VN Vietnam: how to get around

Air conditioned soft or hard sleeper berths are recommended for overnight trains. Otherwise air-conditioned soft seats are sufficiently comfortable to travel in them during the day. If you are sensitive to cigarette smoke try to book a seat closer to the middle of the carriage as people smoke in the areas at the end of the carriages and the doors are often left open.

At least in the sleeper carriages, there are hot and cold water dispensers and paper cups — tea or instant coffee may be a great idea. Toilets in the seater carriages can be squatting ones, whereas toilets in the sleeper carriages are regular ones. So, if possible, head to one of the sleeper carriages if the passage is not locked. There is always a sink separate from the toilet with water to wash your hands, but only the sleeper carriages may have soap and a dryer.

When buying a ticket, also check the sleeper carriages for availability. During day travel, some sleeper berths are priced almost as cheap as seats, the upper berth sometimes even cheaper. Note that the train personnel in Vietnam seems to enforce the bed selection and people are not sitting together on the lower seat during the day like in India. In the worst case, you will have to stay in sleeping position the whole trip, during the day. However, on the lower berth(s), two friends or on your own, with one or two pillows in your back, is a great way to chill and watch the landscapes fly buy. If the seater carriage is fully booked, be assured, so will be the sleeper soon. So, you will most likely have to stick to the selected berth, even if your side of the cabin was empty when you booked it. (In the 6-berth carriage, for more head space put the middle berth up half way and use the foot rest to keep it in that position.)

In high season, purchasing as early as possible is a good idea. However, you can simply check the ticket situation online by checking near-future trains (in the next couple of days) to understand how early you need to book.

Booking online is possible through the official Vietnamese Railways website, which has an English version and accepts payments by international bank cards. The process is straight forward and works flawlessly — you will receive an e-ticket for download with a QR code in the end. Printing the e-ticket is not necessary if you got the QR code, but most larger railway stations will have a ticket printing machine anyways, just in case.

Beware of the many websites that may look like they are the official Vietnam Railways website and that often appear at the top of Google search results. These websites usually list their fares in US dollars rather than VND, and their prices can easily be twice as high as if booking directly (and much higher than the well-known commercial websites mentioned below).

Prices fluctuate a little, by 5% or so, but booking early except for assuring a seat is not necessary. Prices for holiday periods are generally higher.

There are commercial websites to book your train ticket with, like Baolau or 12go.Asia. However, if the Vietnamese Railway website is working, there is no real reason to do so. Also, while they will assure you a seat on the train, they might lie about the type of seat, especially if the train is getting full. It happened to tourists in the past that they booked a regular seat but ended up with a sleeper berth, having to lie down the whole journey during daytime. It is best therefore to book directly, which will also ensure you the best price.

Booking at the train station itself is generally safe, but beware of scams by station staff. Prepare a piece of paper with the destination with date, time, no. of passengers and seat class, and, most importantly, know the price.

(It is unclear whether the following information is still relevant as of 2023.) Popular berths and routes are often bought out by tour companies and travel agents well before the departure time. Being told the train is sold out at a station ticket window or popular tour company office does not mean there are no tickets available; they have simply been bought by another reseller. Unsold tickets can often be bought last minute from people hanging around at the station. A train is rarely sold out for real, as the railway company will add cars when demand is high. Commissions on these tickets will drop away as the departure time draws nearer. As of July 2018 tickets (now termed "boarding passes") do indicate the class of ticket, making scams with falsely promised seat classes less of an issue, although buying your ticket directly online or from the train station remains the best option.

Public buses travel between the cities' bus stations. In bigger places, you often have to use local transport to get into the city centre from there. Buses are generally in reasonable shape, and you have the chance to interact with locals.

Every major city will have a centralised bus station, and most of the major companies will have ticket offices at the stations. Bus stations are generally well organised, safe and easy enough to navigate even if you don't speak Vietnamese.

As a foreigner, you are likely to get overcharged on local buses, where you pay a conductor during the journey. Find out what the right fare is by looking up the price (it is displayed somewhere, often next to the front door on the outside of the bus; take a photo if you can), or by talking to one of the local travellers. Give the right amount and be prepared to argue your case. Nowadays however, many conductors will issue tickets, making it harder or less interesting for them to overcharge you.

Long-distance buses connect most cities in Vietnam. Most depart early in the morning to accommodate traffic and late afternoon rains, or run overnight. Average road speeds are typically quite slow, even when travelling between cities. For example, a 276 km (172 mi) journey from the Mekong Delta to Ho Chi Minh City by bus will likely take about 8 hours.

