What To Expect On The Hanoi To Hue Train
Vietnam is a large country, travelling by rail is the most cost-effective and exciting method to see the country. Sleeper train tickets from Hanoi to Hue in central Vietnam are described in detail in this page.
HANOI
It’s hard not to believe that Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city, is a cosmopolitan melting pot. The current melting pot was created as a result of the country being ruled by many foreign powers, notably the Chinese, the French, and the Americans. We’ve already had the opportunity to visit Da Nang, Vietnam, a few times while living in the city.
Airplane, bus and train are the most convenient ways to get there, but using the train is by far the most interesting. Before the American bombs fell on Hanoi during the Vietnam War, it was a lovely French colonial city.
VIETNAM HAS 3 WAYS TO BOOK YOUR SEAT ON A TRAIN:
On the Vietnamese railway website dsvn.vn, you can make reservations. Your e-mail confirmation will serve as your ticket to the nearest railway station, where you’ll pay for your ticket in VND cash.
Our tickets from Nha Trang for Da Nang were picked up in Dalat station, so you don’t have to go back and forth to the station where you’re departing.
Book online at amt.12go.asia or baolau.vn, both of which have easy-to-navigate interfaces and accept most major credit cards from across the world. As with the Vietnamese site, prices are reasonable; the only additional cost is a processing fee of about $2.
In order to board the train, you will need to provide your e-ticket, which you will get by e-mail. In Cambodia, we were able to buy train tickets from Ho Chi Minh to Phan Thiet using this system, which was a pleasant surprise.
WHAT SEAT/BED DO I NEED TO BUY
The length of your journey is a factor to consider. Slow-moving trains in Vietnam are ideal for taking in the scenery during the day and getting some shut-eye at night. If you’ll be travelling for at least six hours, we suggest taking a sleeper train.
The mattresses in this six-bed compartment are extremely rough and thin. While the cramped quarters are ideal for meeting fellow travellers and saving money (the price drops even further if you choose the bunk bed), they are less than ideal for getting some shut-eye or enjoying some personal space.
In most rooms, a ceiling fan hangs directly over the upper bed.
Comfortable enough to live up to their name: a four-bed compartment with plush beds. A decent mattress and plenty of room. We took advantage of this option on our trip from Nha Trang to Da Nang, where we slept in the upper bunks with a lovely Vietnamese family (mom, dad, and baby), enjoyed a restful night’s sleep, and awoke at 8 a.m. fresh and ready to board our flight to Da Nang at our destination.
Every coach has a toilet, a pair of sinks with mirrors, and other necessities for the night ahead.
If you’re on a short trip, you can choose for a more local experience, such as:
The only thing on the long sides of your coach will be wooden benches, making for a rather uncomfortable ride. For a short period of time, this will do as a substitute for a sofa. It was fascinating to watch how the residents of the area get around on a daily basis.
Don’t wait until the last minute to grab a good seat. We were given a complementary snack and a water bottle as part of our ridiculously low rate.
The train is without a doubt the most culturally immersive mode of transportation in Vietnam. Entire families take advantage of the railway because it is the most cost effective option. It’s also quite a long bus ride from Hanoi to Hue, which is over 700 kilometres, which takes an eternity.
If you purchase a sleeper bed ticket, you are free to lie down and move around the train to see how people live in different parts of the world, from soft-seat coaches (equivalent to 2nd class) to wooden hard-seat coaches (3rd class). Last but not least, you’ll have a better view of the clouds from your hotel room than you would from a plane.
HUE
A sleeper-bed ticket is highly recommended for the 12- to 14-hour trip between Hanoi and Hue. Traveling at night is the greatest option because you’ll be able to take in the scenery as soon as you wake up in the morning.
Once you get in Hue, there are plenty of things to see and do, such as the imperial city within the city walls and the riverside market. 2 1⁄2 days and 1 night should suffice to get the most out of your time in the city.