Trains

I only caught one train in Vietnam from Hue to Hanoi and lets just say it's an experience. My advice would be to arrive in a particular place and attempt to organise your ticket out the day you arrive (if you were planning 3 days or more) from the station. We had great difficulty trying to nail a seat on the SE2 or SE4 (i forget which) from Hue to hanoi overnight from the station. It was as if they didn't want to sell the ticket to us at that price. This was the best train from memory, both in class and speed to hanoi. We ended up getting something in T? class which got us there.

Travel agents had the tickets for SE trains but they were a lot more expensive than the price from the station and at the time we couldn't afford it. But if you can get them go the SE trains and if you can afford it get the ticket when you arrive at a place from a travel agent. have fun.

You can combine both tourist bus and train when travel from A to B. You also can buy your train ticket without booking it from the departure point, for example, if you want to take a train from Hue to Hanoi, you can buy your ticket in Sai Gon, thus you will have a few days before you take that train, and more flexible.

yup, best/real prices are from the stations - hotels and agents will always whack a little extra on top for the phone-call/effort etc. i haven't done much research on the type of train before booking - but have gone soft sleepers and booked 3 days ahead without a problem. if you're wondering what the soft sleeper was like - they're not much to look at but i slept like a baby and found it quite comfortable.

oh, and i haven't taken any tourist buses - as in for foreigners - yet. there are great local buses run by private companies (i think) that seem to miraculously appear when i need them. some agents and hotels have even arranged them for me. they tend to pick you up from your hotel and may even drop you right where you want to go (but not always). one company is Mailinh (also a taxi service) - they sometimes have a booth at the local bus station or offices in towns. can't remember the other ones - sorry.

WE did two trains. Hanoi to Sapa and Ninh Binh to Hue
One open bus. Hue to HoiAn
Three flights. Danang to Nha trang- Nha Trang to Saigon- Saigon to Hanoi (all on Vietnam airlines).
All forms of transport was excellent, and we did not have any problems.
All tickets on all form of transport was booked a day are two in advance in country.
ONE LOVE !!
Mike

Hi,

Ditto reply #5. Be sure you understand the class of your train ticket and long your trip is, "local" schedules can take forever. Trains are great, you'll get a chance to meet some Vietnamese that don't have a lot of contact with tourists/foreigners.

Good Luck!

Dwight Z.
Your Vietnam Tour Guide