So called open tour buses are run by a multitude of tour companies. They cater especially to tourists, including door-to-door service to your desired hostel. You can break the journey at any point and continue on a bus of the same company any time later, or simply buy tickets just for the stage you're willing to cover next. If you are not planning to make more than 3-4 stops, it might be cheaper to buy separate tickets as you go. Buses without the journey break option are just called deluxe or inter-provincial buses.

There are seater buses available, especially during the day, sleeper buses, where instead of a seat, you get an angled-flat bunk bed that you can sleep on, and more expensive VIP sleeper bus, in which you get a wider bunk bed, your own cubicle for more privacy, and a personal TV system similar to those in aeroplanes.

Most ho(s)tels and guesthouses can book buses for you. However, they will try to book a more expensive option, because their commission is bigger then. So, you are better off to shop around at travel agents and bus companies directly, as prices will vary considerably on any given ticket or bus company — some buses (even sleeper) are as cheap as a seater railway carriage, e.g. FUTA Bus or Son Tung Bus (Hue and south). Booking with the bus company directly may net you a commission-free fare, but most companies have fixed pricing policies, which can only be circumvented through a travel agent.

If you are traveling with a bicycle, negotiate the extra fee with the driver rather than the ticket counter before buying your ticket. The bicycle fee should be no more than 10% of the ticket price.

Stop-offs are often at souvenir shops to give the bus company an extra income. You do not have to buy anything, but they always have toilets and drinks and water available for purchase. The estimated time for a bus trip will not be accurate and may be an additional couple of hours sometimes, due to the number of stop offs. Collecting the passengers at the start of the journey can also take quite a while too. Always be at least half an hour early to catch the bus. Try not to drink too much water, as rest stops, especially for overnight buses, may be just somewhere where there are a lot of bushes.

Vietnamese buses are made for Vietnamese people; bigger Westerners will be uncomfortable, especially on overnight buses. Also, many Vietnamese are not used to travelling on long-haul buses, and will sometimes get sick — not very pleasant if you are stuck on an overnight bus with several Vietnamese throwing up behind you.

Even if you are sometimes bus-sick, it is advisable to book a seat at the middle rather than at the front of the bus. First, you will avoid viewing directly the short-sighted risks the driver is taking on the way. Second, you will somewhat escape the loud noise of non-stop honking (each time the bus passes another vehicle, that is about every 10 seconds).

Although the bus company will usually be happy to collect you at your hotel or guest house, boarding at the company office will guarantee a choice of seats and you will avoid getting stuck at the back or unable to sit next to your travelling companions. The offices are generally located in or near the tourist area of town, and a short walk might make your trip that much more pleasant.

The long haul bus companies operate from north to south and back on the only main road (QL1). If you take a bus going further than your destination, the bus will drop you off at the most convenient crossroad for it and not as you may have expected at the bus terminal of your destination. For Hué, this crossroad is 13 km from the city centre; for Nha Trang 10 km. At these crossroads, you will find taxis or motorbike taxis to get you to your ho(s)tel.

A scam that you may encounter is that after arriving at your location, the guides will ask you whether you have booked a hotel. Even though you haven't, say that you have and prepare the name of a hotel. If you say you have not booked one, they will charter a taxi for you and probably drop you at a hotel which they can collect commission. If you decide not to stay, things may get a little ugly, as they will demand that you pay the taxi fare, which they may quote as several times the actual fare for a ten-minute ride.

Be very careful of your possessions on the overnight bus, as people (including bus employees) have been known to look through passenger's bags and take expensive items like electronics and sell them on for profit. Do not fall asleep with your headphones in your ear, as the chances are your phone will be nowhere to be found in the morning. Get a padlock for your hand luggage and lock everything up in there before you go to sleep.

Flights are the fastest way to traverse this long country. Flights between Hanoi and HCMC last only about 2 hours and start at €30–40.

There are many airports connecting with Hanoi and HCMC (north to south).

