2. Train to Ho Chi Minh City
3. Bus to Ho Chi Minh City
4. Questions + Travel Tips
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From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) by plane, train or bus.
Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city and economic hub of southern Vietnam, which attracts travelers from the far north, from the capital Hanoi. And the journey is very long, approximately 1,700 km by land and approximately 1,100 km by air. It is therefore necessary to carefully consider which form of transport you choose, whether you also want to see another part of Vietnam and how much time you have overall.
There are 3 most popular modes of transportation between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City – direct flights, trains and sleeper buses. If you are short on time, your best and fastest mode of transport will be a direct flight from Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport to Saigon. However, you will skip this option in other interesting places, e.g. in central Vietnam, but you will be in Saigon the fastest. Several mainly Vietnamese airlines operate on this route, offering a direct connection that takes about 2 hours: Vietjet Air, Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines, Pacific Airlines and Hanh Air Systems.
There are also very cheap low-cost flights in the menu, but this may not be the case every time you search for your flight. Standardly, the price of a direct flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City ranges from $55-70/per person, these are cheaper options, but some flights can be more expensive, depending on the type of flight class you choose. Flights are operated from Noi Bai Airport, which is a short distance from Hanoi, and planes arrive at Tan Son Nhat Airport.
From Tan Son Nhat Airport, you can easily get to the center thanks to various public buses, or you can use a private taxi or other shared rides. These direct flights are operated every day, there are dozens of flights, and they can also be used on weekends and holidays.
Train tickets from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City start at $30-40/pp.
Another popular and low-budget transport option is the trip from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City by Vietnam Railways train or even a more luxurious tourist sleeper train. This option is suitable for solo travelers who want to visit, for example, central Vietnam and other areas where trains run. Trains along the route also stop in other larger cities and depart from there as well. There are always at least 5 trains throughout the day to Ho Chi Minh City from almost every major coastal city in central Vietnam.
The train journey from Hanoi to Saigon takes a long time, up to 33-40 hours in total, depending on the type of train you choose. Trains depart from Hanoi Railway Station and arrive at Saigon Railway Station. Both stations are located a short distance from the main centers of these cities and are easily accessible to everyone. Vietnam Railways trains offer seats or even sleeping beds in 4-6-bed cabins, which are definitely significantly better than seats.
Sitting like this for a long time is not really comfortable. The price of train tickets from Hanoi to Saigon is approximately in the range of $35-130 / per person, depending on whether you choose a seat, sleeper, tourist sleeper Violette Train is the most expensive option on this route. If you will be traveling by train from Hanoi to Saigon, it is recommended that you book your tickets online well in advance if you want to be sure of taking the train.
The last option is to travel by sleeping tourist bus. However, this option is not very suitable for such a long distance. At most, it can be used for transport, for example, to central Vietnam and from there by another bus to Saigon. If you choose such a trip with a transfer somewhere in central Vietnam, the trip can cost up to $40-50 / per person, but it depends on the type of bus. The bus service from Hanoi to Saigon is also operated, for example, by Mai Linh. A journey by sleeper bus can take, for example, up to 2 days.
So think carefully about this option first. Search and book tickets and air tickets online for all connections to Saigon on the platforms listed below. Upon arrival in Saigon, explore further destinations like Can Tho, Chau Doc, or picturesque islands like Phu Quoc and Con Dao.
| Transfer Mode – Hanoi to Saigon: | Travel Time | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Flights | 2 hours | $55-300/pp |
| Train by VR (+Violette Train) | 31-35 hours | $35-130/pp |
| Tourist Sleeper Bus | 30-36 hours | $60-65/pp |
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How do I get from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City?
1. FLIGHT from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
Direct flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City? So it will definitely be the most convenient and fastest option for you to travel between these cities in northern and southern Vietnam. There are dozens of direct flights from Noi Bai Airport to Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat Airport every day (see Vietnam Airports Map).
Tan Son Nhat Airport is a short distance from the center of Saigon and you can go there by various shuttle buses, public buses or private taxis. Vietjet Air, Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines, Pacific Airlines and Hanh Air Systems operate these flights from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.
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Most of these companies have good reviews and references from other tourists visiting Vietnam. Economy and Business class flights are available for you – e.g. from Vietnam Airlines, the largest Vietnamese airline. 2 hours from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, yes, that’s exactly how long a direct flight between these cities takes.
