The Hanoi Train is a special excursion train that travels from Hanoi to neighbouring Bac Ninh province and back again. The trip takes three and a half hours with some stops on the way.

There are two trains per day, and I took the afternoon train. Here is my review, including train details and what to expect onboard.

Trains and tickets

The two trains are:

BHL1/BHL2: 8:00-11:30
BHL3/BHL4: 13:30-17:00

The two numbers on each trip represent the outbound and inbound sections of the journey.

The ticket prices (as of November 2025):

Deck 1 seat: 550,000 VND
Deck 2 seat: 650,000 VND
VIP carriage seat: 750,000 VND

Tickets can be booked at hanoitrain.vn or at the special booking desk at Hanoi Station.

I booked Deck 1 (the lower deck) and I took the afternoon train (BHL3/BHL4). I tried to book a morning train but that service was booked out on the days I was available to go.

Hanoi Station

The train departs from Hanoi Station, and the train service is shown on the departure board alongside regular train services.

[Train BHL3 on the Hanoi departure board.]

The train uses double-decker carriages with The Hanoi Train livery.

Each carriage is named after one of Hanoi’s 5 gates:

– O Quan Chuong
– O Dong Mac
– O Cho Dua
– O Cau Den
– O Cau Giay

Train staff hold a sign indicating the carriage gate name.

Onboard The Hanoi Train

The carriages are split into upper and lower decks with stairs to each deck at the entrance. Like the regular train services in Vietnam, The Hanoi Train does not have accessibility features for mobility needs.

The carriages are set up like a lounge, with some seats at tables and some seats facing the windows. Each carriage has different seat styles, but they all looked comfortable.

Some people have commented that the seats look dangerous, but they are bolted to the ground and not moveable. The train is travelling through urban areas for most of the way, so the train is not very fast either.

A sweet snack and iced lotus tea is offered after the train departs.

There is a band playing traditional music that roams between the carriages.

Some local newspapers in Vietnamese and English are offered upon boarding.

Another snack is offered on the return journey.

The toilets are much nicer than what you find on the regular train services.

The sink area is outside the toilet.

Long Bien Station

The first stop is not long after leaving Hanoi Station at Long Bien Station.

This station is on the Old Quarter side of the Long Bien Bridge. There is enough time for a photo opportunity at the bridge entrance.

The train also has an open carriage at the end of the train which you can visit when the train stops.

Tu Son Station and visit the Do Temple

After crossing the Long Bien Bridge, the train follows the route of the Hanoi-Dong Dang Railway, passing through Gia Lam Station and Yen Vien Station in Hanoi.

[Crossing the Long Bien Bridge.]

The main stop for this excursion train is at Tu Son Station in Bac Ninh province. There are coaches waiting next to the platform to take passengers to the Ly Bat De Temple.

The Ly Bat De Temple (or Do Temple) is in the city area but not close enough to walk to.

The temple compound is where the Lý dynasty emperors were buried.

There is a concert in the grounds, and performers on a boat in the lake.

You are free to walk around the temple complex for the 1-hour stay.

Train Street

An unintended tourist attraction is Hanoi Train Street. Images of trains passing through a narrow urban laneway in Hanoi has become globally famous, and if you are reading this website then you are probably someone who is interested in going.

There are two main section of “Train Street”, and The Hanoi Train passes through the section on the edge of the Old Quarter.

Passengers who booked seats in the upper deck came down to watch the spectacle of people outside that were watching us.

The Hanoi Train in summary

Overall this was a good afternoon out, and it’s a suitable option if you are visiting Hanoi but don’t have other train trips planned in Vietnam. I also found that the festive atmosphere and seat layout made it more conducive to mingle with other passengers. I met a Malaysian man who shared a similiar interest with me in transport and infrastructure in Southeast Asia, and a fellow Aussie who was with a group that was visiting Hanoi for a wedding.

Follow Rail Vietnam by email or social media for future updates on other special trains in Vietnam.

A review of the daytime train service from Lao Cai to Hanoi.

The Hanoi–Lao Cai Railway is a popular way to travel to Sapa. There are two overnight trains to Lao Cai, but on the way back there is an overnight train and a day train.

I wanted to see what the scenery was like on this route, so I took the day train from Lao Cai to Hanoi (train SP8).

Train details

Train Number: SP8
Depart: Lao Cai Railway Station 12:05 pm
Arrive: Hanoi Railway Station 7:37 pm
Duration: 7h 32m

Ticket: 321,000 VND (Buy Lao Cai-Hanoi train tickets)

Sapa to Lao Cai

Most tourists who are going to Lao Cai are going to Sapa (or walking across the border to China). There is a Lao Cai-Sapa public bus that departs from the front of Lao Cai Station and terminates at the Sapa Church.

