All about trains in Vietnam and how to use them

General information about railways in Vietnam

The railway network in Vietnam is not very developed. There is a railway line connecting the north with the South (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City), and passing through all the major cities and resorts of the center of the country: Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hue, Vinh. From Hanoi there is a branch to Laocai (to get to Sapa), Haiphong (to get to Catba island or Halong Bay). Also from Hanoi, the railway goes to China, and then even to Russia and Europe up to London.

However, traveling by train is one of the most comfortable ways to travel around the country. Train tickets are cheaper than planes, but the truth is almost twice as expensive as buses of the same destinations. During the Vietnamese New Year Tet, and this is January and February, train fares increase up to 4 times.

In addition to the obvious savings on the fare itself compared to airplanes, you can also save on accommodation by train, especially on night trains. After all, instead of spending the night in a hotel, you can sleep well on the train, and in the morning arrive at the resort fresh and rested.

How and where to get by train in Vietnam

Not all resorts in Vietnam can be reached by train, and you have to change by bus, ferry, or taxi. Here is a brief description of how and where you can get by train, and for more information, see the relevant sections on resorts:

• Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hue, Nha Trang. All these cities lie on the same line, you can get from any to any by train without transfers.
• In Sapa. There is no train to Sapa, but from Hanoi you need to take a train to the city of Laocai (usually night trains), and there change to a bus that goes to Sapa for about 1 hour. see how to get to Sapa.
• Hoi An. There is no train to Hoi An, but you can get there via Da Nang. From Da Nang railway stations Hoi An can be reached by taxi or local city bus #1. see how to get to Hoi An from Da Nang.
• Catba island. To get to Catba island, you need to take a train from Hanoi to Haiphong City, from where you can take a taxi to the ferry pier, and then take the ferry to the island. You can also use a ready-made tourist transfer from Haiphong to Cat Ba, which is even cheaper than getting there yourself. See how to get to Catba.
• To Mui Ne and Phan Thiet. 15 kilometers from the resort is the station Binh Thuan (former Muong Man). All trains from Ho Chi Minh City pass through this station. From Binh Thuan to Mui Ne you will have to take a taxi for 20-30 dollars. see more on how to get to Phan Thiet/Mui Ne.

Train schedules by destination

Train classes and carriages

In Vietnam, cars and trains are of different classes, as with us. There are standard seating and sleeping, air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned, hard and soft, and branded commercial superior trains. Different trains may have different classes, but not all have all classes present at once.

A common helpful tip for traveling in air-conditioned carriages is to dress warmer, especially on Night Flights. The air conditioners here work mercilessly, in the compartment at night it is very cold even under a blanket. Experienced travelers have long taken Scotch tape with them on the train and sealed the ventilation grilles at night.

The routes of ordinary trains are designated SE1, SE2, etc., as well as SNT2, SNT2, SPT1, PT3. But there are also special high-comfort cars that are included in the usual composition: Livitrans, Golden Trains and Violette.

Here are the standard classes:

• Livitrans, Golden Trains and Violette are private luxury coaches that equate to five stars. Mostly wealthy Europeans travel on these trains, since the price for ordinary Vietnamese and even budget tourists is unaffordable. They do not operate on all routes, but only from Hanoi to Da Nang (via hue) and from Saigon to Nha Trang.
• Soft sleeper is the most popular and convenient option. This is an analogue of our coupe, which is practically no different except for details. There are also lockable four-seater compartments, toilets at the end of the car, and a water heater with boiling water for brewing tea, coffee, noodles. The newest trains have 220V sockets.
• Hard sleeper – the same as Soft sleeper, but the compartment does not have 4, but six shelves for passengers in three vertically. Otherwise, it is absolutely not inferior to the previous class.
• 2-berth VIP soft sleeper - a new type of double coupe of increased comfort. The compartment has two shelves instead of four, drinks and food are included in the ticket price, but the price is prohibitively high.
• Air-conditioned soft seats is a good option for short trips, but it is better not to go from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. These are ordinary seats like on a bus or plane, two seats in a row with an aisle between them. The seats lean back and you can even sleep a little, but you can not fully relax.
• Air-conditioned hard seats - for the shortest trips within a few hours. Such cars are an analogue of our old electric trains with wooden seats, and the backs are absolutely vertical. You can go on them, for example, from Da Nang to hue, from Hanoi to Haiphong, but in no case for long distances, otherwise you will simply be exhausted on the road.
• Ordinary hard seats - the same as the previous class, but without air conditioning. Also use only for short trips.

