Hanoi (Hà Nội) to Hoi An (Hội An) by Train: Times, Fares and the Transfer

Hoi An has no railway station. From Hanoi, the Reunification Express (tàu Thống Nhất) takes about 15-17 hours to Da Nang (Đà Nẵng), and the old town is roughly 30 km further by road. Take an evening train and you sleep through the north, then cross the Hai Van Pass (đèo Hải Vân) in daylight.

Written by Tụi mình mê biểnPublished October 24, 2026Updated October 24, 2026

A passenger train running on the waterside track at Lang Co, with a sand spit, a coastal village, a bridge and hazy mountains across the water, June 2015 — A passenger train passing Lang Co (Lăng Cô), north of the Hai Van Pass, June 2015.

South of Hue (Huế), the line runs past the lagoons to Lang Co, then climbs onto the flank of the Hai Van mountains. Forested cliffs rise on one side and the sea opens up on the other, with stretches of track laid just above the rocks. It is the best part of the whole journey, right before the train pulls into Da Nang.

Option	Main leg time	Typical fare (VND)
Train to Da Nang Station, then a car or busFor the Hai Van views or a stop in Hue	15-17 hours on the train	Soft seat from 618,000, berth from 865,000
Flight from Noi Bai (Nội Bài) to Da Nang, then a car or busShort trips, small children or older travelers	About 1 hour 20-25 minutes in the air (schedules checked October 23, 2026)	Varies widely by airline and date; compare on airline sites
Sleeper busIf you sleep well on buses; pick one that drops off in Hoi An	Nearly 800 km by road; ask the operator when you will arrive	Set by the operator

Times exclude getting to the station or airport, check-in and the onward trip to Hoi An. Train fares are one way per person for Wednesday, November 18, 2026 (Vietnam Railways), without that transfer.

With five days or more, we would take the train: a berth replaces a hotel night and you wake up to the Hai Van coast. On a three- or four-day trip, fly; bus route 01SB runs from Da Nang Airport to Hoi An. A sleeper bus is the most tiring option, while on the train you can at least stand up and walk around.

Choosing your Hanoi to Da Nang train #

We suggest one of the three overnight trains, SE3, SE19 or SE1. You reach Hue in the morning and Da Nang between late morning and early afternoon, leaving the afternoon to get to Hoi An. SE3 arrives first, while SE1 and SE19 were cheaper than SE3 for the same date.

The daytime trains suit a Hoi An trip less well: SE7 and SE5 reach Da Nang after the last bus to Hoi An, and SE9 crosses Hai Van in the dark. All six departures are part of the schedule Vietnam Railways announced through December 30, 2026 (Bao Van Hoa, July 4, 2026), but timetables change from one period to the next, so check your exact date before you buy.

Seats, sleepers and what they cost #

SE trains have soft seats, six-berth cabins with three tiers, four-berth cabins with two, and two-berth cabins in some carriages. The table shows one-way fares from Hanoi to Da Nang for the same date, November 18, 2026, including insurance and VAT; where you fall in each range depends on the berth level and carriage type.

Class	SE1, SE19 (VND)	SE3, SE5, SE7, SE9 (VND)
Soft seat	618,000-735,000	1,004,000-1,108,000
Six-berth cabin	865,000-1,290,000	1,246,000-1,764,000
Four-berth cabin	1,163,000-1,420,000	1,676,000-2,007,000

Fares also depend on the date and when you buy. The sales plan running to December 30, 2026 takes 5-15% off individual tickets bought at least 10 days ahead, with 20 discounted tickets per class on each train; buy within two days of departure and the price rises by 3-5%.

For an overnight ride, we would book a berth rather than a seat. Four-berth cabins have fewer passengers, though noise still depends on who shares the compartment. A lower berth is easier to sit up in and sits right by the luggage space underneath, while the top berth of a six-berth cabin is the cheapest and the hardest to climb into. It is the same choice as on the Hanoi to Lao Cai (Lào Cai) night train, only twice as long.

Booking your ticket

Whether you book on dsvn.vn, through the Vietnam Railways app or at a station counter, enter your name and passport number exactly as they appear in your passport. Under rules in force since January 1, 2024, you must carry ID matching the details printed on your boarding pass and show it when asked; a mismatch makes the ticket invalid. In late 2025, Vietnam Railways also warned about fake websites and social media accounts that differ from the official ones by only a few characters, so never pay a stranger on Zalo or Facebook for a ticket.

Crossing the Hai Van Pass: which side to sit on #

On SE trains, Hue to Da Nang takes about 2 hours 30 to 45 minutes, and the best views start after Lang Co. Heading south, the sea is on the left side of the train. If your cabin or seat is on the other side, step into the corridor. Hold the handrail on bends, keep your head and hands inside the window, and do not stand in the gangway between carriages.

