Traveling through Vietnam by overnight trains is a unique experience lớn have. They’re comfortable, safe, và an affordable way to lớn travel throughout the country’s vast distance. Due khổng lồ the “slow travel,” using the train is a sustainable travel option versus taking a plane or car. Plus, you’ll also get an insider view on how locals use the trains as a major form of transportation in Vietnam.
We had the opportunity khổng lồ take an overnight train from Ho đưa ra Minh City (Saigon/HCMC) to Nha Trang. The distance between Ho đưa ra Minh thành phố to Nha Trang is 430 kilometers (267 miles) away và takes about 9 hours one-way. We went the comfortable route and booked the sleeper train for our round-trip. What we loved about our sleeper train was that we had a bed, pillow, và blanket for us lớn stretch our legs and get some rest.
Bạn đang xem: Ho chi minh to nha trang by flight, bus, taxi, train from usd 11
While taking the train is easy, we’ve put together this Vietnam overnight train travel guide so you know what to lớn expect on a nighttime train ride from HCMC khổng lồ Nha Trang. We hope this guide will help your planning go smoother.
How to lớn Book Your Vietnam Overnight Train Tickets
To get the best seats on the train, you must reserve tickets in advance. There are two options to book your tickets:
1. Visit the train station và buy the ticket in person.
2. Buy them online.
Visit the Vietnam Railway official site lớn reserve your seats. The site is available in English. You can also consider using travel agencies if there are difficulties with booking the tickets.
Note: During the Tet holiday season (Vietnamese New Year), many locals return khổng lồ their hometown và take the train. If you plan khổng lồ travel throughout Vietnam during that time, you must reserve your seat months ahead of time. According to the booking site, tickets were available for sale during the Tet holiday starting in October.
Riding Vietnam’s overnight train is an exciting way to travel.
Things khổng lồ Know When Reserving Your Overnight Train Tickets
1. Figure out your starting và ending location.
We started in Ho chi Minh City’s Hoa Hung Railway Station station in District 3 and it’s one of the main hubs khổng lồ travel throughout South Vietnam, Central Vietnam, or even up North. (You can take a train from Ho bỏ ra Minh đô thị to Hanoi, yet it’ll take 33 hours one-way).
When booking online, find the search function on the left side. địa chỉ the starting (ie: Saigon) and ending location (ie: Nha Trang), dates of travel, & whether the travel is a one-way or round trip
2. Determine your seating arrangements.
As you can see from the booking website, the fares vary depending on the seating arrangement and the time of departure. The choices are:
Hard seats with air conditioning – Seat arrangements are 2 seats on each side. These are the cheaper seats. From Ho đưa ra Minh thành phố to Nha Trang, the cost starts at 190,000 VND ($8.20 USD) per seat.Soft seats with air conditioning – Seat arrangements are 2 seats on each side. From Ho đưa ra Minh city to Nha Trang, the cost starts at 369,000 VND ($15.90) per seat. Sleeper train cars with 6 beds with air conditioning – There are three beds on each side. Depending on the time of departure, the 6-beds are reserved for longer train durations such as Ho bỏ ra Minh đô thị to Hanoi. Sleeper train cars with 4 beds with air conditioning – There are two beds on each side. These are the more expensive seats. From Ho bỏ ra Minh thành phố to Nha Trang, the cost starts at 690,000 VND ($29.60). We spent 1,311,000 VND ($56.30) per person for a round-trip ticket in October 2020. Our Recommendation: Sleeper Train with 4 BedsIf you have the budget, we recommend that you pick the night train arrangements that have 4 beds versus 6 beds. This accommodation would be perfect for those traveling in a group.
Each of the cars has an individual bed, pillow, blanket, water bottle, & a sliding door for privacy. The beds are a thick foam mattress and are comfortable. It looks like the bedding is changed at the final destination. When we arrived at our room, the blanket was folded and the pillowcase smelled clean.
The individual cars have an air conditioning unit, lights, và PA speakers. The temperature for the AC unit cannot be changed so it does get cold in the room. You can wrap yourself with the blanket or wear a jacket. The person sitting on the đứng top bunk (upper berth) usually controls the lights & speakers và turns them off once the train departs.
