Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are the largest cities in Vietnam, which are located at a great distance from each other. Vietnam occupies almost the entire eastern coast of the Indochina Peninsula and the territory of this country is very elongated from north to south. At the same time, the capital of the country – Hanoi – is located in the northern part of Vietnam. And the city of Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon and being the largest city in the country, is located in the southern part of Vietnam. All this makes moving between cities not a very easy task when using land transport. However, there are other ways to get from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and all the information about these methods and their cost can be found below on the page.
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Distance Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, cities are located in opposite parts of Vietnam. Therefore, even the direct distance between the centers of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi is 1135 km (or 705 miles). A little more distance must be covered by plane, because airports are not located in the center of cities. But when it comes to traveling from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh by land, the distance between cities increases significantly. In the screenshot below you can see three possible ways to get from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. The shortest route (indicated in gray on the left of the map) has a length of 1,488 km (925 miles). But in fact, this is not the best option for travel, because this route involves transit through the territory of a neighboring country – Laos. These means that in any case, you will lose additional time at the intersection of two borders and may need to pre-apply for a Lao visa.
How to get from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City – distance on the map
A variant of the road, which is shown on the map in the center, has a length of 1,614 km (1,003 miles). The average duration of a trip by car on this road is about 32 hours. Therefore, the third option is often used, which is marked on the map in blue. The route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on this road has a duration of 1724 km (1071 miles). However, the quality of the road and the features of the terrain allow you to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi or vice versa a little faster than route No. 2. The distance from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh by train also exceeds 1,500 km (930 miles), so you cannot count on moving too fast.
Flights from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City – The Fastest Way
Given the large distance between cities, a flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City or vice versa is the only way to quickly move. Gone are the days when flight was always the most expensive form of transport. And today, using the transport smart search of transport in Asia, you can find flights that are cheaper than train or bus tickets on a similar route. The screenshot below shows just such a case: a direct flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City costs the same as a train ride between these cities. Moreover, the duration of the flight is only 2 hours 15 minutes, while the trip by train takes almost 1.5 days – 35 hours 30 minutes.
Comparison of travel time by train and plane from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
There are other carriers between cities with a slightly shorter flight duration. As a result, even taking into account the extra time it takes to travel to the airport and go through all the procedures there, a flight will take you about 10 times less time than a train. It should also be borne in mind that moving by bus or train is more tiring, even when it comes to sleeping buses or trains with berths. And if you act as an experienced traveler and check the cost of a flight between cities using the smart search for airline tickets (direct link to Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City), you can often find flights for 45-60 USD for a round-trip ticket or a ticket for 25-30 USD when flying one way.
Round-trip flight Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh for 45 USD
Among the shortcomings, it can be noted that not always cheap flights include free baggage and this should be taken into account when planning your trip from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh or vice versa. In any case, even with a separate charge for baggage on the plane, a Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh flight is a very attractive option for moving between cities. After all, many flights are operated daily and you can always choose the optimal departure time during the day. As a rule, most flights are operated in the morning and evening hours, but you can find a flight at lunchtime.
One-way flight Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City for 28 USD
From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City by train
If for some reason you do not want to fly from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City or back by plane, you can always use intercity trains. Unfortunately, Vietnamese trains currently cannot surprise at high speed. Therefore, even the fastest train will take you to Ho Chi Minh City from Hanoi in 31-32 hours. This means that you must spend 1 or 2 nights on the train (depending on the departure time). On the one hand, it is a very long time. However, on the other hand, this is an interesting opportunity to see from the train window almost all regions of Vietnam from north to south. And if you travel in good company, the trip will not be too boring and tiring.
You can check the availability and the current Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh train schedule by smart search of transport in Asia (via the link or through the search form at the top of the page). It should be borne in mind that the price indicated on the right is usually the cost of a train ticket in a class 2 carriage with seats only. Given the large distance, it is better to choose train cars with sleeping seats, in which the journey will be as long in time, but less tiring because of the ability to spend part of the way in a dream (in a lying position). To see all the options, just click on the offer in the search results. Then you can see all the options and prices (see picture).
The cost of various classes on trains from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
Trains depart from the center of Hanoi, from the main railway station of the capital of Vietnam. The station address (Hanoi Railway Station) is as follows: Le Duan, Kham Thien, Dong Da, Ha Noi, Vietnam. Arriving trains to Ho Chi Minh’s main railway station – Saigon Train Station. It is located in the central part of the city at the address: Phuong 9, Quan 3, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. You can see the location of these stations on the map if you click on the name of the departure and arrival points in the search results.
Buses Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City – timetables and prices
For those who prefer to travel by road, it is possible to travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City or back by bus. You can book bus tickets online through the transport search service in Asia. The duration of such a trip is about 36 hours. Hoang Long buses leave for Ho Chi Minh City from the Nuoc Ngam Bus Terminal (Bến xe Nước Ngầm) in southern Ho Chi Minh City at Km So 8, Duong Giai Phong, Phuong Hoang Liet. The bus arrival point in Ho Chi Minh City is Bến xe Miền Đông Bus Station. This bus station is located at 292 Dinh Bo Linh, Phuong 26.
As a rule, 3-4 buses leave daily on the route. The most popular buses are those departing from Hanoi in the evening (at 20:00 and at 21:30). These buses allow you to arrive in Ho Chi Minh City in the morning and spend 2 nights on the bus. For the convenience of passengers, buses are equipped with sleeping seats (see photo). This means that during the trip you can take a horizontal position and spend part of a long journey in a dream. Buses are also available in the morning and afternoon. A trip on such buses allows you to spend only one night on the road and see more of different places in Vietnam during daylight hours.
Sleeping bus from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City – the ability to sleep on the road
The cost of all buses is 40 USD. This price includes some drinks and snacks, as well as the use of pillows and a plaid. Buses are air-conditioned and it is better to have something like jeans and sweatshirts or a light jacket. Buses from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi also depart in the morning and in the evening, and the fare for them is also 40 USD. At the same time, the duration of the trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi is two hours less and is about 34 hours.
Thus, today there are three of the most popular ways to travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. All of them have approximately the same cost, but can vary greatly in travel time. And if you do not set a goal to see Vietnam from the window of a train or bus, it is better to use a fast and comfortable flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City or vice versa. Moreover, with an early search, you can find tickets at a price that is lower than the cost of a bus or train trip. Have a good rest in Vietnam!
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