Vietnam’s north-south railway named one of the world’s most scenic routes
VOV.VN - Vietnam's 1,725-km North-South Railway, which passes through historic cities, beach towns and picturesque coastal landscapes, has been named one of the world's most scenic routes by US-based travel magazine Travel+Leisure.
“Although you’ll find stunning routes across the US and Europe, one of the world’s most beautiful and underrated train rides is in Vietnam. Enter: the North-South Railway,” the magazine said in its article.
Known affectionately as the “Reunification Express”, the route connects Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, taking passengers through some of Southeast Asia’s prettiest landscapes and cities.
Six trains operate daily in each direction between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Tickets can be purchased through Vietnam Railways or third-party booking platforms offering English-language interfaces and international payment options. Travel + Leisure advised travellers to book early as seats often sell out quickly.
The magazine also noted that the journey from Hanoi takes more than 30 hours, passing through Hue, Da Nang and Nha Trang before reaching Ho Chi Minh City, with views of rice fields and dramatic sea cliffs along the way.
“Tickets are sold per leg, so you can ride overnight from Hanoi to Hue, spend a few days exploring the area, then continue south at your own pace,” the magazine said.
For overnight journeys, four-berth air-conditioned cabins offer mattresses, pillows and lockable doors, while six-berth hard-sleeper cabins are cheaper but more cramped.
Traditional Vietnamese meals are served from food trolleys at main mealtimes, with snacks available throughout the day. The magazine noted that trains do not offer Wi-Fi, advising passengers to use a local SIM card or make other arrangements to stay connected.
However, the iconic service could eventually be replaced by Vietnam's planned US$67 billion high-speed railway along the same corridor. The project is designed to cut the full journey time to about five hours, with construction expected to begin in 2027 and completion targeted for 2035.
Travel + Leisure suggested that visitors start the journey in Hanoi, take an overnight train to Hue, explore the former imperial capital and then continue to Da Nang. The roughly 2.5-hour Hue-Da Nang leg is considered the prettiest section of the route thanks to the Hai Van Pass, a 20-km climb over a mountain ridge where the train hugs a cliff above the South China Sea, known locally as the East Sea.
The magazine said travellers can then continue to the coastal city of Nha Trang before ending their journey in Ho Chi Minh City.
North-South railway among top 10 sleeper train journeys worldwide
VOV.VN - Vietnam’s Thong Nhat (Reunification) Express, also known as the North-South railway route, has been listed among the top 10 best sleeper train journeys globally, according to The Travel magazine of Canada.