And the fact that you can see Vietnam from the clouds can also be an advantage. The prices of direct flights can vary over time, sometimes there are also various low-cost flights on offer at very low prices. On average, the price of a direct flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City ranges from $55-300/pp.
The cheapest flights between these cities will be offered by VietJet Air, which is a low-cost airline. You can easily search and buy tickets to Ho Chi Minh City from Hanoi online even in advance. Always read the conditions and flight instructions carefully and follow them according to the company.
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2. TRAIN from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
Traveling by train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City is also an interesting transportation option for many tourists. Train travel in Vietnam is relatively cheap and regular trains offer seats and even sleepers on longer routes. In this case, it is definitely advisable to choose a sleeping bed, because it is a long route. More comfortable tourist sleeping trains such as the Violette Train only offer sleeping beds on this route.
Around 6 regular trains run from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City every day and the tourist sleeper train Violette Train is included in these regular trains. However, there are also other tourist trains, but they only go to Da Nang, or others can go between Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. So you can combine this route according to your train requirements.
The train transfer from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City takes about 33-40 hours, each train has a different travel time and tickets range from $35-120/pp. The cheapest are the seats in regular trains, the most expensive are sleeping berths in the tourist train Violette Train. Sleepers on regular trains to Saigon are in cabins for 4-6 passengers.
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Trains depart from Hanoi Railway Station, which is easily accessible from the city center and Hoan Kiem district, and arrive at Saigon Railway Station (see Vietnam Train Map). This station is also a short distance from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. It is also possible to buy food, drink or other refreshments on the trains, and the trains also have toilets.
You can search and book train tickets from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City online in advance, which is recommended. Read the transfer conditions before ordering train tickets to avoid possible complications. Traveling by train is a great transportation option in terms of price and convenience, but the journey takes a very long time.
3. SLEEPER BUS from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
Even a bus trip from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City is possible. It is more suitable if you divide it into, for example, 3 trips between different cities through central Vietnam. But there is a Mai Linh sleeper bus between these cities. However, it is good to consider whether to go on such a trip by bus at all, because the travel time from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City is about 38-45 hours.
Mai Linh’s sleeper bus from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City costs $60-65/pp. So it can be more expensive than traveling by regular train. It is therefore advisable to take, for example, a bus from Hanoi to Da Nang and then continue from Da Nang by another bus to Ho Chi Minh City. Another different buses from many companies run between such shorter routes.
These are mostly classic sleeper buses. You can search and buy bus tickets from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City online, you can also search for only some routes, e.g. Hanoi > Da Nang, Da Nang > Ho Chi Minh… If you don’t know whether to choose a sleeper bus or a train to Ho Ci Min’s cities, so the train journey is better. The sleeper bus is more suitable for shorter routes, although it is also available for such long trips.
❓ FAQ — Travel route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City:
1. What is the travel time from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City?
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- Travel by plane (direct flights) from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) takes about 2 hours.
- Travel by train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) takes about 33-40 hours.
- Travel by tourist bus from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) takes about 38-45 hours.
2. What is the travel distance from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City?
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- Travel distance from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is about 1750 km by train/bus and about 1300 km by plane.
3. How to book tickets and flights from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City?
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- You can book flight or train, bus tickets from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh on Baolau ➜ or 12go.asia ➜.
- It is possible to book another tickets, e.g. Hanoi > Da Nang, Da Nang > Ho Chi Minh…
4. What is the price of transfer from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City?
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- Transfer by plane (direct flights) from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about $50-300/pp.
- Transfer by train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about $35-115/pp.
- Transfer by tourist bus from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about $60-65/pp.
5. What is the best way of transport from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City?
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- If you want to skip central Vietnam and you want to get directly to Ho Chi Minh City, the best way how to get there is definitely to use a direct flight from Hanoi, 2 hours takes one-way flight to Saigon. There are a lot of direct flights (+low-cost flights) from Hanoi to Saigon every day.
6. What is the most cheapest option of transport from Hanoi to Saigon?
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- The most cheapest way of transport from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City is to travel by train – but it is a soft seat – and you really do not want to spend about 34 hours on this type of seat. Low-cost direct flight from Hanoi to Saigon start already at $50-65/pp, so think about direct flight.
7. Where do you keep your luggage in Hanoi?
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- If you want to keep your luggage in Hanoi you can try Radical Storage service. This service offers a few places in the city center of Hanoi, it is a cheap and your luggage will be safe.
8. Travel by sleeper bus from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, it is a good idea?
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- In my opinion it is not a good idea for this long journey to travel by sleeper bus from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. It could be a good idea only if you have a time and want to move slowly in Vietnam and you are planning to visit also another places, e.g. Hanoi > Ninh Binh, Ninh Binh > Vinh…
9. Is an train e-ticket in your smartphone acceptable?
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- Yes, if you book train e-ticket online, keep this e-ticket in your smarphone and board the train. Read carefully the instructions on Baolau/12go.asia before and after you book your ticket. It is recommended – print your tickets.
10. Which airport is closest to Ho Chi Minh City?
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- The closest international airport to Ho Chi Minh City is: Tan Son Nhat International Airport. There are various buses and taxi companies if you want to go to the city center of Ho Chi Minh City from the airport.
11. Is it possible to travel on motorbike from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh?
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- Yes it is possible, but it is a good way of transport only if you can skip the highways. It is recommended only for the experienced motorbike drivers, drive carefully and slowly, roads in Vietnam are dangerous and unpredictable. You have to own your international driving licence, if you do not have your IDP do not drive on motorbike in Vietnam.
12. How to search and book your motorbike in Hanoi?
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- If you want to search and book your motorbike/bicycle in Vietnam, try to search at Bikesbooking ➜.
13. Where to go from Ho Chi Minh City? What to visit?
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- You can travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau, Mui Ne or you can visit the most visited island in the south – Phu Quoc Island or not so crowded Con Dao Island. Ho Chi Minh City is the biggest transport hub in the south of Vietnam.
14. How to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh in Cambodia?
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- Lots of tourists travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Cambodia, the major travel route is Ho Chi Minh City > Phnom Penh. There are various buses, vans or minivans or direct flights to Phnom Penh, there is no train from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh. Read this story: How toget from Saigon to Phnom Penh?
15. Which floating markets are the most popular in southern Vietnam?
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- There are a few very interesting and big floating markets in southern Vietnam, Mekong Delta region for visit. The most visited are Cai Rang, Cai Be, Phong Dien floating markets.
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🚆 Train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City – Schedule / Timetable + Train Tickets:
Train Schedule - Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City | Departs in Hanoi | Arrival in Ho Chi Minh | Train Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
Train SE1 (seat, sleeper) | 20:55 | 06:50 (33h 55m) | From $42.00 |
Train SE3 (seat, sleeper) | 19:20 | 05:45 (34h 25m) | From $42.00 |
Train SE7 (seat, sleeper) | 06:10 | 18:10 (36h 00m) | From $34.00 |
Train SE11 (seat, sleeper) | 21:20 | 11:30 (38h 10m) | From $37.00 |
Train SE9 (seat, sleeper) | 13:05 | 04:00 (38h 55m) | From $35.00 |
Train SE5 (seat, sleeper) | 15:30 | 05:18 (37h 48m) | From $37.00 |
Violette Trains SE1 (sleeper) | 20:55 | 06:50 (33h 55m) | From $110.00 |
Violette Trains SE3 (sleeper) | 19:20 | 05:45 (34h 25m) | From $110.00 |
🚆 Train from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi – Schedule / Timetable + Train Tickets:
Train Schedule - Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi | Departs in Ho Chi Minh | Arrival in Hanoi | Train Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
Train SE2 (seat, sleeper) | 20:35 | 06:00 (33h 25m) | From $42.00 |
Train SE4 (seat, sleeper) | 19:00 | 05:40 (34h 40m) | From $40.00 |
Train SE8 (seat, sleeper) | 06:00 | 19:12 (37h 12m) | From $37.00 |
Train SE6 (seat, sleeper) | 15:00 | 04:35 (37h 35m) | From $36.00 |
Train SE12 (seat, sleeper) | 19:25 | 10:10 (38h 45m) | From $35.00 |
Train SE10 (seat, sleeper) | 12:20 | 04:55 (40h 35m) | From $36.00 |
Violette Train SE2 (sleeper) | 20:55 | 05:45 (32h 50m) | From $110.00 |
Violette Train SE4 (sleeper) | 19:00 | 05:25 (34h 25m) | From $110.00 |