Train Travel Vietnam: Complete Guide and Routes in 2024

If your travel experiences have been confined to buses and airplanes, you're missing out on one of the most enchanting ways to explore the world: the train. Not only increasingly budget-friendly, but a scenic train journey can even feel like a vacation in itself. If you're planning a trip to Vietnam, this guide will provide you with everything you need to know about train travel in Vietnam and will help answer all your questions.

Written by Thu Giang (Local Expert) Updated on 29-03-2024

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1. Focus on Vietnamese railways

A true colonial heritage, the Vietnamese railway system was introduced to Vietnam at the time of French domination. Construction of the North-South railway began in 1899 and took more than 30 years to complete. On October 2, 1936, the entire 1726 km Hanoi – Saigon line was officially put into service. It was and remains today the only railway line connecting Hanoi and Saigon. Unfortunately, during the war years in the 20th century, fighting against occupying foreign forces with relentless bombing by the Americans almost marked the end of the railway.

Rebuilding the crumbling network quickly became a priority after the country's reunification in 1975. The heavily damaged and war-torn North-South line was restored and returned to service in 1976. It was then renamed “Reunification Express” as a symbol of Vietnamese unity.

Vietnam train map 

The “Reunification Express” line is operated by Vietnam Railways (VNR), a Vietnamese state company. With a length of 2600 km, the Vietnam train serves almost all cities and provinces in Vietnam, including many cultural and tourist destinations from north to south. Find the train map in Vietnam here: 

2. Why choose a Vietnam train trip?

Before traveling by train in Vietnam, it is important to note that Vietnamese rail is not as modern and developed as that in your country. With a speed of 50 to 60km/h, it will take you more than 30 hours to travel from Hanoi to Saigon.

Some lines are even nicknamed “Vietnam TGV”, the humorous tone of which can be understood in the sense of “Great Vibration Train”. This results from metric railways, namely narrow tracks with a gauge of 1m kept since the colonial period, which are now becoming out of date. But then, is the Vietnam train really worth trying? What are the assets that make up its picturesque reputation today?

In the modern world, speed is often more valued, but this is not always the case in travel. Sometimes the best way to get the most out of a travel experience is to...slow down a little. Sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery through the wagon window. Thus, the trip becomes a moment of relaxation rather than a stressful journey between home and the destination.

All the splendor of the trip lies in its incredible landscapes. Many railway lines cross mountains, forests, valleys which offer incredibly breathtaking and charming panoramas. The train even travels on paths where other means of transport cannot go. You will therefore have an up-close and personal view of the hidden parts of Vietnam which are exclusively accessible to you. In addition, its fairly slow speed allows you to enjoy the spectacular view outside while taking photos or videos to remember the unforgettable moments you spent during your Vietnam train trip.

Therefore, this is the reason why the train is still a popular and highly demanded option for many travelers, although the interprovincial bus system and especially domestic flights have been significantly improved in recent years. On the other hand, the affordable price is another reason to choose the railway for traveling. Compared to the price of flights, train tickets are much cheaper, costing around half or a third less than the price of a plane ticket, depending on the route.

And finally, great security is also an advantage of this means of transport. The railway system in Vietnam has recently been significantly rebuilt and developed to accommodate new innovations in the railway industry worldwide. Thus, security conditions are much better than before. Additionally, the train in Vietnam is not a fast means of transportation and there is only one train running on a railway, so the accident rate for the train is tiny.

3. The most beautiful train journeys in Vietnam

3.1 Hanoi Sapa night train

Sapa is a hill station in Lao Cai province established by the French in 1922. The line from Hanoi to Lao Cai was built by the French and opened in 1910 as part of the Vietnam-Kunming meter gauge railway. The stunning scenery and colorful local tribes of misty Sapa make it a popular stop on many visitors' itineraries. If you want to save a night on accommodation, one of the best ways to get there is to take the Hanoi Sapa night train. There are 2 sleeper trains between Hanoi and Sapa each day.

Note:

SP1 and SP2: This train offers private sleeping cars for tourists, served by companies such as Fansipan, Livitrans, Orient Express and The Pumpkin Express. 

SP3 and SP4: Much of this train consists of private sleeping cars, including Sapaly, Chapa, Laman and Victoria Express. The latter is one of the most luxurious trains on the Hanoi – Sapa route, accommodating 40 passengers with luxury cabins, bar and restaurant.

