 or 6-berth compartment if you're traveling overnight.