Northern Vietnam:

• Điện Biên Phủ Airport (DIN) near Dien Bien Phu
• Van Don International Airport (VDO) near Cai Rong
• Cat Bi International Airport (HPH) near Hai Phong, including international connections with South Korea and China

Central Coast:

• Vinh Airport (VII) near Vinh
• Dong Hoi Airport (VDH) near Dong Hoi
• Phu Bai International Airport (HUI) near Hue
• Da Nang International Airport (DAD) near Da Nang, including international connections with South Korea, China, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan
• Chu Lai Airport (VCL) near Quảng Ngãi
• Phù Cát Airport (UIH) near Quy Nhon
• Tuy Hoa Airport (TBB)
• Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR) near Nha Trang, including international connections with South Korea, China, Malaysia, Thailand

Central Highlands:

• Pleiku Airport (PXU) near Pleiku
• Buon Ma Thuot Airport (BMV) near Buon Ma Thuot
• Lien Khuong Airport (DLI) near Da Lat, including domestic connections to Da Nang, Vinh and Hue

Southern Vietnam:

• Rach Gia Airport (VKG) near Rach Gia
• Can Tho International Airport (VCA) near Can Tho
• Con Dao Airport (VCS) on Con Dao
• Phú Quôc International Airport (PQC) on Phú Quôc

Some airports are further away from the next major city or sight. Make sure to know how to get away from the airport without shedding another 500,000 dong for a taxi.

The full-service domestic airlines are flag carrier Vietnam Airlines operating some shorter flights, as well as privately owned Bamboo Airways. The main budget airlines are Pacific Airlines and VietJet Air.

Adventurous travellers may wish to see Vietnam by cycling. Several adventure travel tours provide package tours with equipment. Most of the population get around on two wheels, so it's an excellent way to get closer to the people as well as off the beaten path.

Bicycles can be rented cheaply in many cities and are often a great way of covering larger distances. Good spots for cycling are Dalat, Hoi An, Hue and Ninh Binh. On the other hand, attempting to cycle in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is virtually suicide without proper experience of traffic rules (or lack thereof, 'proper experience' in this case means understanding that everyone around you could potentially change direction without signalling and at any moment). A general 'rule of thumb' when on a bicycle or motorbike is 'expect the unexpected'. It's like a school of fish traffic situation.

In cities like HCMC and Hanoi, parking bicycles on pedestrian areas is not allowed and you will have to go to a pay parking lot: 2,000 dong per bike, 5,000 dong for a motorbike.

Some choose to traverse the entire country this way while most are satisfied with a few local day trips — also see below. If you are not an experienced motorbike rider you should reconsider starting to ride here. Riding in the big cities is not advisable unless you are an experienced rider with a very cool head. Traffic is intense and chaotic; "right of way" is a nearly unknown concept.

In small towns and beach resorts where traffic is light, e.g. Pho Quoc, it's a delightful way to get around and see the sights, and much cheaper than taxis if you make several stops or travel any distance. Roads are usually decent, though it's advisable not to ride too fast and always keep an eye on the road for the occasional pothole.

Two main categories of motorbike are available for rent: scooters (automatic transmission); and four-speed motorbikes.

Most places you would want to stop have parking attendants who will issue you a numbered tag and watch over your bike.

If you are in Vietnam during the rainy season, make sure to buy a poncho or a raincoat before you start. They are available for as little as 10,000 dong. However, the traffic doesn't stop, it just becomes more chaotic. If you are hesitant or have not driven in such conditions before, it might be prudent to park and wait.

Beware of thieves: always keep your motorbike in sight or parked with an attendant. Look for rows of neatly-parked motorbikes or signs that say giu xe.

It is illegal for foreigners to ride a motorbike in Vietnam without a temporary Vietnamese motorbike license, or an International Driving Permit (IDP) with a valid home country motorbike license. Nevertheless, many foreigners ride without a valid license. Make sure to check with your travel insurance company to see if you are even covered to ride. Driving a motorbike over 50cc requires a valid license. Most rental scooters are 110cc+, so driving them without a stamped IDP is illegal.

Crossing the border into Cambodia with a Vietnamese license plate seems no issue as of Dec 2023.

Nowadays, the taxi and motorbike taxi market is dominated by the ride-hailing service Grab (Android, iOS), which took over Uber's former South-east Asian operations, including that of Vietnam. This means that the price and destination are set upfront and cash is not required; while cash is accepted, the driver may not have enough change should you hand them a large note, so preparing the exact amount is preferred. Depending on the route taken and time, prices will be slightly higher than for a taxi in most cases, but will sometimes be even cheaper. Outside of large cities, Grab arranges taxi rides according to metered rates, which are still paid through the app.

Even if you don't use Grab for booking, the app will help you to get a feeling for the rough price ranges for rides in case you hail a taxi or motorbike taxi directly along the street. Note that there are cases where the Grab driver can charge additional money, e.g. in case he used a larger vehicle. Find out about those cases from Vietnamese people or the TOS so not to be surprised when it happens expecting some kind of a scam.

