Train Travel

The Reunification Express runs four times a day between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, stopping at four train stations in the South-Central Coast region: Binh Thuan (you can take a taxi from here to Phan Thiet or Mui Ne); Nha Trang; Dieu Tri (10 km [6 miles] from Quy Nhon); and Quang Ngai. From Ho Chi Minh City, the train takes about 3½ hours to Binh Thuan, another four hours to Nha Trang, just less than four hours from Nha Trang to Dieu Tri in Quy Nhon, and just less than three hours from Dieu Tri to Quang Ngai. A separate twice-daily train service runs between Ho Chi Minh City and Phan Thiet, which takes about 3½ hours. Tickets begin at $8, or 180,000d. Tickets can be purchased online (vietnam-railway.com) and at train stations, but by far the easiest option is to ask your hotel to arrange tickets, rather than a travel agent. It's best to book several days in advance to ensure you get a comfortable seat or bed (go for soft every time), and there's usually a small fee—44,000d or less—to get your tickets delivered to your hotel.

Golden Express Train. This is a privately owned carriage that attaches to the Reunification Express train on the overnight route between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang. The carriage contains one one-berth VIP cabin (620,000d per person), six four-berth cabins (680,000d per person), and a small restaurant. The Golden Express Train departs Saigon daily at 8:30 pm and arrives in Nha Trang at 5:30 am the following day. In the opposite direction, it leaves Nha Trang at 8 pm and arrives in Ho Chi Minh City at 4 am. 1 Nguyen Thong, Q3, HCMC, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City. 28/3826–1685; saigongoldentrain.com.