[Haiphong Station.]
The Hanoi-Haiphong Railway is a single-track metre-gauge line from Hanoi to Haiphong. The line length is 102 km and the trip takes between 2h 25m and 3h 21m, depending on the service.
Haiphong is a historic port city that makes for a good side trip from Hanoi. The city has many grand colonial-era buildings, and Haiphong has one of the most beautiful railway stations in Vietnam.
The train is also interesting as it one of the few intercity lines operating in Vietnam that is not part of the North-South Railway.
Haiphong is a departure point for ferries and the cable car to Cat Ba Island. A suggested itinerary is to spend a night in Haiphong before going to Cat Ba.
Here is my review of the Hanoi-Haiphong train.
Hanoi–Haiphong train tickets
Hanoi–Haiphong train tickets can be booked online or at the train station. Note that some services to and from Hanoi are at Long Bien Station and not Hanoi Railway Station.
Long Bien is conveniently located near the Old Quarter at the western end of the Long Bien Bridge, but it will be inconvenient if you went to Hanoi Railway Station instead. The booking sites clearly indicate which station in Hanoi the train goes to or from.
Hanoi–Haiphong
Tickets: Buy Hanoi-Haiphong train tickets
Haiphong-Hanoi
Tickets: Buy Haiphong-Hanoi train tickets
Hanoi–Haiphong Railway map
[Map of Hanoi–Haiphong Railway.]
About the Hanoi–Haiphong Railway
The Hanoi-Haiphong line is part of the original metre-gauge Kunming–Haiphong railway. The Hanoi-Lai Cai Railway is part of this line, but there are no trains to China.
Future plans for the Hanoi–Haiphong Railway
Vietnam is planning to rebuild Lao Cai to Haiphong railway. This will be a standard-gauge electric railway with an operating speed of 160 km/h. The line will serve passenger and freight trains, so this will enable containers from the port in Haiphong to be shipped directly to China by train.
The new passenger rail service will effectively be a Hanoi-Haiphong commuter railway, making it possible to travel between Hanoi and Haiphong in under an hour.
Construction is expected to begin in December 2025, so there will be disruptions to the current Hanoi-Lao Cai service at some point. I will be posting news about the construction here.
Hanoi–Haiphong Railway links and resources
Wikipedia: Hanoi–Haiphong railway.
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