Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh: Best Ways to Travel 2024

Geographically, Hanoi is a Northern city and Ho Chi Minh city is in the South of Vietnam. The distance between Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh is quite long, about 1,718 km by land and around 1,100 km by air. You will need more than one day to travel on road between these two places. It even takes a long time to travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh than between European countries.

Some tourists book international flight tickets into and out of either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh, but the most convenient way to travel is to book an arrival ticket in one city and a departure ticket from another. By doing this, you have the chance to visit both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. The only thing you need to do is to find the most effective way to travel between these places.

If you are in Hanoi, there are several ways to travel down south to Ho Chi Minh city. Flight, bus, train, or motorbike are the top choices of tourists when heading down south from Hanoi. Each means of transport offers a unique experience for tourists and of course, you can opt for the one that is the most convenient for your trip See more information on each means of transportation below.

There are the 4 most popular options for tourists to travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, each option has its own advantage or disadvantage, now we will review the detail.

1. Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City flight

The fastest way to travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh is by taking a flight. You will need only 2 hours on the airplane instead of 33 hours on the road. The flight from Hanoi departs at Noi Bai airport, which is about 30 kilometers from the city center, and arrives at Tan Son Nhat airport, which is only several kilometers from the city center.

The price for Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh city flight ranges from 26 USD to 150 USD. If you are looking for a business flight, Vietnam Airlines or Bamboo Airlines are the best option, and the price can be up to 260 USD.

Booking the tickets in advance saves a lot of money as you can easily find the promotion tickets. Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airlines, and Vietjet airlines are three carriers in Vietnam operating flights between these 2 cities.

Flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh with Bamboo Airline

Vietnam airline, the full-service, and government-owned airline, is the best airline in Vietnam, operating nearly 30 flights from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh per day. Vietjet Air, the first privately owned and International low-cost airline, has about 20 flights from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh per day. Bamboo Airways is a new Vietnamese leisure airline owned by the FLC Group, operating 8 Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh city flights per day.

When booking a Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh flight, you need to double-check if the checked luggage is included. Some tickets include checked luggage, but some do not. To avoid any inconvenience, and get the best price for booking a flight ticket, do not hesitate to contact our travel consultant for 24/7 support.

2. Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh city by train

If you have plenty of time for your holiday in Vietnam, traveling by train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh is ideal for getting between long-distance like from the north to the south of Vietnam. It is much cheaper than a flight ticket and more comfortable than taking long road trips being cramped in a small car or bus. 1718 kilometer railway trip from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh takes about 32-37 hours.

The one-way train ticket costs you from 600,000 to 1,400,000 VND ($26 to $60.53), depending on the type of seat. And luxury trains cost you double the prices, but you get to sleep in a comfortable berth cabin with an air-conditioner, clean toilets, and dining areas.

Vietnam Railways operates 5 trains, including SE1, SE3, SE5, SE7, and TN1 train. SE trains are fast trains while TN1 are slow trains. There are various types of tickets from soft-seat to hard-sleeper, soft-sleeper for you to choose from.

The Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh train leaves Hanoi at Hanoi train station, which is only a few mins from Hanoi Old Quarter by taxi, ends in Saigon train station. If you find a 35-hour long journey is too much, you can stop somewhere on the way—the ideal stop in Danang, the central of Vietnam.

From there, you can easily travel to Hoian. Getting around Vietnam by train is a great experience where you can enjoy Vietnam’s scenery, including coast, mountains, jungles, countrysides, cities…

Train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh

3. Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh city by bus

It is easy to catch a bus from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Travelling by bus takes you about 38 to 45 hours, depending on the speed of the bus. There are many bus companies, and the prices are cheap, from 500,000 to 900,000 VND (20 USD to 38.91 USD) per person.

You can choose Vietnam open bus to stop at other beautiful cities in Vietnam for some days, then continue your trip to Saigon. Sinh Cafe Open Bus, Phuong Trang Bus Company, Hanh Cafe Open Bus Company, Hung Thanh Bus Travel Company, Hey Travel Tour Bus Company are the top 5 Vietnam open bus companies providing transfer from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh.