3.2 Train Hanoi Hue

The Imperial City of Hue is an attractive destination in Vietnam to discover its historical and cultural heritage, pristine beaches, beautiful landscapes and unique cuisine. The Hanoi Hue train can take around 14 hours and costs from $36 to $80. Every day, there are 5 trains serving this line including Vietnam Railways night or day trains and luxury tourist train companies such as Livitrans (SE3 and SE4), Laman (SE19), Lotus (SE19 and SE20) and Violette (SE1 and SE3). The latter companies generally offer the  Hanoi Hue night train with high-end services. 

3.3 Train Saigon Nha Trang  

Being known as one of the best seaside resorts in Vietnam, the coastal city of Nha Trang is undoubtedly a must-see stop when passing through the central region. It is accessible from Saigon by a train journey of 8 to 9 hours. There are 6 trains per day on this line, which are operated by Vietnam Railways and Livitrans (SNT1 and SNT2). The ticket price varies between $30 to $40.

3.4 Trains like no other  

Rack railway in Dalat

It is known that the romantic city of Dalat is home to the most beautiful train station in Vietnam with Art Deco style in its architectural structure and its striking resemblance to Deauville train station. But few people know that it once had one of the rarest cog railways in the world. This is a railway track system with a third central toothed rail between the running rails. This rail engages with a toothed wheel under the locomotive, providing traction for the very steep slopes between Dalat and Thap Cham (of Ninh Thuan province) while preventing the train from sliding too quickly when descending.

This railway line, with a length of 84 km, was one of the rarest railways in the world because at the time there were only two tracks of this type, one in Dalat and the other in Switzerland. : the Jungfraujoch route. The steam locomotives used were manufactured in Switzerland and were among the most modern in the world.

However, the rack railway became obsolete after the Reunification of the country in 1975 because the track was almost destroyed during the war. The line was then gradually dismantled and its infrastructure was used to repair the heavily damaged north-south Reunification line. At the same time, the old steam locomotives, meanwhile, began their return to their homeland in 1990 and were then restored to their former glory on the Furka rack railway in the Alps. Today, a small section of the rack railway and a steam locomotive are still on display in Dalat Station. From there, a 7km line connecting Dalat – Trai Mat, but with the regular track, is put into service for tourists. 

Luxury train “Indochina” Danang – Quy Nhon

Welcoming passengers from July 1 ^, 2020 , the new The Vietage train line connecting Danang Station and Dieu Tri Station (Quy Nhon) is remarkable because of its interior decoration whose design is not without recall the context of old Indochinese films. The cabin is decorated with wooden floors, combined with traditional yellow rattan seats.

The Vietage train departs from Danang Station every morning for a 6-hour journey to Quy Nhon and returns to Danang every evening. Designed for maximum passenger comfort and privacy, in addition to 12 seats, Vietage also offers a range of services such as restaurants, bars and relaxing massages.

4. How to choose your seat on a train in Vietnam?

There are four main categories of Vietnam train tickets:

• Hard seat: Mainly used for day trips, this is the cheapest and least comfortable ticket type.
• Soft seat: mainly used for day trips, these seats are more comfortable and more expensive than hard seats
• Hard berth: used for the Vietnam night train, it has three levels of beds (six per compartment). Prices vary depending on the level of the berth (the ones closest to the top are the cheapest). These compartments do not have a door.
• Soft sleeper: used for the Vietnam night train, it has two levels of beds (four per compartment). All bunk beds are charged the same rate.

Some private companies such as Victoria Express, Orient Express, Livitrans, Violette, Laman and several others rent compartments from Vietnam Railways then better equip them, provide services and resell tickets to tourists. These companies offer private sleeping cars with superior quality berths intended for tourists. They also provide private compartments of 2 soft berths. The Vietnam sleeper train has air conditioning, clean beds, free mineral water and (in some cases) snacks and clean Western-style toilets.

If you are looking for an unforgettable adventure in the north of Vietnam, you should check out our Top 8 Best North Vietnam Tours! And if love trekking, check out Top 10 Best Vietnam Trekking & Hiking Tours!!

5. How to book your train ticket?

If you want to buy a train ticket online, go to the official website of Vietnam Railways: dsvn.vn In the search results, select a train, select a carriage with the desired class and click to buy. You may need to fill out a Vietnamese cell phone number with a country code. And it definitely won't accept your non-Vietnamese credit card.

If this seems too complex for you, it is easy to buy Vietnam train tickets directly at the station when you arrive in Vietnam. However, trains are always busy, especially during rush hours, holidays like Tet, and holidays. It is therefore recommended to book your ticket a few days in advance.

Alternatively, you can travel with a local travel agency in Vietnam who will take care of your reservations and transfers to and from the station.

There you have it, you have a general overview of Vietnam rail transport, we hope that this practical information will help you in organizing your future Vietnam train trip, which will prove to be unusual and unforgettable.

Sources: dsvn.vn, momo.vn

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