Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh Train

Basic Information

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City Rail Map

The Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh Train line with Reunification Express Route is the most famous and important transportation artery running through North and South Vietnam. The distance is 1,726km, and the whole journey takes 30-41 hours. This line connects the major cities in the country. From Hanoi, the train goes south through Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Da Lat, and finally reach the terminal Ho Chi Minh City.

The driving time for the whole route was 72 hours in the 1980s, and it was reduced to 52 hours in the 1990s. And now, the time has been reduced to 30 hours. Currently, there are usually more than 20 passenger trains running every day, with more than 30 trains during peak periods.

Starting in 2020, Vietnam will fully upgrade the existing railways, dismantle the intersection of some railways and highways, plan to build new high-speed railways, and first build a railway line with a double-track width of 1435mm and a speed of 160-200 kilometers per hour, which would be the foundation for the future construction of 350 kilometers per hour high-speed railway.

Railway Stations of Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh Train

 Hanoi Railway Station (A Station)
Location: 120 Le Duan street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

 Saigon Railway Station
Location: 1 Nguyen Thong, Ward 10, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh Train Timetable

(Last Updated on May 18, 2020)

Departs	Arrives	Train No.	Train Type	Ticket Fare (US$)
22:20	05:45+2	SE1	Reunification Express	64 - 92
19:30	04:45+2	SE3
09:00	18:38+	SE5		50 - 90
06:00	16:05+	SE7

Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi Train Timetable

(Last Updated on May 18, 2020)

Departs	Arrives	Train No.	Train Type	Ticket Fare (US$)
21:55	05:30+2	SE2	Reunification Express	64 - 92
19:45	04:50+2	SE4
09:00	19:58+	SE6		50 - 90
06:00	15:33+	SE8

What is the best train between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh?

There is no other private train company has carriages attached to the Reunification Express, so the best ticket you could get is Soft Sleeper, which are 4 berths in one cabin. There is no VIP cabin with 2 berths on the train. 

Hanoi Railway Station

Train Stops at Danang Station

How is the toilet like on the Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh Train?

There are western toilets on the train, at the connections of carriages, however, the toilets are not quite clean. 

Views to Expect during the Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh Train Trip

It is a long journey, you will see the city, county, cropland, mountain, forest and coast all along the line. However it is a kind of rough to take the 30 hours train, most travelers would choose part of the line, like Hanoi to Hue or Ho Chi Minh to Danang. 

Are there cockroaches on the Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh Train?

Yes, sometimes you will meet one or two cockroaches. You could prepare some non-flammable pesticide and give the compartment a good spray when boarding. Actually, cockroaches are everywhere in tropical countries whether you see them or not. If you would like to take the long distance train, then have to accept their existence and don't let the occasional sighting put you off. Another way to enjoy the sight along the way is to choose a shorter route with private train service, like Livitrans Express from Hanoi to Danang. 

Why the ticket price for the back route is different?

Because of the economic disparity in north and south, most people in north area will go to south area for study or work after spring. Then, those people will go back to home from south area before spring holidays. That’s why the Vietnam railway adjusts the price for a same route.