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Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on the Reunification Railway: Route Guide

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The Hai Van Pass coast road curving high above the South China Sea
Photo: Steffen Schmitz · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The Reunification Express runs the length of Vietnam, and the country unrolls outside the window. Limestone karst towers over Ninh Binh's rice paddies, imperial Huế gives way to lantern-lit Hoi An, and the train hugs the cliffs of the Hải Vân Pass before rolling into Saigon's scooter swarm. There's a bowl of pho waiting at every stop.

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on the Reunification Railway is a 1726 km one-way journey (rail). It works best as 8–13 days; the plan below is the 10-day version for March, built from 684 verified places, with published scheduled journey times, opening hours and daylight checked.

8–13
days
1726km
distance
7
Stops
684
curated stops

Plan your own version → 8-day plan · 10-day plan · 13-day plan · best time to go

The route

Hanoi→ 115 kmNinh Binh→ 573 kmHue→ 103 kmDa Nang→ 30 kmHoi An→ 494 kmNha Trang→ 411 kmHo Chi Minh City

What you'll see

One-Pillar Pagoda
Admire a historic temple, charming despite crowd sizes.
Hanoi
Hoa Lu Ancient Capital
Walk among weathered temples of an ancient royal site.
Ninh Binh
Imperial City of Hue
Stroll through grand temples, pavilions, and walls in this expansive former imperial complex.
Hue
Marble Mountains
Hear echoes in cave temples amidst marble peaks.
Da Nang
Museum of Trade Ceramics
Walk through an old Hoi An home filled with ceramic fragments.
Hoi An
Long Son Pagoda
Behold a towering white Buddha in a historic pagoda.
Nha Trang
War Remnants Museum
Witness powerful exhibits and military hardware from the Vietnam War.
Ho Chi Minh City
Temple of Literature
Wander five courtyards honoring Vietnam's literary heritage.
Hanoi

Choose your length

8-day plan31 stops · 45.1 h transit3.9 stops/day · 5.6 h transit/daySee the full plan →10-day plan38 stops · 46.5 h transit3.8 stops/day · 4.7 h transit/daySee the full plan →13-day plan48 stops · 47.3 h transit3.7 stops/day · 3.6 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: March, April, May

The most balanced cross-country window: generally clearer central-coast weather, with heat building toward May. Confirm every dated train and local opening.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

Plan your own version →