How To Book Buses & Trains In Vietnam (Travel Guide) (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to book a transport in Vietnam? ›

Best Vietnamese taxi booking sites

Grab – Grab is a taxi and private car booking service that uses modern technology to offer much better rates than regular taxis, as well as food delivery services. Taxi Mai Linh – A well-known and popular taxi company in Vietnam.

Because the trains in Vietnam always have a limited amount of soft sleepers, it is wise to book train tickets as early as possible. Train tickets are usually available from 60 days before departure (sometimes 90 days in advance).

So, where should you take the train in Vietnam? The most obvious choice for train travel in Vietnam is the Sapa train bound for Lao Cai. Despite the fact that Sapa doesn't have a train station, this is probably the most popular way to arrive in the mountains.

Changing money elsewhere is illegal and while higher rate may be on offer you may risk losing your money. Credit cards are widely accepted but, in rural areas particularly, you should carry cash as a back-up. It may be difficult to cash travellers' cheques. ATMs are widely available in major cities and tourist areas.

Wise is our pick for travel debit card for Vietnam

You can receive foreign currency into a multi-currency account linked to the card. You can transfer money to a bank account overseas.

Book on Vietnam Railway Official Website dsvn.vn

The official site offers accurate train schedule and online booking service. Tickets can be booked on this website 60 days before the travelling date. You can choose trains and seats/berth online, and make payment by credit card.

Best websites to book train tickets in Vietnam

Two of the best websites for booking train tickets in Vietnam are 12go and Baolau.

A tour guide in Vietnam isn't a must, but they can be a happy addition to your journey to this far Eastern land. With careful research, you'll find yourself a guide who isn't just helpful, but also friendly for your amazing time in our country.

MakeMyTrip is the leading portal for booking IRCTC train tickets online which is offering the most convenient ways to book train tickets, check train schedule, train availability, and view live train status. IRCTC has been the most used website for train tickets booking.

What is the train booking app in Vietnam? ›

The app MoMo can be downloaded from the website https://momo.vn/ for both Android and iOS operating systems but is only available in Vietnamese. At present, people who use MoMo on iOS and Android smartphones can buy train tickets, according to a representative from M-Service.

1. Halong Bay. Top of many travellers' lists when they visit Vietnam, Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where hundreds of verdant limestone karsts emerge mystically from emerald-coloured waters.

Buy a Vietnam Train ticket at the train station

Be aware that train tickets are sold out and you need to wait at the station to process them.

Bus travel is cheap and convenient

Buses offer one of the cheapest ways to get around Vietnam, making them a big hit with budget travelers. They are also highly convenient, with the extensive bus network spanning to the far-flung corners of the country. You'll find at least one bus station in every town.

At the moment, a US$100 roughly equals VND 2,485,000. Most touristy places provide foreign exchange services, such as Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Hoi An, etc.

Although the official currency is the Vietnam Dong (VND), many major stores and hotels in Vietnam also accept the US dollar. With a few exceptions, the Euro is not accepted anywhere. When you travel to Vietnam, it is handy if you bring some dollars.

Vietnamese Dong or US Dollar, which is the best currency to use in Vietnam? Most payments are made with Vietnamese Dong, but US dollars can be directly used for some hotels, restaurants, tours, or other services. You may see the prices for food, drinks, and souvenirs in Ho Chi Minh City's airport are all in US dollars.

But beware — you'll pay twice as much if you pay with your US dollars, so exchange your money before you arrive in Vietnam. Credit cards, debit cards and cash are all accepted, but cash is by far the most accepted form of payment. Outside of major tourist areas, cash should be your primary go-to during your trip.

Tipping isn't mandatory or customary in Vietnam, but it is always appreciated. If you're happy with the services provided by waiters, drivers and other service workers, leaving a small tip is a good way to show your appreciation.

It depends on what kind of travelling you like to do; you will spend from just 600,000VND (~30 USD) for local style to over 1,400,000VND (~70USD) for luxury travel for 2 of you. It means that you should take 8,400,000VND (~420USD) to 19,600,000VND (~980USD) for spending during 2 weeks in Vietnam for food and drinks.

Which app is best for buying train tickets? ›

Look no further than RailYatri, an IRCTC authorised partner that offers a range of online Indian Railways train ticket booking services. With our platform, you can easily book your train tickets in just two minutes, making us the fastest train ticket booking app in the market.

The Vietage car is the newest luxury addition to Vietnam's national railroad, offering private rooms, a marble bar, and three-course dining. I wander onto the station platform at Da Nang.

By Bus. If your trip in Vietnam lasts for long days and you do not mind about comfort, getting around Vietnam by bus is the right choice, especially for independent travelers. Nearly every city of Vietnam can be reached by bus, but be warned that some rickety roads in Vietnam may not be for you.

Overall, a 10-day Vietnam trip from India can cost approximately INR 40,000-60,000 per person for budget travel, INR 60,000-80,000 per person for mid-range travel, and INR 1,00,000 and above per person for luxury travel. However, these costs can vary depending on your travel style and preferences.

Tour guides

That's why you are highly recommended to be extra generous to your tour guide, especially when traveling on a private tour. An average of 3-5 USD per day (70,000 VND 120,000 VND) is sufficient, but if you are very pleased, a maximum of 10 USD (230,000 VND) is still reasonable.

