| Line | Duration | Benchmark price (4-berth soft sleeper) | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi - Lao Cai (Sapa) | 7 h 30 to 8 h | from about 610,000 VND | 3 departures around 21:45 to 22:40, see Hanoi to Sapa |
| Hanoi - Hue | 12 h 30 to 15 h 05 | from 730,000 VND; SE3 from 890,000 VND | see Hanoi to Hue by train |
| Hanoi - Da Nang | about 16 h | about 900,000 to 1,400,000 VND | see Hanoi to Hoi An and Da Nang |
| Hanoi - Saigon | 32 h 45 to 40 h 50 | 900,000 to 1,200,000 VND | see Hanoi to Saigon |
Which class?
- Hard/soft seat: cheapest, for daytime trips.
- Hard sleeper (6 berths): economical but basic.
- Soft sleeper (4 berths): the best comfort for price for most travellers.
- Private operator cabins: run on some trains (SE19 for example, 1.5 to 7 million VND depending on operator and cabin); more comfort, much dearer.
Choose top or bottom according to your sleep; bring a padlock, a headlamp and earplugs.
Booking and avoiding traps
- Booking: the official site (dsvn.vn) or a reliable reseller; book ahead in high season and at Tet, when surcharges of 50 to 100% are reported. In summer, fares to the beaches rise 30 to 50% per one site.
- Station: trains leave from Hanoi's main station; arrive 30 minutes before.
- The fastest night timetables: SE3 (19:20 - 07:50 for Hue), SE1 (21:45 - 10:25).
- Sleep: the train sways and whistles; it is not a hotel, but it saves a night.
Train, plane or bus?
For Hue, the night train is pleasant; for Saigon, the plane (about 2 h) is almost always more sensible: see Hanoi to Saigon. To see several cities in one go, look at the Vietnam itinerary.