I got this bus from Sapa Church, and it left on the scheduled time. The bus does a circuit around Lao Cai before terminating at Lao Cai Station. Allow one hour for the trip.

[Bus to Lao Cai in foggy Sapa.]

This is the most useful bus connection I have seen at a train station in Vietnam. I’m still surprised that such a bus service doesn’t exist between Da Nang Station and Hoi An.

Lao Cai Station

Lao Cai Station is close to the city centre, and the station area feels like a real travel hub with hotels and a variety of restaurants.

Check out the guide to Lao Cai Station.

Lao Cai Station is about 2 km from the city centre, and the city is worth a visit if you want to recover from the tourism frenzy of Sapa. Here is my report of a previous visit to Lao Cai.

[SP8 at Lao Cai]

Onboard Train SP8

The trains on the Lao Cai line are operated by Vietnam Railways, but there are some carriages attached that are maintained by tour companies. The Vietnam Railways carriages are the distinctive blue, white, and red. The private carriages have different colours and have their company logo.

I booked a Vietnam Railways bed, but the carriage had a New Livitrans Express logo.

Inside the carriage was decked out in wooden panels, which is not an orthodox VR style. I presume some of these carriages are used if VR carriages aren’t available.

I booked a lower berth in a 4-bed cabin. There are no seats available on this service (or any Hanoi-Lao Cai service), so you are in bed all day.

Each bed has its own personal light and power outlet.

There are western toilets onboard.

And there is also a sink area outside the toilet.

Food and drink

Unlike the North-South Railway, there is no meal service on this train. This makes sense becuase the overnight train is during bed time, and the day train is timed between lunch and dinner. Make sure you have lunch in Lao Cai, otherwise you will be subsisting on a meagre selection of snacks.

I bought a large can of Pringles for 70,000 VND.

There is also a limited drink service.

The coffee consisted of instant coffee satchels for 25,000 VND.

View from the train

The Hanoi – Lao Cai Railway follows the route of the Red River for most of the trip. The river is remarkably straight on the map, but there are still twists and turns along the way.

One of the reasons I took the day train was because I wanted to enjoy the view. It turns out that there is a good view while lying down in bed.

The Red River is never far from view at the start of the line from Lao Cai.

Some sections also have mountain scenery.

The train is slow but were no delays on this line. There are no other passenger trains on this single track, and freight trains wait at passing loops for the passenger train to pass.

The train then travels through Phu Tho Province in the Red River Delta Region, and the landscape opens out to farmland.

It is evening by the time the train reaches Hanoi.

[Crossing Long Bien Bridge.]

The train passes through the Old Quarter section of the Famous Hanoi Train Street.

The train arrived on time to the minute.

Check here for Lao Cai-Hanoi train tickets.

Dong Ha in Quang Tri province has a station on the North-South Railway, and there is also an old station that has been turned into a war memorial park.

The old station is marked as Old Dong Ha Train Station Memorial Park on Google Maps, and it’s closer to the city centre than the current Dong Ha station.

[Map of Dong Ha stations.]

There is nothing left of the old station that would suggest it was a station, but it’s easy to find due its prominent location near a major intersection.

The site includes a US tank and armoured vehicle, and there is this inscription at the memorial.

Translation:

HISTORICAL SITE
ĐÔNG HÀ RAILWAY STATION – BUNKER

This site was originally the area of the Đông Hà railway station, built in 1927 and operated throughout the French colonial period. There is a bunker built in the style of a watchtower, serving the purpose of guarding and protecting the station and National Highway 9.

This place was where the people of Đông Hà and Cam Lộ gathered to welcome the Gaudart delegation demanding civil rights and democracy (February 1937); it was also where revolutionary forces assembled to seize power during the August Revolution. The site also witnessed many struggles of the people against the U.S.-Saigon regime, demanding general elections, independence, freedom, and resisting terror and repression during the years 1954–1972.

Restored in May 2025.

The site includes an M41 Tank.

Description of the tank.

Translation:

THIS IS AN M41 TANK, SERIAL NUMBER USARMY46646,
one of the vehicles belonging to the Saigon Army Cavalry Regiment, captured by the Liberation Army on the Quảng Trị battlefield in 1972.

The other war remnant is an armoured vehicle.

Description of the armoured vehicle.

Translation:

THIS IS AN ARMORED VEHICLE CODED 558
Specialized for maintenance, repair, and towing of technical equipment and armored vehicles of the Saigon army, captured by the Liberation Army on the Quảng Trị battlefield in 1972.

As for details about the old station, there is no information provided. Dong Ha was extensively bombed during the war, and I have not found any photos of the original station. If you know of any photos, contact me to add them here for the record.

