Vietnam Train

Operated by national carrier Vietnam Railways the Vietnamese railway system is an ageing but pretty dependable service, and offers a relaxing way to get around the nation. Travelling in an air-con sleeping berth sure beats a hairy overnight bus journey along Hwy 1. And of course, there’s some spectacular scenery to lap up too.

The Reunification Express

Construction of the 1726km-long Hanoi–Saigon railway, the Transindochinois, began in 1899 and was completed in 1936. In the late 1930s, the trip from Hanoi to Saigon took 40 hours and 20 minutes at an average speed of 43km/h.

During WWII the Japanese made extensive use of the rail system, resulting in Viet Minh sabotage on the ground and US bombing from the air. After WWII, efforts were made to repair the Transindochinois, major parts of which were either damaged or had become overgrown.

During the Franco–Viet Minh War (1946–54), the Viet Minh again engaged in sabotage against the rail system. At night the Viet Minh made off with rails to create a 300km network of tracks (between Ninh Hoa and Danang) in an area wholly under their control – the French quickly responded with their own sabotage.

In the late 1950s the South, with US funding, reconstructed the track between Saigon and Hue, a distance of 1041km. But between 1961 and 1964 alone, 795 Viet Cong (VC) attacks were launched on the rail system, forcing the abandonment of large sections of track (including the Dalat spur).

By 1960 North Vietnam had repaired 1000km of track, mostly between Hanoi and China. During the US air war against the North, the northern rail network was repeatedly bombed. Even now, clusters of bomb craters can be seen around virtually every rail bridge and train station in the north.

Following reunification in 1975, the government immediately set about re-establishing the Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City rail link as a symbol of Vietnamese unity. By the time the Reunification Express trains were inaugurated on 31 December 1976, 1334 bridges, 27 tunnels, 158 stations and 1370 shunts (switches) had been repaired.

Today the Reunification Express chugs along only slightly faster than the trains did in the 1930s, at an average speed of 50km/h. Chronic underinvestment means that it's still mainly a single-track line, and carries less than 1% of all north–south freight.

Plans for a massive overhaul of the rail system to create a high-speed network have been shelved, but a gradual upgrade of the network is planned. The aim is to reduce travel time between Hanoi and HCMC from around 30 hours to 24 hours by 2017.

Fares From Hanoi (The rate is subject to be changed)

Destination	Soft Seat A/C	Hard Sleeper A/C (upper, 6 berth)	Soft Sleeper A/C (lower, 4 berth)
Hue	508,000d	785,000d	833,000d
Danang	570,000d	853,000d	915,000d
Nha Trang	1,030,000d	1,340,000d	1,510,000d
HCMC	1,175,000d	1,590,000d	1,690,000d

Classes

Trains classified as SE are the smartest and fastest, while those referred to as TN are slower and older.

There are four main ticket classes: hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper and soft sleeper. These are also split into air-con and non air-con options. Presently, air-con is only available on the faster express trains. Hard-seat class is usually packed and tolerable for day travel, but expect plenty of cigarette smoke.

Private Carriages

Comfortable, even luxurious private carriages tagged onto the back of trains offer a classy way of travelling between Lao Cai and Hanoi: those offered by Victoria Hotels are renowned and very pricey, but there are many others, including Livitrans (US$45 to US$85 on the same route).

Livitrans also offers luxury carriages between Hanoi and Hue (US$70) and Danang (US$80), as do several other companies.Golden Trains connect HCMC with Nha Trang (US$39 to US$44 soft sleeper) and Phan Tiet, for Mui Ne, (US$15 soft seat).

Sleepers

A hard sleeper has three tiers of beds (six beds per compartment), with the upper berth cheapest and the lower berth most expensive. Soft sleeper has two tiers (four beds per compartment) and all bunks are priced the same. Fastidious travellers will probably want to bring a sleeping sheet, sleeping bag and/or pillow case with them, although linen is provided.

Costs

Ticket prices vary depending on the train; the fastest trains are more expensive.

Children under two are free; those between two and nine years of age pay 50% of adult fare. There are no discounts on the Hanoi–Lao Cai route.

Eating

The food supplied by the railway company, included in the ticket price on some long journeys, isn’t Michelin-starred, but it fills the void. Food vendors also board trains. It’s a good idea to stock up on your favourite munchies before taking a long trip.

Freight

Bicycles and motorbikes must travel in freight carriages, which will cost around 350,000d for a typical overnight trip. Sometimes it’s not possible to travel on the same train as your bike so remember to make a note of the train it's on and when it is expected to arrive.

Reservations

You cannot buy tickets in advance from Vietnam Railways, but agencies can make bookings for you. Reservations for all trips should be made at least one day in advance. For sleeping berths, it’s wise to book several days before the date of departure.

Schedules, fares, information and advance bookings are available at Vietnam Railway and Vietnam Impressive, two dependable private booking agents. They'll deliver tickets to your hotel in Vietnam, free of charge (or can send them abroad using DHL for a fee).

Many travel agencies, hotels and cafes will also buy you train tickets for a small commission.

Routes

Aside from the main HCMC–Hanoi run, three rail-spur lines link Hanoi with the other parts of northern Vietnam. One runs east to the port city of Haiphong. A second heads northeast to Lang Son and continues across the border to Nanning, China. A third runs northwest to Lao Cai and on to Kunming, China.

The train journey between Hanoi and HCMC takes from 30 to 41 hours, depending on the train.

Safety

Petty crime can be a problem on Vietnamese trains. Thieves occasionally try to grab stuff as trains pull out of stations. Always keep your bag nearby and lock or tie it to something, especially at night.

Schedules

Several Reunification Express trains depart from Hanoi and HCMC every day. Train schedules change frequently, so check departure times on the Vietnam Railway website (if working).

A bare-bones train schedule operates during the Tet festival, when most trains are suspended for nine days, beginning four days before Tet and continuing for four days afterwards.