The railway curving along the Da Nang side of the Hai Van Pass, forest on the slopes and white surf breaking on rocks below, on a hazy day, March 2008 — The railway on the Hai Van Pass above Da Nang Bay, March 2008.

Breaking the journey in Hue, or carrying on to Nha Trang #

To split the long ride in two, get off an overnight train at Hue and stay a night. The next day, continue on the Hue - Da Nang tourist train. HD1 leaves Hue at 7:05am and reaches Da Nang at 10:10am; HD3 leaves at 2:30pm and arrives at 6:15pm. HD1 stops at Lang Co Station for about 10 minutes and HD3 for just over 20. For November 18, 2026, an HD1 soft seat cost VND180,000-220,000 and a seat in the 32-seat VIP carriage VND395,000.

We prefer HD1, which crosses the pass in the morning and reaches Da Nang before lunch. HD3 arrives close to the last bus departure, so book a car to Hoi An for that evening.

Red locomotive D11H-345 with the purple carriages of the HD1 Hue - Da Nang tourist train at a platform in Hue Station in the morning, September 2, 2026 — The HD1 Hue - Da Nang tourist train at Hue Station on the morning of September 2, 2026.

Heading south after Hoi An, go back to Da Nang Station: SE7 leaves at 10:30pm and pulls into Nha Trang Station, right in town, at 8:40am.

From Da Nang Station to Hoi An #

Da Nang Station is on Hai Phong (Hải Phòng) Street, about 30 km by road from the old town. The easiest option is a ride-hailing car (Grab and Green SM both show the fare before you book) or a station taxi; agree on a fixed price or confirm the meter before you get in.

Bus 02 costs far less, up to VND30,000 a ride, but it does not stop at the station. According to DanangBus, it runs 5:15am-6:30pm in both directions, every 15-30 minutes, along the seafront Nguyen Tat Thanh (Nguyễn Tất Thành) Street and Tran Phu (Trần Phú) Street, then enters Hoi An along Ly Thuong Kiet (Lý Thường Kiệt) Street; the ride from the city center to the end of the line takes about 70 minutes. From the station, walk or take a short ride to a stop such as the one by Da Nang Cathedral (Nhà thờ Con Gà), opposite 151 Tran Phu; the DanaBus app shows where the stops are. In Hoi An, get off at a stop on Ly Thuong Kiet and walk or take a car into the old town. With a suitcase, take a car; if you travel light and arrive before mid-afternoon, the bus is the budget choice.

Reach Hoi An in the afternoon and you can still walk the old town that evening, especially if you stay in or near the Ancient Town. On the 14th day of the lunar month, check the car-free hours, tickets and lantern boats for Old Town Night before you go.

The front of Da Nang Station, with the words Ga Da Nang above the curved canopy, a welcome sign and a timetable board at the entrance, on a July 2018 morning — Da Nang Station in the morning, July 2018.

Sleeping safely on the night train #

The UK Foreign Office warns of petty theft on buses and trains, particularly while passengers are asleep on overnight trains (updated September 21, 2026). Keep your passport, phone and wallet in a small bag on you, tucked against the wall side of the berth while you sleep, and put suitcases under the lower berth. If your cabin door has a latch, close it once everyone is in for the night, and do not leave valuables on the table by the window when the train stops at stations.

Each carriage has a free hot water dispenser by the washbasin (Dan Tri, May 2024). Bring snacks, water, slippers and a light jacket, as the air conditioning can feel cold at night.

Hanoi to Hoi An train: FAQ #

Can I fly to Da Nang and take the train back to Hanoi?

Yes, and it is a good way to try the train without spending two days on board. From Da Nang Station, SE20 leaves at 6pm and reaches Hanoi at 11:10am the next day; SE8 leaves at 11:41pm and arrives at 4:20pm the next day (timetable checked October 23, 2026). For SE20, leave Hoi An by mid-afternoon.

Do children need a train ticket?

Under the fare policy Vietnam Railways announced in April 2026, children under six travel free if they share an adult's seat or berth, and children aged six to under ten get 25% off. On an overnight trip, we think a separate berth for the child is worth it if your budget allows, so everyone can sleep.

How much does it cost to change or cancel a train ticket?

Under the Tet 2025 exchange and refund notice still posted on dsvn.vn (viewed October 24, 2026), outside the Tet peak, returning an individual ticket 24 hours or more before departure costs 10% of the fare, and 20% between 4 and 24 hours before; exchanging a ticket 24 hours or more ahead costs VND20,000. Fees may have changed since, so check when you buy. Tickets bought online can be returned online or at a station; otherwise, go to a station with your original ID.

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