ITINERARY - How to get around?

Return to ITINERARY PLANNER home

Fly a bit! Budget travelers stick with the bus, about half the cost of a train ticket. But everything’s cheap. If time’s short consider taking advantage of flights. For example, the butt-bruising eight-hour bus ride between Saigon and Dalat takes up a day; yet the 40-minute flight is US$30 one way.

Air

If you’re short of time, or have just a little padding in your budget, there’s no reason not to take advantage of some of the cheap one-way fares. Most routes are handled by Vietnam Airlines (or cheaper ones of Pacific Airlines between Danang and Saigon, or Hanoi and Saigon), but watch for Pacific Airlines service (between Danang and Saigon, and Saigon and Hanoi), which are cheaper than Vietnam Airline’s (though have a tendency for some delays).

Key routes that save bus/train days or nights include Hanoi-Hue (about US$55 by air), Saigon-Nha Trang (about US$40 by air), Saigon-Dalat (US$30) or Nha Trang-Danang (about US$45).

Buses

Vietnam has a streamlined ‘open bus’ network, with dependably scheduled routes connecting main tourist hubs from Saigon to Hanoi and back. These are on variably air-conditioned, rather modern buses – you pay for, and get, your own seat. For about US$25 you can hop on and off one company’s buses at places like Mui Ne, Dalat, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue and Ninh Binh. It’s 42 hours between Hanoi and Saigon, but no one does it straight. The catch is that many of the trips – such as the 11-hour trip between Nha Trang and Hoi An, or the 13-hour bus from Hue to Hanoi– only go at night. Buses drop off weary-eyed travelers at dusk in front of their local cohort’s guesthouses. You’re obviously free to stay where you want.

The following legs are the only ones you can take without going overnight:

Saigon-Dalat
Saigon-Mui Ne
Saigon-Nha Trang
Dalat-Mui Ne
Dalat-Nha Trang
Hoi An-Hue
Hanoi-Ninh Binh

In the last year a few ‘sleeper buses’ have started service between Hue and Hanoi, and Nha Trang and Saigon. These have fully reclined seats in a bunk-style fashion.

Local buses go more regularly and are good ways to get to some places (eg Hanoi to Ninh Binh, Hanoi to Haiphong, Saigon to the Mekong Delta). These vary in condition, size and noise. Windows are down and they stop often to load bags of rice and people. Far faster, often, are the small minivans that go on some shorter routes.

Train

The Vietnamese train system is pretty good, with air-conditioned lockable cabins with two, four or six berths depending on the train and the class. It’s really only worth considering the ‘hard sleeper’ (with six beds, bedding, air con) or ‘soft sleeper’ (with four beds, bedding, air con) – or perhaps the two-bed ‘luxury’ cabins between Hanoi and Lao Cai en route to Sapa. Trains tend to be on time, and are considerably more comfortable than buses for overnighters.

Visitors planning to go to Sapa can only go by local bus (no!) or overnight train each way.

Buying Tickets

Everyone in Vietnam seems to sell ‘open bus,’ train and plane tickets. A number of competing ‘open bus’ companies are represented by guesthouses and agencies around the country. Don’t take too much stock on who’s best or worst – it can be random. Some say ‘Sinh Café’ runs the best, but who knows? In some cases, you may buy a ticket with X company (say An Phu) and get put on Y company’s bus (say TM Brothers) – depending on demand and driver’s whims, perhaps.

Travel agencies posting Vietnam Airlines logos can issue airline tickets – and I’ve heard of no one being ripped off by one.

It’s a bit sketchier for train tickets. Some smaller agencies charge you for a ‘soft sleeper’ and give a ‘hard seat’ ticket (meaning no beds!) – pocketing the difference in price. I’ve tried to include reliable agencies. Most guesthouses are reliable. All tend to charge a small commission to pick up the tickets – perhaps US$1 or US$2, which is often worth paying. You can also buy tickets at the train station offices.

Route (Price for Air/Bus/Train tickets)
Saigon-Dalat ($30/$5/na)
Saigon-Nha Trang ($40/6/15)
Nha Trang-Danang ($45/6/23)
Hue-Hanoi ($50-57/7/28)

Getting Around Town

In towns you’ll be offered rides at practically every footstep. Xe om (named for ‘hugging’) is a motorcycle taxi, whose drivers sit on their bikes at corners across Vietnam. Rides are based by negotiation, and drivers (many of which in the south are South Vietnam vets and speak some English) are ready to balance your luggage in front of them. Often you can get to nearby sites and around a town for the day by negotiating a deal for the day (ranging from US$5 to US$15).

Often, however, air-conditioned taxis with meters are just as cheap, if not cheap, and obviously can fit more passengers. Saigon’s are quite honest, but Hanoi’s have a tendency to ask for extortionate fees or get you into hotels they have connections with.

A steadily dying tradition of the xich lo (cyclo), ped-powered rickshaws, can be enjoyed across Vietnam too. Often the prices are just under a xe om fare, but for a smooth way of getting around an area you’d like to take in, nothing beats it. Cyclo drivers are facing tough days – particularly in the cities – and would surely appreciate your service a time or two. Go now. Someday you won’t have the opportunity.