[Northbound train passing Old Dong Ha Train Station.]

The “Connecting Central Heritage” train is a special tourist train between Hue and Da Nang, operated by Vietnam Railways.

[Advertising for the Hue-Da Nang special train at Hue Station.]

The train was launched on 26 March 2024 to promote tourism in the central region of Vietnam. The train connects the historic city of Hue to Da Nang, with the highlight of the trip being the journey across the Hai Van Pass.

These are separate trains that only operate between Hue and Da Nang, and not carriages added to the normal Hanoi-Saigon trains.

Connecting Central Heritage train times

[Boarding HD2 at Da Nang.]

There are two trains per day in each direction. The booking sites show all of the trains that are available on the day of travel, including the regular North-South trains.

The Connecting Central Heritage trains are numbered HD, while the North-South trains are numbered SE.

Tickets can be bought at the station, online on the Vietnam Railways website, or through online travel agents. Note that the times may vary as the network timetable is often adjusted.

Hue–Da Nang

Train: HD1
Departure: 7:45 am
Arrival: 10:55 am
Travel Time: 3h 10m

Train: HD3
Departure: 2:25 pm
Arrival: 5:40 pm
Travel Time: 3h 15m

Tickets: Buy Hue-Da Nang train tickets

Da Nang-Hue

Train: HD2
Departure: 7:50 am
Arrival: 11:05 am
Travel Time: 3h 15m

Train: HD4
Departure: 3:00 pm
Arrival: 5:45 pm
Travel Time: 2h 45m

Tickets: Buy Da Nang-Hue train tickets

The difference in travel times depends on how long trains stop to allow other trains to pass. You can also get on or off the train at Lang Co.

Connecting Central Heritage trains

Connecting Central Heritage trains have a different livery to the regular North-South trains.

[Connecting Central Heritage train at Da Nang.]

The train includes air-conditioned, soft seat carriages and a community living carriage.

The seats are padded and reclinable in 2×2 configuration. These are the same carriages that used on the North-South Railway.

The same toilets of the North-South trains as well.

The community living carriage is like a dining carriage except with informal seating.

There is live music during the trip.

The carriage also has a book shelf of local history books.

There is a cafe bar serving snacks, coffee, and Huda (the beer brand of Central Vietnam).

I ordered a ca phe sua da, and I was impressed that the server kept a steady hand while the train was rocking.

The drinks are reasonably priced for a tourist train.

View from the train

The community carriage makes the trip feel like it’s a party train, but the star of the show is the trip across the Hai Van Pass.

[Passengers admiring the view of the Hai Van Pass.]

The trip around the Hai Van Pass takes one hour, with spectacular sea views on the way.

As the train winds its way around the coast it reveals hidden coves and beaches.

Stop at Lang Co Station

The train stops at Lang Co Station on the north side of the Hai Van Pass.

[Approaching Lang Co.]

The North-South line is a single-track railway, so the train has to wait at stations and passing loops for opposing trains to pass. There are some passing sections on the Hai Van Pass, so sometimes trains stop there to allow other trains to pass.

[Connecting Central Heritage trains at Lan Co.]

Crossing the Hai Van Pass on any train

I have been on the train between Da Nang and Hue many times, so it was interesting to see this new service by Vietnam Railways. The Connecting Central Heritage service caters for domestic travellers who are looking for a day out on the train.

Crossing the Hai Van Pass by train is one of the highlights of rail travel in Vietnam. I always say that if you only do one train trip in Vietnam, then it should be between Da Nang and Hue (though if you are reading this site then you are probably interested in all of the train trips).

Overall I found that the regular SE trains are sufficient for Hai Van Pass views. The Connecting Central Heritage train is useful if you want to try something different, and it also provides extra capacity on this section of the railway that is usually booked out.

I’m James Clark, and I write about train travel in Vietnam at Nomadic Notes. I also write about the future railways of Vietnam at Future Southeast Asia.

Rail Vietnam is a guide to train travel that brings together my knowledge of current and future railways of Vietnam.

This site will cover the basics of rail travel in Vietnam, and ideas on where to visit. Most of the websites about Vietnam railways are travel agencies, so I wanted to make an independent guide to help understand train travel in Vietnam.

I will also be tracking the progress of the proposed high-speed railway which will connect Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The HSR is expected to start construction at the end of 2025 and launch in 2035. It’s an ambitious schedule, but even if it’s completed in that timeline, there is still a decade left to experience the old North-South Railway before it’s replaced.

If you are interested in Vietnam train travel, follow the usual social media accounts in the footer links. If you have any questions or want to say hi, leave a comment below.

I also have a general guide about Southeast Asia railways.