How long is the train ride from Da Nang to Hanoi?

How long is the sleeper train from Da Nang to Hanoi?

Seventeen hours. The sleeper train, Da Nang to Hanoi. Feels longer, doesn’t it? Like seventeen years.

• Sleeper train: Da Nang to Hanoi.

• Approximate journey time: Seventeen hours on the train.

• Reality vs. perception: It always feels longer when you’re alone, staring out at the dark.

• Train details: I remember the rhythmic clatter. The smell of instant noodles, ugh.

• Personal note: I was going to see my grandma. She wasn’t doing so well.

• Considerations: Schedules always fluctuate. It’s Vietnam. What did I expect?

How many hours from Hanoi to Da Nang by train?

Ugh. 17 hours. Hanoi to Da Nang. Last year. SE5 train. Nightmare. Took forever. Actually, closer to 18 with the delays. Sticky. Hot. Couldn’t sleep. Top bunk wobbled like crazy every time the train lurched. My back ached for days after. Hue was beautiful though. Stopped there for a few days. Worth it. Should have flown back. Lesson learned.

• Train SE5: My specific train.
• 18+ hours: Actual travel time. (Delays.)
• June 2023: Trip date.
• Top bunk: Wobbly. Ugh.
• Hue stopover: Amazing. Few days.
• Back pain: Lasted days. Seriously.
• Fly back: Next time. Definitely.

Train food was surprisingly okay. Noodles. Some kind of meat. Didn’t ask. Ate it anyway. Starving. Met a nice old lady. Shared some fruit. She spoke no English. I speak zero Vietnamese. Smiled a lot. Universal language and all that. So much dust. Everything coated in a fine layer of red. My phone screen. My clothes. Even my eyelids. Crazy.

What is the best way to get from Hanoi to Da Nang?

Hanoi to Da Nang? Oh, honey, that’s a trek. Like trying to find a decent banh mi in Poughkeepsie. 767 kilometers. My dachshund’s legs are shorter, but the journey feels similar. Sixteen hours by car or bus. You’ll practically become the seat.

Think of it this way: 16 hours is roughly 960 minutes. Or 57,600 seconds. Suddenly, that Netflix binge feels productive.

Best way? Depends on your tolerance for adventure (and questionable roadside restrooms).

• Fly: Fastest. Like a caffeinated hummingbird. My last flight was delayed because a swarm of butterflies decided to have a rave on the runway. True story.
• Train: Romantic, they say. I prefer the term “character-building.” Bring earplugs and a strong bladder. Scenic, though. Imagine a slow-motion movie of Vietnamese countryside. Starring you.
• Bus/Car:If you enjoy existential contemplation and the aroma of instant noodles. Perfect for people-watching. And questioning your life choices. Plus, leg cramps. Free of charge!

Distance: About the same as driving from New York City to Charleston, South Carolina. Just with more pho and fewer Waffle Houses.

Railway distance: Technically shorter, because trains cleverly ignore the curves. Like a politician answering a direct question.

I once drove a motorbike from Hanoi to Hue (near Da Nang). It rained. A lot. I looked like a drowned rat. But hey, at least the rats were impressed.

Pro Tip: Pack snacks. Many snacks. Enough to bribe a small army of monkeys. You never know. Trust me.

How much is the train ticket from Hanoi to Da Nang?

Hanoi to Da Nang, train ticket, right? Ugh, it really depends. Like, soft sleeper, way more than a hard seat. I took the soft sleeper once, pretty comfy. Cost me, hmm, like, fifty bucks? Maybe a bit less. My friend, she’s cheap, always takes the hard seat. Twenty bucks, something like that. But it’s a looong ride. Best check the Vietnam Railways website. They got all the prices there. You know, the actual website. Book in advance, though. Sold out sometimes, ya know?

• Soft Sleeper: Around $45-60. Worth it if you want to, you know, sleep.
• Hard Sleeper: $30-40, I’d guess. Haven’t done that one. Too bumpy, lol.
• Hard Seat: Cheapest, obvi. $20-30. For the budget traveler.

Remember that time I went with Sarah and we got stuck in the hard sleeper? Never again! Oh, also, bring snacks. The train food… not great. We brought like, a whole bag of chips and instant noodles. Pro tip! Look up the views along the way, super pretty coastline. I took some great pics near Hue. If you’re goin soon, good luck! Don’t overpack, either. So annoying lugging around a big suitcase. My backpack worked perfect. I went last summer, July 2024. Hope this helped, byeeeee!

How long does the reunification express take?

Ugh, that Reunification Express? Took me FOREVER. Thirty hours, man. Thirty. I rode SE3 in 2023, August, I think. Absolutely brutal. The heat was insane. Seriously.

Booked tickets online, easy enough. No issues there. Actually, I used a travel agent, Minh Travel, in Hanoi. Highly recommend them, super helpful.

Sleeping on that train… forget it. Hard seats, bumpy ride. I was exhausted. I felt stiff for days afterward. My neck was killing me. Seriously. I needed a chiropractor.

The food…eh. Okay, I guess. I ate mostly instant noodles. Didn’t bother with the train food. Too expensive, probably not that good.

I stopped in Hue. Beautiful city. Worth the trip, even if it added to the overall travel time. Saw the Citadel. Amazing. I’m going back sometime. Definitely.

The scenery was breathtaking in places. Seriously, some gorgeous views. But thirty hours is just too long. Way too long. Next time I’m flying. No question.

• Train: SE3 (Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City)
• Date: August 2023
• Duration: 30 hours (felt way longer!)
• Booking: Minh Travel (Hanoi)
• Stops: Hue (highly recommend!)
• Food: Instant Noodles, mostly.

I’d recommend breaking the trip into smaller sections, for sure. It’s killer otherwise.

Do you need to book trains in advance Vietnam?

Nah, mate. Book those Vietnam train tickets like you’re snatching the last unicorn at a magical zoo. Seriously. Soft sleepers? They vanish faster than free pho at a festival.

Think of it like this:

• 60 days? Pfft. More like 60 seconds if you’re aiming for a comfy bunk.
• Ninety days is only for the super-organized, the train-booking ninjas. I’m talking about people who plan their toilet breaks a month in advance.
• It’s a mad dash, like battling toddlers for the last chocolate chip cookie.

My cousin, Doug, almost missed his trip last year. He waited three weeks, ended up squished next to a chicken farmer. Smelly experience, he says.

You’ve been warned. Don’t be Doug. Book your dang tickets ASAP, or sleep on a hard seat. Or worse, find yourself sharing space with a goat. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya. This ain’t no joke.

Seriously, 2024’s bookings are filling up faster than a rice paddy after a monsoon. Get on it!