🇻🇳 Country guide

Getting around Vietnam

Updated:

Vietnam stretches about 1,600 km from north to south. Sleeper buses and limousine vans cover most routes, the Reunification railway links Hanoi with Ho Chi Minh City, and cheap flights save time on the long hauls.

See all transport in Vietnam on 12Go →

Route guides

🇻🇳 Bus / limousine van · Train + roadHanoi → SapaAbout 5–6 hours🇻🇳 Limousine van / bus · Private transferHanoi → Ha Long BayAbout 2.5–3 hours by road🇻🇳 Sleeper bus · Limousine van · FlightHo Chi Minh City → Da LatAbout 6–8 hours

How people get around

  • Sleeper buses — two-level lie-flat berths; cabin-style VIP buses add privacy. Cheap and frequent.
  • Limousine vans — 9–11 large seats, often with hotel pickup. Great for Ha Long, Ninh Binh and Sapa.
  • Trains — the north–south line (Hanoi–Hue–Da Nang–Nha Trang–Saigon) is scenic, especially around the Hai Van Pass; overnight trains to Lao Cai serve Sapa.
  • Flights — Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City takes about 2 hours, versus well over a day overland.

Good to know

Around Tet (Lunar New Year, January/February) transport sells out and prices rise. Typhoon season mainly affects the centre and north from about August to November.

More popular routes on 12Go

Times and prices on this page are estimates. Live schedules and fares are shown on 12Go.