Travelling by bus is cheap, however, it is good to know that it is a long and tiring route, especially for Westerners. If you are not used to sleeper buses, this is definitely not the most convenient way to travel long distances. 

Bus transfer from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh

4. Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh by motorbike

Riding from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh by motorbike may be the best way to get to know Vietnam. During the trip, you will have the chance to explore the cities, towns, villages, have more understanding of the culture, local people. That will be a unique experience when passing white sand beaches, mountains, valleys, limestone ridges, and endless rice fields, and many other beautiful sites…

By renting a bike in Hanoi with a rental fee of around 150.000 to 200.000 VND ($6.49 to $8.65) per day. Alternatively, you can buy a motorbike in Hanoi, then sell it in Ho Chi Minh city. The cost for a second-hand bike should not be more than 250 USD.

Something to note that you should think carefully when choosing to ride from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh due to safety. Vietnam traffic is quite crazy and unpredictable; therefore, if you are not confident with your driving skills, you can opt for the other options above.

Transfer from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh by motorbike

Recommended Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh itinerary

If you are looking for a way to travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh city, where all means of transfer are combined, book a Vietnam package tour. A package tour will save your travel time; you will have more chances to explore Vietnam.

For a long-distance like Hanoi to Hue, or Hoi An, a flight or train ticket will be arranged for you, for a short distance like Hue to Hoian, motorbike or car transfer will not disappoint you. You can also experience bus transfer in Vietnam on the route Hanoi – Sapa - Hanoi.

There is a variety of itineraries for you to choose from. Highlights of Vietnam 12 days, Best of Vietnam 15 days, Real Taste of Vietnam 13 days are three best tours which start in Hanoi and end in Ho Chi Minh city. These tours got great reviews from customers who were on tour.

Those who love train trips can see more information Along with Vietnam by Train 15 days - Small Group Tour. If you want a more personalized trip from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, do not hesitate to contact our travel consultant to have a customized trip.

Traveling by plane: Vietnam Airlines is considered the highest quality and the most reliable airline, followed by Vietjet. Vietnam airline is a full-service airline, while options for meals and checked baggage in some airlines will cost additional fees. Moreover, it is important to know that budget airlines like Vietjet Airlines are more prone to flight time changes, delays, or even cancellations.

Traveling by train: Traveling by train is not for people who easily get irritated by minor unexpected events. It’s a part of the ‘travel in Asia’ experience, which is something new to you, so please pay attention to some notes below:

• Clothes: You should wear long pants to keep your body warm at night. Bring a suitable light coat, scarf which can be functioned as a pillow, blanket, or bedspread.
• Luggage: You should bring tidy and handy luggage. Valuable things should be attached to you to avoid being the target of thieves.
• Food: There is a canteen selling fast food such as noodles, soups..., however, you can bring your own food and beverages to the train
• Hygiene: YOU had better wake up early and did your personal things early. Bring your toilet paper in case you need it.

Traveling by motorbike: When driving a motorbike in Vietnam, pay attention to some local tips below.

• Avoid QL1 (National Highway) as this road is one of the deadliest roads in Vietnam.
• Have a bottle with gas when traveling around the country
• Cover your body from the sun, wear sunscreen
• Be cautious when crossing the road
• Lock your bike and park in the secured place
• Wear a high-quality full-face helmet

Traveling by bus

• Tourist buses stop at the occasional tourist side, so do not forget to check if the places you want to visit are the stopping point of the bus.
• Do not expect too much legroom as Vietnamese people are generally shorter than foreigners like you. Do not expect toilets on board as well. There will be every few hours stop for snack and toilet.
• Restaurants on the way can have overpriced, so stock up on your own snacks before you start your journey.
• Keep your day pack and valuables with you at all times. A small backpack that contains things like my passport, money, laptop, camera, and other electronics should always be with you.

You have just found all the detailed information about the travel route between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, if you need more information, please feel free to contact us. Or read our next articles for another route from Hanoi to Da Nang.

Jenny Tran

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