TRAINS IN VIETNAM

An easy and relaxed way to travel adding unique experience to your adventure

If you want your visit in Vietnam to be one of a kind, you can hop on the the train, enjoy a day with beautiful scenery or sleep your way through Vietnam, and arrive at your destination well rested and ready to explore. 

The train is the oldest way of transport in the country, and it is popular not only for tourist, but the locals use it in their daily life, giving you the chance for an authentic experience and getting close to the culture and the Vietnamese way of life. 

Train (2)

A good nights sleep

Once on the train you can completely unwind, as you pass ricefields, villages, rocky mountains and green pastures with waterbuffalos.  If you choose to travel at night, it is an excellent way going from A to B, saving you some time, without the hazzle and distress of checking in for a domestic flight, waiting time and airpoirt transfer.  

When it comes to standard and classes, there are trains that are classified as SE, which are newer and faster, and the ones classified as TN are slower and older. You can choose between a hard or a soft seat, or if you prefer going on the night train, there is also the choice between a soft sleeper or a hard sleeper. 

It is the national carrier Vietnam Railways who operate the railway system, but there are also private carriages tagged on the national carriers trains, offering comfortable and luxurious travels between Hanoi and Lao Cai.  

Hai Van pass

Between Danang and Hue you will find the Hai Van pass. The railway and the road cuts through green lush jungle while you cross the mountain range. You will have a beautiful view over the tropical jungle, white sandy beaches and the deep blue ocean. 

The mountains divide the countrys climate into northern and southern, as they protect the southern part from winds coming from northwest, making the northern part windy and wet during winter, but the southern part remains dry and warm.

Going with the train over the Hai Van pass gives you the chance to completely enjoy the beautiful scenery in this part of Vietnam. 

Tog i Hai Van Passet
Train

Reunification Express

The Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) – Hanoi railway was completed in 1936, 37 years after constructionstart. In the beginning a complete tour from North to South took around  40 hours. 

Over the years, the railway system has been exposed to heavy sabotage during World War 2, the Indochina War in the late 40`s, early 50`s, and also during the Vietnam War. After the reunification in 1975, the government wanted to reconstruct the railway line between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as soon as possible, as it would be a symbol of Vietnamese unity. The Reunification Express was opened on December 31st, 1976. In the 20 months that had passed since the end of the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese had repaired or rebuilt 1334 bridges, 158 stations and 27 tunnels, that had suffered from bombing and sabotage. 

Today there are several departures a day, and the journey through the country takes around 30 hours. The quality of the trains is improved over the years, and what the trains may still lack in comfort, they gain in the unforgettable experience providing you with long lasting memories.