Enjoying Train Travel in Vietnam

Enjoying Vietnam via Train Travel

Train Travel is indeed an interesting option for traveling in Vietnam. It is not only the oldest means of transport in Vietnam and also a very interesting option for a traveler, where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the landscapes and also the culture of the local people.

In my opinion, it’s one of the best ways to discover the country and its people. If you have never traveled by train, I shall tell you why trains  in Vietnam became my favorite mode of long distance transportation. Here are 3 top reasons why train travel in Vietnam is the best. On most of the long distance trains in Vietnam, you can travel overnight.  Overnight train travel is great as you can sleep comfortably on a bed instead of being crammed in a car or bus. Moreover, you don’t waste time during the day. It is also budget friendly, and a perfect means to discover the country. Besides, the trains leave and arrive right on time so you can plan your trip very well.

If you are a traveler in Vietnam, buying a ticket in Vietnam is a little complicated if you don’t speak Vietnamese, so here are a few tips to help you book your train journey in Vietnam.

Always book your tickets in advance either online, through a travel agent, your hotel or directly at the station.

If you don’t have time, its best you book through a local agent.

If you like to do a booking online, do so on www.seat61.com or  www.12go.asia or  www.baolau.com. On any of these  sites, you can pay by your credit card.

The Vietnamese official site  www.dsvn.vn  only excepts Vietnamese credit cards.

However, we decided to book our train travel on our own directly from the train station. The ticket counters are open for booking early in the morning around 7 and shut only late night around 10. Please make sure, you have your passport with you when you do the train booking. Just write down the names of the place you wish to travel to and the date of travel and the staff will hand over options of the various trains.

You also need to know that the trains will haves soft seat, hard sleeper and soft sleeper mentioned. For a long overnight journey, its best to choose a soft sleeper. The soft sleeper has 4 beds in one cubicle -  2 beds on top and 2 beds down. In this cubicle, there are only 4 people.

The Hard sleeper has 6 beds in a single cubicle with 3 on either side where there is a upper, middle and lower berth on noth sides. In this cubicle, there will be 6 people.

A point to remember is that if you are tall and have difficulty climbing, its best to take the lower bed.

On the day of travel, arrive before time at the train station and look for the platform the train is supposed to depart from. If the station is a starting point, the train is usually at the platform a good half hour before time.

Just look for your coach and show your ticket outside to the ticket collector. The Ticket collectors are dressed in uniform just like you see in the airlines. They are polite and ensure you are on the right seat.

Sit back and enjoy your train journey. You will have a dining coach in the train where you can have your cup of authentic Vietnamese coffee and for those who need a little more, there are always soupy noodles.

Train journey from Hanoi - Sapa

Traveling from Hanoi to Sapa is a spectacular experience. There are a couple of options for Train travel from Hanoi to Sapa. The end of the line is Lao Cai. From here, you must take a mini van or private cab to reach Sapa which is an hour away.

You will be surprised by the number of trains that leave from Hanoi for Sapa. There is the Kings express, Fanxipan express, Sapally Express, Orient express, ictoria and Chapa express and These companies have 2-3 boogies on the same train and the level of comfort varies with each company offering. SP1 and SP2 are the regular coaches run by the Vietnamese airlines and SP3 and SP4 contain the private coaches. Although the train remains the same, the facilities vary a bit in terms of small comforts and meals in the others. The comfort though remains the same on either of them with minimal additional facilities, like branded bedsheets, a bottle of wine and some snacks.

The trains from Hanoi to Lao Cai depart from platform between  nos 5-10.

You will arrive in Lao Cai early in the morning. From Lao cai, you have to take a minibus or a private car. The journey is around 50 mins and takes you through narrow winding roads. The bus will drop you right to the centre of Sapa close to the church. In case, your hotel, is on the route,  they will drop you right outside your hotel.

There is also outside the station, red and yellow busses which is the local transport which will take you to Sapa city centre.

 On the way back, the mini busses leave from opposite the Sapa Church. Again it’s the same journey back to Lao Cai. The trains generally leave back for Hanoi early evening, so you are in Hanoi the next day early in the morning.

From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

The Reunification express traverses the length of the country from North to South and Vice Versa which is from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh. On the way, you have several train stations. You may choose to travel to Danang, Na Trang or to the last stop which is Ho Chi Minh City from Hanoi.

The Journey from Hanoi to Danang is an overnight journey. You leave Hanoi late night and you reach Danang the next day morning.

From Danang it is also possible to take an overnight train which reaches Ho Chi Minh city just before lunch time.

The  Hanoi – Ho chi Ming city train travel is spread across more than 2 days. Hence its best to break journey at Danang and enjoy Hoi An, an ancient heritage  town close to it. 

Train Travel in Vietnam is like a holiday which just unfolds itself on the train. So enjoy your Vietnamese coffee and Soupy noodles as you breathe in the exotic landscapes of Vietnam.