Insider Tip: Choose the bed on the lower cấp độ (lower berth) as it’ll be easier khổng lồ leave the room.
The beds vì not have a ladder, unlike a typical bunk bed or even on sleeper buses. There is a foot step against the wall. It’s in an awkward position since the person on the đứng top bunk will need lớn step on the lower bed & the foot step to lớn get to the bed. Therefore, elderly people or those with leg injuries should not book the đứng đầu bunk. If you’re on the bottom bunk, hopefully, you aren’t too picky with having someone step on your bed!
As with the luggage, there is storage underneath the bottom bunk. This would be enough space if you have a rolling luggage. If you’re on the đứng đầu bunk, then there is storage at the foot of the bed. Otherwise, you may consider traveling light with a duffel bag or backpack.
Xem thêm: Công Ty Cp Nhựa Và Môi Trường Xanh An Phát, Công Ty Cổ Phần Nhựa Và Môi Trường Xanh An Phát
We’re ready lớn ride the overnight train from Ho bỏ ra Minh lớn Nha Trang!
3. Once you’ve chosen your seating arrangements and then proceed with the check-out for payment.
You will need to lớn complete your full name, passport number, and email address.
Payment is currently available with credit cards và banking with Vietnam banks. Or, you can pay later at the stations or ticket agency of Vietnam Railways. If this is an issue, you can ask your Vietnamese friends for help.
4. Print a copy of your ticket since you’ll need it for boarding.
The customer service agent will scan the QR code on the ticket at the entrance gate.
What to vì chưng on the Night of your Train Departure
1. Bring a copy of your ticket and your passport.
2. Arrive at the train station at least 30 minutes before departure.
Depending on your starting location, it’s recommended to lớn arrive at the train station early. Grab a seat in the seating area or buy food & drinks at the local marts. If the train arrives early, you’re welcome khổng lồ enter the train carriage to relax before departure.
This is the main waiting area at Ho bỏ ra Minh City’s Hoa Hung Railway Station.
3. Use the bathroom at the train station.
We recommend that you use the nhà wc before you board the train. The toilets on the train are smelly.
What lớn Pack on your Overnight Train Ride
If you’re planning to lớn get some rest or are a light sleeper, it’s recommended that you bring the following items:
Earplugs và eye cover – While most people will be considerate of noise in the middle of the night, the outside train noise may bother you. Noise-canceling headphones – You may need these if you need music or a podcast khổng lồ drown out the outside noise.Portable charger – While the sleeper trains have electrical outlets, it may be broken. Light snacks & water – You may get hungry during your car ride. Toilet paper or tissue – Always have an emergency toilet paper or tissue stash when traveling throughout Vietnam. Many places don’t offer toilet paper. Mask – Due to lớn the current travel situation, it’s recommended lớn wear a mask on the train.Other Helpful Tips with Ho bỏ ra Minh city to Nha Trang Overnight Train
Ho chi Minh City’s train station has a Lotteria và convenience stores to buy snacks và drinks.Due lớn the evening departure, there won’t be much of a view once you leave Ho chi Minh thành phố area. However, you’ll see the rolling hills when you wake up & arrive in Nha Trang.When we took the train from Ho đưa ra Minh lớn Nha Trang, we noticed that the overhead speakers did not mention the names of the upcoming train stops. This may be an issue if you plan lớn stop at the smaller station. On our return trip, the overhead speakers announced the station names in Vietnamese as we arrived closer khổng lồ Ho bỏ ra Minh. Nha Trang’s train station is within the city so it’ll take about five minutes by oto to get khổng lồ the main street, Tran Phu, & Nha Trang Beach area. Once you arrive at Nha Trang, there will be swarms of taxi drivers waiting to lớn give rides. You can also pre-arrange a oto with your accommodation or use the Grab ứng dụng to call a car. Related: check out other helpful apps to lớn use during your Vietnam travelsWould we ride Vietnam’s trains at night again? Yes, we would! It’s a comfortable ride, even though we didn’t get much sleep. It’s a cheap way to lớn travel if you have more time in your Vietnam itinerary & a way khổng lồ save the cost on a night in a hotel room.