Where to buy tickets

Train tickets for Vietnam can be bought at the railway station (cheapest), via the Internet (a little more expensive), or in tourist areas at travel agencies (with a large mark-up).

You can buy tickets 60-90 days before the trip, and it is best to do it in advance. There are especially many problems with tickets for the period of the Vietnamese New Year Tet, which takes place in February. On the eve of Theta tickets are difficult to buy for the entire period of January and February, it is better to book them immediately after the opening of the sale for 60-90 days. In addition, keep in mind that prices at this time rise almost 4 times. If you can not buy a ticket in advance, you can try your luck at the special ticket offices of unclaimed and returned tickets immediately before the departure of the train.

Children under 6 years old can travel for free if they do not occupy a separate seat. Tickets for children under 10 years old are 25% cheaper for a bed, and 50% cheaper for a seat. For children over 10 years old, you need to pay the full cost. Prices for destinations see above in the schedule tables.

And here are ways where and how to buy tickets:

• Buying online

  For tourists, the most relevant Purchase is via the Internet, since it is best to buy tickets for long-distance trains in advance. Unfortunately, buy official e-tickets on the railways website https://dsvn.vn/ it is not yet possible for tourists, since payment is accepted only by plastic cards of Vietnamese banks. But tourists can purchase tickets through the site 12go.asia. This site has a Russian-language interface, but the purchase is made with a small commission. Here is the form for searching and booking:

  🔍 Set your search criteria

  💲 Pay for your ticket online

  ✉ Get your itinerary receipt by email

  🚌 Arrive at the point of departure

  After payment, you will receive an e-ticket by email, which you can print out or simply save in your smartphone for boarding. At the stations for boarding, the electronic ticket must be scanned at the turnstile, after which you can follow the train. In any case, if you do not understand something, the staff at the station will always help you.

  

• Buying from travel agencies

  In travel agencies on the street you can buy train tickets, but with a commission. What's bad, in addition to a considerable commission, you can still fall for a common deception: you buy a ticket for a high-class car, and as a result you get a cheaper ticket.

• Purchase at the railway station

  This is the most reliable and cheapest way. All major railway stations have English-speaking staff and even special windows to serve foreigners. There is no commission for the ticket, you will pay exactly the same as the locals pay. In Hanoi and Saigon, you can buy tickets to any destination and from any station, but at other stations you can only buy tickets departing from this city.

  Usually at large railway stations there is an electronic queue system at the ticket office: you get a ticket there and wait for the number of your turn, which will light up above the window. Even without knowledge of the language, there will be no problems buying tickets, since such a scheme is adopted: write in advance on a piece of paper the desired route from where to where, the date and if you know the time of departure, the number of tickets, and the class of the car. The operator will write on a piece of paper the amount that you pay and receive the ticket. Only cash Dong is accepted for payment (see currency of Vietnam), you cannot pay with a foreign plastic card.

  

Transportation of luggage and motorcycles

Luggage is transported in the same way as in our trains: taken with you in the car, and folded on the shelves. Keep in mind that it's not uncommon for Vietnamese to carry so much luggage that there may not even be enough room for yours, so try to get on the train early to make room for your bags. In some cars there is an upper third shelf, but it is not used as we have for storing luggage, but for the journey of passengers.

If you travel by motorcycle or bicycle, then you can easily transport them, but you will not be able to purchase tickets for their transportation online. To do this, you need to go to the station to a separate entrance, usually designated as Luggage and motorcycle delivery, and there pay and arrange delivery. Of course, before this you need to buy a passenger ticket for yourself.