VIETNAM TRANSPORTATION
FLIGHTS :
If you intend to travel only a few cities in Vietnam, flying is the most convenient and time-saving way. There are 02 carriers in Vietnam: Vietnam Airlines and Pacific Airlines. Vietnam Airlines flies to most places in the country: Dien Bien Phu (northwest), Hai Phong (northeast), Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang - Cam Ranh (Central Region), Pleiku, Buon Ma Thuat, Da Lat (Central Highland), Saigon, Rach Gia, Con Dao Island, Phu Quoc Island (south).
The major problem with flying is reserving a seat. It is essential to book flights early especially on popular routes as tickets are normally booked out. Internal flights are reliable. Prices are fixed by the National Aviation Authority. Foreigners pay the same price as the locals.
Pacific Airlines have become a low-cost airline servicing to certain destinations such as Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang only.
TRAINS :
There is a regular train service between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and most cities in between. Many people like to travel the length of the country by this means. Tickets allow passengers to break their journey at the major regional cities like Vinh, Dong Hoi, Dong Ha, Hue, Da Nang, Thap Cham and Nha Trang. The trip from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City takes between 30 and 42 hours, depending on each train. Passengers can book a sleeping compartment with air-conditioning, soft seat with air-conditioning, or economy class with hard seats with or without air-conditioning.
Besides those trains for northern and southern Vietnam, there are different local trains operating between 02 or more destinations such as between Ha Noi - Vinh, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City, Hue and Da Nang...
There are tourist trains for Ha Noi - Lao Cai or Ha Noi - China. The facilities are better ranging from standard to deluxe.
There's a train between Ha Noi and Ha Long City, but it's not recommended as this is probably the slowest one on earth.
BUSES :
Vietnam has a regular bus service that connects even the remotest areas of the country. it is very cheap but the emphasis is on economy not comfort with people having to squeeze into seats comparable to those found in kindergartens. No point in buying two tickets to secure extra space as seating is allocated to all available space. Nevertheless, buses are a great way to meet the locals.
For some popular routes, there are tourist buses which have better conditions compared to normal ones.
It's reported that some bus drivers are always on a rush. The question of safety should be in consideration when deciding to buy the tickets.
TAXIS :
In the major cities the easiest method of transport are taxis. Most are relatively new models of car and are air-conditioned. Most taxis have meters which makes it much more comfortable for the travellers. Still some illegal ones are not supposed to have a meter. This means if you happen to hop into an illegal taxi, anything can happen after the trip.
Prices are very cheap and most trips within a city cost between USD2 and USD5. Contrast this with the price of a cyclo trip(about the same), and except for the novelty of the transport, taxis prove a better service.
It happens to some travellers that they book service from cheap hotels in town with "free airport transfers" which turns out hefty sums charged by aggressive taxi drivers. Traveling in these taxis, the travelers are supposed to pay for all road tolls.
Be sure with the taxi driver that you don't have to pay for hidden costs after the trip. Please report your incidents to the authority of tourism which has booths in different cities in Vietnam, or please send your incidents via Paradissa Travel website, we will forward your report to the authority.
XE OM :
On any street corner in Vietnam, we can find men with motorcycles willing to carry you anywhere. This mode of transport is known as "Xe Om" or embracing transfers. It is usually convenient, quick, cheap and reliable although the fare should be negotiated before commencing the journey. The biggest problem is explaining the destination to the driver because pronunciation is everything in Vietnamese. Carry a pen and paper or a map. It's recommended that the fare and the destination be written down before the trip. This could be an exotic journey for many travelers. If you find it frightening, always keep your eyes closed and keep singing your anthems while weaving the traffics.
