Vietnam islong— 1650 km from north to south. Traveling takes more time than in other Asian countries. Knowledge of transport options = the difference between disaster and pleasant journey.
National aircraft
The fastest and more accessible option. Main routes:
- Hanoi ↔ Saigon: 50-70 flights per day, 2 hours 10 min. Price from 700 000 VND (Vietjet, promo), usually 1.5-3 million VND
- Hanoi ↔ : 1 hour 20 min, 800,000-2,000,000 VND
- Saigon ↔ : 1 hour 30 min, 700 000-2 million VND
- Saigon ↔ Phú Quốc: 55 min, 700 000-2 million VND
- Hanoi ↔ Phú Quốc: 2 hours, 1.5-3 million VND
Airlines
- Vietnam Airlines— flag carrier, largest grid, best service
- Vietjet Air— the cheapest, but extra baggage charges, petty harassment
- Bamboo Airways— good mid-range quality
- Vasco— to exotic places (Con Dao)
Baggage
In a cheap ticket (Vietjet): 7 kg by hand. Baggage 15-20 kg is an additional 200,000-500 000 VND. AT HOME, at the site of 100,000 VND per kg of surplus.
Trains — Reunification Express
Legendary Railway LineĐường sắt Bắc Nam— 1726 km from Hanoi to Saigon. It runs since 1936 (although interrupted by wars). 30 hours across the country.
Classes
- Ngêi cêng(hard seats) — rough for long runs
- I'm sorry.(soft seats) — acceptable to 4-5 hours
- I'm sorry.(hard sleeper) — 6-bed bunk cabins (3 levels), 350 000 VND Hanoi-Da Nang
- I'm not.(soft sleeper) — 4-person cabins, much more comfortable, 550 000 VND Hanoi-Da Nang
- Private wagons(Vietage by Anantara, Livitrans, Golden Train): 2-4-person premium cabins, 1-3 million VND Hanoi-Sapa
Good routes by train
- Hanoi → Lào Cai (Sapa): Night train 8 hours Legendary. Vaya, Sapaly, Livitrans
- Hanoi → : 12-16 hours, night, cheap alternative to flight
- Đà Nẵng → Nha Trang: 9 hours, picturesque seaside route
Tickets
Buy Online:dsvn.vn(official) — English, cards. Or agents:Baolau,12Go Asia(+ surcharge).
Buses
Sleeper Bus
Vietnamese invention:3 rows of beds on 2 levels. Legendary experience:
- You take your shoes off at the entrance (in a plastic bag)
- Lying bed 60x180 cm, blankets provided
- WC on board (moderate)
- Price: 200 000-500 000 VND for accommodation + transport
Bus companies
- Phương Trang (Futa Bus)— the largest, most reliable. Saigon-based, mostly south. Modern buses with Wi-Fi
- Hoang Long— A proven North-South company
- Kumho Samco— Korean owner, high standards
- Sinh Cafe / Sinh Tourist— Cheap option for backpackers
Reservation
Vexere.com,12Go Asia,Baolau— Comparators. All in English.
Inside cities
Grab (super Uber)
Grab— Vietnam's dominant rideshare:
- GrabBike: scooter (fastest in motion, much cheaper): 15,000-50 000 VND
- GrabCar: Car: 40,000-200 000 VND
- GrabFood: food delivery
Application in English, payment card or cash. Safe, price fixed.
Taxi
- Mai Linh(white/green) — COMPANY. The meters are working.
- Vinasun(white) — also OK
- UNIQUE ‘grey’ taxis — fraud (turned counters, ‘broken’)
Metro
Hanoi Metro: line 2A Cat Linh-Ha Dong (since 2021). Cheap (8000-15,000 VND), new but limited.
Saigon Metro: line 1 Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien opened December 2024. 19 stations, 8000-20,000 VND.
City bus
Very cheap (7000 VND in Hanoi/Saigon). But difficult for foreigners — lack of English, unclear stops. ApplicationBusMapIt helps.
Motorcycle — Rent
Cultural option for longer stays. Vietnam has50 million motorcycles— more than cars.
Rental prices
- Manual scooters (Honda Wave, Yamaha Sirius): 100 000-150 000 VND/day, 25 PLN
- Automatic (Honda Airblade, Yamaha Nouvo): 150 000-250 000 VND/day
- Semi-motorcycles (Honda Winner 150, Yamaha Exciter 150): 200 000-350 000 VND/day
- Real motorcycles (Honda XR150, Yamaha WR250): 400,000-800 000 VND/day — for long routes
Driving licence
OBLIGATIONS:International driving licenceCategory A1. Without it — no insurance, if event, terrible consequences. NOTICE: SAMPLING police control.
Popular motorcycle routes
- Ho Chi Minh Trail(Hanoi → Saigon through the mountains): 1500 km, 2 weeks, epic
- Ha Giang Loop(north, at the Chinese border): 350 km, 3-4 days. THE most beautiful — mountain serpentines, ethnic villages. INSTAGRAM
- Hai Van Pass(Huế → Đà Nẵng): 90 min, oceanic road
- Ha Giang → Cao Bang: additional option after Ha Giang Loop
Security
- KOREKTA helmet — not ‘turistic’ plastic (low street helmets do not protect)
- Long clothing (skirts, jacket) — after the fall you do not want a “road rash”
- DO NOT DRIVE NIGHT — no lighting, motorcycles with no lights
- Vietnamese roads = CHAOS. First day: practice in quiet streets
Practical Tips
- Internal flight vs train vs bus: for distances > 800 km ALWAYS flight. For 200-500 km the sleeper bus is cheaper and more comfortable than the transfer flight
- Insurance: key. World Nomads, Safety Wing for Expats
- Must-have applications: Grab, Google Translate (offline pl-vi), Google Maps (works perfectly), 12Go, Baolau
- Currency: VND cash everywhere. Card in larger hotels and tourist restaurants. ATMs:Vietcombank, ACB, VP Bank— the highest limits (~5 million VND/payment)