As of 2023, Xanh SM is pushing persistently into the taxi aka ride-hailing market with its EV fleet of cars and motorbikes. According to industry insiders they are supposed to overtake Grab in 2024 on the car side. They often have specials to attract people, so it is a good idea to also download this app (for Android or iOS) and price–compare against Grab, especially for larger distances and prices.

Regular taxis are still operating in places where ride-hailing may not be immediately available, like airports, railway stations, or around hotels. The smaller the taxi the lower the flag fall: so a small compact saloon or equivalent will have a flag fall of 5,000 dong, a mid range saloon 9,000 dong and an SUV 11,000 dong. The flag fall fare is for a shorter distance the smaller the car so the 5,000 dong flag fall takes you 500 m, whilst the 11,000 dong will last for 850 m so on journeys longer than 1 km the size of the vehicle makes no difference (somewhat complicated but after a few rides you will understand how the system works). In the evening these flag falls may rise by 1,000 dong.

Few drivers speak more than a few words of English, so staff at your hotel write down the names of your travel destinations in Vietnamese to show the driver. Another option is to show them the destination in Google Maps on your phone. In that case, most drivers prefer to view the complete route instead of just the destination and may even end up using your phone for navigation. It helps to carry one of your hotel's business cards so you can return to the hotel without too much fuss.

In the more touristy destinations such as Sapa and Cat Ba, it is much more difficult to get drivers to use their meters than in the big cities and beach centres. Be prepared to walk away if the driver refuses to use the meter.

Beware of common taxi scams, such as drivers refusing to use the meter and quoting ridiculous fares, or rigged meters than jump at ridiculous rates. However, as long as the meter starts automatically after the vehicle has been rolling for a few metres or the driver switches it on manually, you shouldn't be scammed. To minimise your chances of falling for a scam, try to learn to recognise the reputable large taxi companies — see city articles.

Carry small change and notes for paying fares, since drivers often are or pretend to be short on change.

Many drivers have a good command of the geography of their city and the nearest most passengers will come to being scammed is that the driver may select a slightly longer route than is strictly necessary. Keeping Google Maps open during your journey often prevents this issue.

Motorbike taxis (xe ôm, literally "hugging vehicle") are a cheap and reasonable mode of transport for Vietnamese as well as tourists — provided you avoid getting scammed. It's generally not a good idea to grab a random one off the street, as you are much more likely to get scammed as a foreigner. Instead, use one of the before mentioned ride hailing apps if available or use them for negotiating the price, as you are much less likely to get scammed that way. About 10,000 dong should suffice for a 10-minute trip, which should get you anywhere within the city centre. Longer trips to outlying areas should cost about 20,000-30,000 dong.

All riders are now required to wear helmets, a rule that is strongly enforced. Make sure the driver supplies you with a helmet. If he doesn't, find another one, as you'll be the one stung for the fine.

Drivers rarely speak English. As with most things, a tourist will often be quoted an above-market price initially, and you need to be firm, anything over 10,000 dong is a reason to walk away. Occasionally drivers will demand more than the negotiated price at the end, so it's best to have exact change handy. Then you can pay the agreed amount and walk away, end of discussion.

In some cases they will take you wherever they want (tourist attractions or shops you didn't request to go) and sometimes they will wait for you to come back (even if you don't want them to wait) and will ask you for more money for having been waiting. Even if you speak some Vietnamese, this is not useful, since they will cheat you anyway or they will act as if they don't understand even if they do. Again, be firm and walk away.

Not really an alternative to (motorbike) taxis, but an interesting way to see the city, cyclo pedicabs still roam the streets of Vietnam's cities and towns, especially the ones with many tourists. They are especially common in scenic smaller, less busy cities like Hue, where it's pleasant to cruise slowly along taking in the sights. Though the ride will be slow, hot and sometimes dangerous, you will generally need to pay more than for a motorbike for the equivalent distance. On the plus side, some drivers (particularly in the South) are very friendly and happy to give you a running commentary on the sights. Cyclos are slowly being supplanted by motorbikes though.

Cyclo drivers are notoriously mercenary and will always ask for a high price to start with. Sometimes they will also demand more than the agreed price at the end. Japanese tourists, especially women, are most often targeted with this scam since they are more responsive to the threat that the driver will call the police and make trouble for them if they don't pay as demanded. A reasonable price is about 20,000 dong for up to 2 km (1.2 mi), and if the driver disagrees, simply walk away — you won't get far before that driver or another takes your offer.

