The most comfortable type of land transport in Vietnam is railway. In this country, passengers are offered comfortable seats in sleeping cars, which are very similar to the coupe in Russia. Vietnam trains are equipped with air conditioning and sanitary facilities. Travelers are provided with bed linen and soft mattresses. For long journeys, the railroad is the best option for many people.
There are not very many railway routes in the country. But trains with different levels of service run on them. They differ in travel speed and types of wagons. Vietnam's railways are about 3 thousand kilometers long. Most of the tracks are small in width - only 1 m.
Where to buy a train ticket
There are websites on the Internet where you can book train tickets in Vietnam. These are resources such as vietnamtrains.com, saigonrailway.com.vn, vietnamrailways.net. You can also buy a ticket at one of the railway ticket offices at the station. When booking a train ticket online through an agency, do not forget that part of the money will go to pay for the services of a virtual intermediary. In some cases, it is more profitable to buy tickets at the official ticket offices at the train station. It is recommended to buy comfortable seats in soft carriages in advance.
The railway connects different regions of the country with each other, and is also used for international traffic. The most popular domestic destination is Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City. Every day 5 trains run on it. The high-speed express covers the entire 1,700 km journey in 30 hours. A ticket for this route costs about $ 25. Vietnamese trains do not stop at small stations. Therefore, the traveler cannot see the flavor of the Vietnamese hinterland when traveling by train.
As for international traffic, they mostly take place along the Vietnam - China route. Sometimes tickets for seats in sleeping cars are more expensive than plane tickets. In addition, very often Vietnamese trains arrive with delays.
From Hanoi, there are routes that go to the port of Haiphong, the mountain resort of Sapa, Kuinon, Nha Trang, and also to the Halong resort. Trains with luxury carriages arrive at popular resorts. The train schedule in Vietnam is presented on the website map-vietnam.ru.
What are the conditions in the carriages
Passengers are offered different seats in the carriages. The four-seater compartment differs in conditions that are similar to those of travel on the best trains in Russia. There are air conditioners, toilets, lamps, sockets, tables, hot and cold water, etc. Service for travelers in such compartments is at a good level. The cost of tickets in this version is quite high.
Vietnam trains have compartments for 6 people. Each compartment has 6 shelves. Passenger tickets are cheaper.
Many travelers prefer to use soft seats. These are soft seats in an air-conditioned carriage. The armchairs can be folded out to relax during the trip. Such places are very convenient for short trips.
In the suburbs of the country, trains run, the carriages of which have wooden benches. They are popular with locals as they are suitable for short trips. Trains of this type have carriages with and without air conditioning.