How much should I tip the Tour Guide in Vietnam. Normally, with private tour guide, the tip should be from 5 – 8 USD per day. However, with the group about 5 – 8 people or more, you should tip 2-3 USD/person/day.

Players start with 1 locomotive card and 7 other random train cards in their hands. Players are also dealt 6 destination tickets of which they must keep at least 1. The destination tickets have 1 to 5 colored dots which match the colors of the train cards.

Can we buy train tickets directly? ›

Buying train tickets online is easy and quick. You will see the same train tickets online as you would be offered if you went to the ticket office at a station.

You can reserve your ticket 60 days in advance, excluding the date of journey at the train originating station. At intermediate stations where the train arrives the following day, reservation can be done 61 days in advance. In the case of some intercity day express trains, the advance reservation period is less.

To secure the best available fare, passengers should purchase tickets prior to boarding the train.

Yes. Advance train tickets are usually the cheapest way to travel by train, and generally go on sale 12 weeks before your date of travel. You'll need to travel on the train you're booked on, but you'll get a cheaper price by foregoing flexible travel times.

At intermediate stations where the train arrives on the following day, such reservations can be done more than 120 days in advance of date of journey from the intermediate station. ARP is in relation to the date of journey from train originating station. In case of some Inter-city day trains, the ARP is less.

Most routes on Vietnam Railways open 60 to 30 days before departure. Longer routes such as Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City will open closer to 60 days in advance while shorter routes such as Hue to Danang may open closer to 30 days prior to departure.

:: Syncing of IRCTC's Official Web Site (www.irctc.co.in) and IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App tickets. Now users can view or cancel train e-tickets booked through official website or IRCTC Rail Connect mobile app and vice-versa.

Google Maps

On your trip to Vietnam, you should get real-time GPS navigation, traffic, and transit information, search for tourist attractions, shopping places, places to eat, drink and go, ATMs, petrol stations. Street View has been launched in many big cities.

The best time to visit Vietnam is from March to April when rainfall is low and temperatures are milder. In a country more than 1,600 kms (1,000 miles) long, the weather in Vietnam varies considerably as you go from north to south, from a temperate to a tropical climate.

Mekong Delta. Known as the 'Rice Bowl of Vietnam', the Mekong Delta is one of the most scenic regions of Vietnam. A land of winding waterways, mangrove forests, floating markets and lush green rice fields, life here is governed by the ebb and flow of southeast Asia's most iconic river.

Are there toilets on Vietnam trains? ›

Trains in Vietnam have both squat toilets, basically a hole in the floor of the train, and Western style toilets.

It's best to book train tickets in advance. You can do this online or you can go to a counter at a Vietnamese station. If you want to book tickets for the same day, the faster trains and better seats will probably be sold already.

Day trips by boat are the best way to see some regions

Vietnam has an enormous number of rivers that are at least partly navigable, but the most important by far is the Mekong and its tributaries. Scenic day trips by boat are possible on rivers in Hoi An, Nha Trang, Danang, Hue, Tam Coc and even HCMC.

Apps for transportation in Vietnam

Grab, Gojek, and Be are the three must-have transportation apps in Vietnam. Transportation apps will significantly help first-time travelers to avoid taxi scams and bargains as it provides drivers' information and upfront prices for each ride.

The TL;DR is no, there's not Uber in Vietnam, but there is the Grab app, where you can book a car or a scooter. Definitely get yourself an e-sim card so you have reliable data to book a car.

Cost & delivery speeds for shipping to Vietnam from the US

USPS, UPS, DHL, and FedEx are all top carriers that make for reliable choices.

A tour guide in Vietnam isn't a must, but they can be a happy addition to your journey to this far Eastern land. With careful research, you'll find yourself a guide who isn't just helpful, but also friendly for your amazing time in our country.

For a more comfortable backpacker experience in Vietnam, it's best to budget around $50 per day. This way, you'll have more money to spend on things like food, drinks, activities and hotel rooms. For a comfortable mid-range experience in Vietnam, it's best to budget $60 to $100 per day for your entire costs.

Paying for the bus fare

You can give the money directly to them or put in in a box next to the driver, and receive a ticket from them or the machine. The bus fare usually varies from VND 6,000 to VND 40,000 depending on the types of bus and distance needed to travel. Note that they only accept Vietnamese Dong.

Is grab cheap in Vietnam? ›

Grab taxis are consistently very inexpensive. As of writing this, a 10-minute taxi ride in a Grab car only costs around 50k Vietnamese Dong ($2), and can accommodate up to 4 passengers.

Uber offers charges based on distance and time that customers take to travel, along with base fare whereas GrabCar charges a fixed rate basic which means you do not have to worry about getting shocked when you arrive at your destination.

The company will raise prices of its GrabCar services in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi by 2,000 Vietnamese dong (US$0.088). Currently, GrabCar charges US$1.27 for the first two kilometers in four-seater vehicles, and US$1.49 for seven-seater vehicles. After that, the service costs US$0.022 per additional kilometer.

Getting a package from the USA to Vietnam takes between 3-10 business days with fast delivery methods, about 10-20 business days with slower delivery methods, and about 20-30 business days with the slowest and cheapest delivery methods. ✈️ Does the FedEx ship to Vietnam? Yes, FedEx delivers to Vietnam.

It takes 3-8 business days for port-to-port delivery and 8-16 for door-to-door. Express, or fast delivery, enables shipping any cargo in a short time.