Trip Report: Vietnam Railways Hoi An/Danang to Hue – Stunning Views, Pathetic Speed

by Michael

The journey through Vietnam is never an easy one, and is always an adventure. To wit, I had to get from the enchanting city of Hoi An to the former imperial capital of Hue. Just like there is no airport in Hoi An, there is also no train station, and a very small bus station. Thus, if travelers want to go from Hoi An to Hue via train, they must first transfer to Danang’s train station. As with the airport discussed in the post about “A Weekend In Hoi An“, most hotels in Hoi An will provide private transport to Danang for a reasonable price, which you can take either to the train station or the airport. Due to the fact that there is nearly no English signage at Danang train station, as well as very little English spoken by station employees, it is highly recommended to buy tickets in advance either online, through your hotel, or through a travel agency.

Arriving at Danang Railway Station:

a building with many motorcycles parked in front of it

The inside, with no schedule, no updates, no English spoken, no English signage, and no air conditioning except for the white standing unit in the left of the picture. Just lots of people sweating and watching Vietnamese television.

a group of people sitting in chairs in a waiting room

The clue that we could go out and board the train was that locals started crowding the doors and ultimately ran outside. All the while, there was no announcement.

a group of people boarding a train

The seats were acceptably comfortable and had moderate leg room.

a group of people sitting on a train

But the best part of this ride are the views. As the train slowly snakes its way along the coast line, you get some spectacular views. Buying your ticket in advance also allows you to choose your seat. Going north from Danang to Hue, a window seat on the right hand side of the train is best, and affords these views:

a beach with a body of water and a beach with a sandy beach and hills a body of water with trees and mountains in the background a body of water with trees and rocks

Got a nice view of the train going around the bend:

a view of a forest from a train window

Many Vietnamese trains go straight through neighborhoods and within just a few feet of local roads, houses, and apparently, livestock.

a cow standing in a grassy area

The train ride from Hoi An/Danang to Hue sums up Vietnamese travel in a nutshell: Hot, disorganized, very slow, moderately comfortable at best, but stunningly beautiful. The 65 mile ride takes almost 3 hours, but with views like that, it doesn’t seem nearly as long.

Just remember to get your tickets in advance, and show up to the train station 20-30 minutes early to try to figure out where you need to go.

Michael Prodanovich is a contributor to Point Me to the Plane, and author of The Ultimate Guide to Free Travel

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Related Articles

5 comments

Patrick W. July 10, 2017 - 9:51 am

Lol, try Saigon to Da Nang (stop-off at Hoi An for 3 days), then Da Nang to Hanoi.

Ugh. All in all I think it was almost 48 hours of train.

Reply
Michael July 10, 2017 - 10:59 am

Yuck, that does not sound like any fun at all!

Reply
A Weekend In: Hue, Vietnam - Ruins of a Former Imperial Capital - Point Me to the Plane July 11, 2017 - 8:12 am

[…] taking the slow, but amazingly beautiful train ride from Danang to Hue (pronounced “hway”), it was time to explore Vietnam’s former Imperial capital. Hue was the […]

Reply
Trip Report: Angkor Wat and the Angkor Temple Complex - Southeast Asia's Crown Jewel - Point Me to the Plane July 27, 2017 - 11:39 am

[…] Trip Report: Vietnam Railways Hoi An/Danang to Hue – Stunning Views, Pathetic Speed […]

Reply
A Weekend In: Ubud, Bali, Indonesia - Culture, Beauty, and Nature - Point Me to the Plane August 2, 2017 - 11:12 am

[…] Trip Report: Vietnam Railways Hoi An/Danang to Hue – Stunning Views, Pathetic Speed […]

Reply

Leave a Comment