Vietnam by train

[Vicky Cun]

Vietnam is a land of rich natural and cultural beauty. Visit Vietnam by train is a good chance to enjoy the picturesque scenery of the whole country along the way.

The train is a good alternative to road travel and one we recommend you experience at least once on your holiday. Once again, its important to be aware that the quality of the trains is not international standard. Ensure you are seated in a soft berth cabin to avoid traveling in a hot, crowded carriage on a wooden seat for hours at a time. The soft berth cabins are quite adequate (but by no means luxurious!). Enjoy the unique character of train travel - sharing the train with Vietnamese people, making new friends and viewing some stunning landscapes.

If you are travelling to Sapa you will almost certainly be taking the overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai and back again (there is no airport in Sapa and the road trip is definitely not recommended). You can travel overnight for one or both of these train trips in a soft berth sleeper (the trip takes approximately 10 hours). If you are staying at the Victoria Hotel in Sapa you can enjoy the luxury of the Victoria Express cabins which are attached to the regular train and offer a superb standard of luxury - equivalent to the hotel itself.

Another popular train journey is the Reunification Express from Hanoi to Hue in Central Vietnam, which takes about 12 hours and is available overnight. Take this trip if you wish to experience the trains of Vietnam, although we generally recommend flying between Hue and Hanoi.