Vietnam - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 362

Ocean Tours ( 04-3926 0463; www.oceantours.com.vn ) Well-organised tour operator with
Halong Bay and Ba Be National Park options, and 4WD road trips around the northeast.
TRAIN
The Vietnamese railway system, operated by Vietnam Railways (Duong Sat Viet Nam;
04-3747 0308; www.vr.com.vn ) , is an ageing, slow but fairly dependable service, and offers a
relaxing way to get around the nation. Travelling in an air-con sleeping berth sure beats a
hairy overnight bus journey along Hwy 1. And of course there's some spectacular scenery
to lap up.
Routes
The main line connects HCMC with Hanoi. Three rail-spur lines link Hanoi with other
parts of northern Vietnam: Haiphong, Lang Son, and Lao Cai.
The journey between Hanoi and HCMC takes from 30 to 41 hours, depending on the
train.
Classes & Costs
Trains classified as SE are the smartest and fastest. There are four main ticket classes:
hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper and soft sleeper. These are also split into air-con and non
air-con options. Presently, air-con is only available on the faster express trains. Hard-seat
class is usually packed, and is tolerable for day travel, but expect plenty of cigarette
smoke.
Ticket prices vary depending on the train; the fastest trains are the most expensive.
Reservations
Reservations should be made at least one day in advance, especially for sleeping berths.
You'll need to bring your passport when buying train tickets.
Schedules, fares, information and advance bookings are available at Vietnam Railway
( www.vietnam-railway.com ) and Vietnam Impressive ( www.vietnamimpressive.com ) , two dependable
private booking agents. They'll deliver tickets to your hotel in Vietnam, free of charge (or
can send them abroad using DHL for a fee).
Many travel agencies, hotels and cafes also sell train tickets for a small commission.