Travelling Vietnam By Train

Flying is a popular choice by travellers to get between destinations within Vietnam for time saving.
Train on the other hand, allows you to see more of the countryside, you may or may not have comfortable seats, but a great experience.

It is definitely recommended travelling Vietnam by train if you have the time in your itinerary, if you want to see more of the landscape and scenery, if you want to have a more local experience and if you’re happy to rough it a little ;)

If you decide to travel Vietnam by train, make sure to book your tickets early and try and get on trains SE19 and SE1 as these seem to be the best. Soft seats or soft beds depending how long your train is are the best.

In terms of food, on most trains a trolley will come past at intervals with coffee and snacks available. On the overnight train at dinner, a cart will come past with a hot meal, however we opted to bring our own food. There is generally a hot water drinking tap on the carriage if you wan to bring noodles etc.

You can book the tickets online in advance on their own website. This process is the most convenient way to travel Vietnam by train. It meant you can book in advance rather than waiting until you got to Vietnam to try and buy tickets at the train station. This also meant you could guarantee the days and seats you are travelling on.

Book your tickets in advance as trains do fill up. The further in advance you book the better chance you have of being on a nicer train and the day and time you want. If you don’t want to climb up to the top bunks, then make sure to select bottom beds as your preference when booking.

If you’ve done train travel in Europe, don’t expect it to be the same or as nice, the truth is, it’s a little more basic. But overall travelling Vietnam by train was an unforgettable experience and you will see so much more of the country by doing so.