Prices for a sightseeing circuit with intermediate stops are more complex to negotiate and more subject to conflict at the end. If you plan to stop somewhere for any length of time, it's best to settle up with the driver, make no promises, and start fresh later. Some drivers start with a very low rate to get you into their cycle and then if required to wait for you or otherwise vary the agreed price, bring out a typed up price list of their "standard rates" which are inflated beyond belief. If even slightly unsure ask the driver show you his list of charges. Then negotiate from that point or walk away.

To avoid trouble, it's also best to have exact change for the amount you agreed to pay, so if the driver tries to revise the deal, you can just lay your cash on the seat and leave.

You will be missing a big part of Vietnamese life if you do not spend some time on a boat. Do be careful though because many boats, although seaworthy, are not designed to first world standards. An example is the ferry from Phu Quoc to the mainland. This ferry has one tiny entrance for all passengers to board. When full, which it usually is, there are approximately 200 people on board. In the event of an accident, the chance of everyone getting out of the boat fast enough would be very small. The idea of an emergency exit does not exist there.

Tour boats can be chartered for around US$20 for a day's tour; but beware of safety issues if you charter a boat, make sure the boat is registered for carrying tourists and has enough life jackets and other safety equipment on board. Or you can book a tour through a tour company; but in Vietnam most Tour Agents charge whatever markup they want and therefore the tourist is often paying margins of 30-40% and the boat owner and operator (of anything from a van to a boat etc.) are paid very little of the total amount.

Ha Long Bay is a famous destination for one- to three-day boat trips among its scenic limestone islands. The problem is that all the boats seem to visit the same places - and with high prices, poor quality boats and service real value is hard to come by. Many boats have a US$10 corkage fee, and forbid BYO alcohol, while on-board alcohol and seafood is about the same price as in Europe in some places. If there is rain, mist or low cloud, you may not see much. Try to pick a clear day.

Dozens of small family-operated boats ply the river in Hue taking visitors to the imperial tombs southwest of the city. This journey is long because the boats are slow, taking about 4 hours or so to make the journey in one direction.

Snorkel, fishing or lunch trips are available from Nha Trang, Hoi An, and Phu Quoc to nearby islands. In Central Vietnam northeast monsoon season limits many sea boat tours during the months Sep-Feb; other parts of Vietnam seem less affected.

A 90-minute hydrofoil boat operates from HCMC to the seaside resort of Vung Tau for about 250,000 dong each way, the fastest way to reach the beach from the city.

Traffic moves on the right in Vietnam.

The concept of renting a car to drive yourself is almost non-existent, and when Vietnamese speak of renting a car, they always mean hiring a car with a driver. (After a short time on local roads with their crazy traffic, you will be glad you left the driving to somebody used to it.) Vehicles for rent are widely available. Tourists can hire vehicles through hotels and tour agents found in every tourist area. International car brands have started to surface, offerint chauffeur-driven services. Few drivers speak any English, so make sure you tell the hotel or agent exactly where you want to go, and have that communicated to the driver.

Traffic is made up of a staggering number of motorbikes and, since import duty was reduced when Vietnam's joined the World Trade Organization, an increasing number of private cars. However it's exceptionally rare to see a motorbike of more than 150cc, and the traffic rarely gets above 20–30 km/hr in central areas.

When crossing roads stay aware, and walk slowly and confidently. Motorbike riders are exceptionally good and will simply move to avoid you, just don't make any sudden erratic moves. Just look for a gap or seam in the traffic, and begin a slow, but steady movement. If you hear a beep coming your way it's likely a motorbike rider is about to enter your personal space. Be alert and prepared to stop putting your foot forward until he passes.

Always look both ways — don't assume traffic only comes from one direction. Give oncoming vehicles ample time to see and avoid you. Never move hastily between rows of waiting cars, often motorbike drivers will use the space between car rows to drive and they won't see you coming, since the cars block their sight.

Adherence to traffic signals is not guaranteed. Drivers tend to use "best judgment". Just remember though that vehicles can always turn right at any time (regardless of lights). Motorbikes often drive in the wrong direction to take a short cut, even against the traffic flow. Crossing roads therefore maybe a challenge for Westerners used to traffic laws and traffic lights.

For navigation make sure to have good (offline) maps and GPS with you. For reliable maps, GPS navigation, comprehensive map information, consult OpenStreetMap, which is also used by this travel guide and by many mobile Apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz.