Vietnam by the night train: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh

If you're looking for a slow, scenic way to travel Vietnam's length, the night train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City ticks all the boxes. You’ll save on hotel bills and cover hundreds of kilometers while you sleep. Known as the Reunification Express, this line stitches Vietnam together, running along the coast and through historic towns and buzzing cities.

Join Rough Guides writer Heidi Fuller-Love as she rides the rails from Vietnam’s misty north to its tropical south.

How to buy your ticket

In Hanoi, I head straight for the colonial-era Ga Hanoi – the city’s central station – where the chaos is immediate. A crowd gathers by the ticket counters, signs are only half in English, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. That’s why most travellers – myself included – book through a local travel agent in the Old Quarter. They're fast, speak some English, and can explain what class you’re getting. Still, double-check the printed ticket – scams aren’t uncommon. A popular one: selling you a soft sleeper and booking you into a hard one.

You can also book online. Vietnam Railways’ official site (dsvn.vn) works, but is glitchy and not always intuitive. Booking platforms like 12Go Asia or Baolau are easier to use – they show real-time availability, prices in USD, and let you choose specific bunks. Expect to pay a small service fee, but it’s worth it for the peace of mind.

Trains sell out, especially around Vietnamese holidays or weekends. Book at least two days in advance – longer if you’re picky about bunks. Always aim for a bottom soft sleeper bunk. Fewer people, more space, and a mattress – thin, but better than nothing.

Once your ticket’s sorted, grab some snacks. It’s nearly midnight when I board, coffee in hand, ready to roll south.

Different classes and prices

There are four main ways to ride this line, but only one that makes sense if you’re doing it by night – the soft sleeper. It’s not fancy – think army-camp chic – but it’s the most comfortable. You’ll share a four-berth cabin with a padded mattress, reading light, and a thin blanket. Bring a sleeping bag liner if you’re squeamish about the sheets.

Hard sleepers have six bunks per cabin, and no padding – just wooden boards. They’re cheaper, noisier, and more cramped. Soft seats and hard seats are best avoided for overnight journeys – unless you want to arrive at your stop with a broken back and zero sleep.

For the full journey from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, expect to pay around:

• Soft sleeper: $70–90 USD.
• Hard sleeper: $50–65 USD.
• Seat: $30–45 USD.

I book each leg separately, which lets me break the trip up over a few days. Each stop means a new ticket, so you’ll either need to plan ahead or gamble on availability – not recommended during holidays.

When the train finally pulls out of Hanoi, I stretch out, tuck into my sticky rice, and let the city’s honking fade into darkness.

What to expect from the train

You don’t ride Vietnam’s night trains for luxury. The cabins are battered, the toilets smell like they’ve never been cleaned, and there’s a good chance someone’s eating dried squid in your carriage at 2 am. But there’s also something romantic about it – the rhythmic clack of the wheels, the early morning light spilling through the window, the strangers who become travel companions.

By the time we rattle into Hué, I’ve had six hours of sleep, a slightly cold Bánh Mì for breakfast, and a long chat with my bunkmates – mostly through gestures and phone translators. I hop off here for a day exploring the crumbling imperial citadel and noisy Dong Ba Market, then board the next night train just before midnight.

This leg to Danang is short – just four hours – but still worth it. The train snakes through mountains and hugs the coast. Even at night, you catch glimpses of moonlit water and fishing boats flickering in the distance.

Danang’s station is clean but soulless. I skip town entirely and taxi straight to Hoi An. It’s touristy, yes – but those paper lanterns and yellow shopfronts still manage to feel magical after two nights of rock-hard bunks and train station noodles.

Important cities and stops

After a few days in Hoi An – tailors, temples, and tamarind fish – I bus back to Danang and board the next night train to Nha Trang. The station’s packed and the train’s late, but I manage to wedge myself in near the front. This time, the cabin’s filthy – sunflower shells everywhere, crumpled grey sheets, and that unmistakable whiff of cigarette smoke. I’m glad I brought my own liner.

The train pulls in at Nha Trang just after 7 am. Once a rest stop for US soldiers, now a beach resort bursting with karaoke bars and Russian tour groups, it’s chaotic but fun. I visit the quirky Yersin Museum and climb the 150 steps to the Long Son Pagoda’s giant white Buddha, then nap on the beach until it’s time to catch the final leg.

These coastal stops – Hoi An, Nha Trang, even Danang’s gritty charm – are more than just pit stops. They’re among the best places to visit in Vietnam, especially if you’re weaving your way south by train. The overnight ride to Ho Chi Minh is long – over nine hours – but by now I’ve got a rhythm. Sleep, coffee, stare out the window. It’s stiflingly hot when I arrive. Hanoi’s cold mist feels a world away.

The city is buzzing, motorbikes everywhere, and I’m already nostalgic for the click–clack of the rails.

Alternatives for the Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City train

After almost 40 hours on rails, I can confirm – this train journey is not for everyone. It’s slow, loud, and occasionally grim. But if you’ve got the time, it shows you a version of Vietnam no plane window ever could.

That said, there are faster options. Flying from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City takes just over 2 hours and costs around the same as a soft sleeper if you book early. Buses – especially open-tour ones – are cheaper but less comfortable, and more chaotic on long routes.

There’s also Vietnam by motorbike route – the classic “top to bottom” ride that hundreds of travelers do each year. It’s thrilling, dangerous, and unforgettable – but definitely not restful.

Still, there’s something about the night train. Watching the country unfold while you’re halfway between sleep and sunrise, rocking gently along the tracks – it sticks with you.

For me, after arriving in Ho Chi Minh, I drop my bags, find a streetside café, and order a syrupy-sweet cà phê sữa đá. I’ve crossed Vietnam by rail – and I’m finally ready for a proper bed.

Explore more of Vietnam with the Rough Guide to Vietnam, and discover neighbouring countries with our budget guide to Southeast Asia.