Airplane

For those short on time, flying is the most convenient way to see several destinations in Vietnam. Many travelers underestimate the distance between cities and choose buses or trains instead of flying. It’s good to keep in mind that train rides from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City can run up to 30 hours, and from Central Vietnam to either point, 16 hours is quite common. Therefore, it is wise to opt for a one- or two-hour plane ride and spend more time at your destination. Domestic ticket fare is surprisingly reasonable and there are daily flights to all of the country’s top destinations.
Vietnam Airlines is the national airline and has the most flights daily, while Vietjet and Jetstar both offer affordable deals for short trips around the country.

Bus

For short routes to get to cities or a specific area, public transport in Vietnam is a great option. This transport is cheap, but comfortable and convenient for all tourists when visiting Vietnam. Vietnamese buses include two main types which are interprovincial buses and local buses. Every province in Vietnam has buses to take tourists from one place to another. Normally, interprovincial buses have high-quality services and there is no limitation to your baggage size. Local buses are most prominent in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and some famous tourist destinations.
Vietnamese bus in these cities is publicly used for both local and foreign tourists. The ticket price is extremely cheap (less than 10,000 VND). Although the service quality is not very high, traveling by bus is one of the interesting ways to learn more about the locals and their life in a city.

Taxi

Recently, the taxi has become widespread and convenient in Vietnam, especially in big cities and urban areas. The prices are cheap by international standards. It is considered a safe way to travel around, especially at night. The average tariff is from 10,000 to 15,000VND per kilometer.
There are two main types of taxis in Vietnam: taxis from reputable corporations and taxis from individual drivers. To travel to places where there is no public Vietnam transportation such as bus or taxi, tourists can rent a car to get there. Traveling by these cars, tourists will have the opportunity to enjoy and explore fascinating attractions. Moreover, renting a car will bring about independence, convenience, and flexibility to tourists during their journey.

Motorbike

Vietnam is one of the few countries in the world where motorbikes are still widely used. Motorbikes make up a large number of vehicles forming the transportation system in Vietnam. According to the Vietnamese State’s rule on riding a motorbike, riders need to have a driving license to ride a motorbike, and both riders and persons sitting behind have to wear helmets to ensure safety. Motor Taxi (or Xe Om in Vietnamese) is a cheap way for locals or tourists to travel from one place to another within a city. Furthermore, motorbikes are favored by most Vietnamese young people and foreign backpackers in their adventurous trips to mountainous areas.
In addition, booking a motorbike online is also the best choice for you to travel short routes in Vietnam. The most common online-booking motorbikes are Grab, Gojek, or Bee. These services save you much time as you just stay at home and book a trip through your phone at a cheap price. All you need to do is getting a SIM card with an Internet package to use these services in Vietnam before downloading the respective app. SIM Cards are cheap and worth the money saved in getting around the city compared to relying on metered taxis. The routes are fixed and you should rate the driver on their honesty and driving skills giving an incentive to drive safely.

Train

Rail transport in Vietnam is also favored by a large number of tourists in Vietnam. The length of the Vietnam railway system currently is about 2.600km in total. These routes connect almost cities and provinces throughout the country. Traveling by train will take you to many cultural, social, and tourism destinations from the North to the South, which might be an ideal option for you to travel with inexpensive travel expenses. Because Vietnam railways pass through many types of terrain such as mountains, forests, valleys, plains, and the sea, it creates wonderful, magnificent, and attractive scenery.
The North-South Express Railway which is the national train route under the Vietnam Railways Corporation starts from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Three main stations of the Vietnam train are situated in Hanoi, Hue, and Ho Chi Minh City. These train stations are well-equipped and increasingly modernized with free Wi-Fi and other advanced services, which reflects the rapid development of the Vietnam railway system.

Car

If you have got the budget for your trip, going by car is the best and safest way to see Vietnam. Self-driving is unwise as there are many rules on the road, especially for the uninitiated, driving is chaotic. International driving licenses are not accepted in Vietnam so renting cars is not the norm. If someone recommends that, they’ll usually mean complete with a driver. If you get around Vietnam in a group, this can be a great way to get a tour on your way.
Drivers are available for hire anywhere and for as little as $10 per day. Most hotels will rent wheels for day trips at inflated rates; budget hotels and guesthouses offer the best rates. Budget travelers often pitch in for a rented car between sites (from Hue to Nha Trang, for instance) where going by private car means you can set your schedule and stop at places like Bach Ma National Park, Lang Co Beach, and Hai Van Pass.

Bicycle

Cycling is an excellent way of sightseeing around towns, and you do not have to pay much at all for the privilege, even outside the main tourist centers. Whether you’re an avid cyclist or just a normal traveler who enjoys a little pedal now and then, Vietnam will reawaken your love for this mode of transport.
Although it is possible to cycle in the cities, Vietnam’s small towns and beach destinations are perfect for the two-wheeled expedition. Some of the country’s best-guided tours are bicycle tours. These services are available in the Mekong Delta and Central Vietnam. In towns such as Hoi An and Hue, it’s possible to get to everywhere you want by bicycle. Rentals are usually about 20,000 to 30,000 VND per day (about 1$.) Although a helmet isn’t mandatory, consider wearing one anyway.

Cyclo

The Cyclo is a three-wheeled bicycle taxi that may be one of the favorite methods of transportation in Vietnam among international tourists when visiting Vietnam. Sitting on the little cart when the driver paddles behind will bring you a feeling of relaxation. Nothing can beat the feeling of sitting on a cyclo and strolling around the lakeside on summer nights.
However, groups of cyclo drivers always hang out close to some main markets and hotels and a lot of them could speak English, at least the simplest level. To make sure that the driver understands your intention of place to go to, it is a good idea to bring yourself a city map. Moreover, you had better settle on a certain fare before going anywhere otherwise you will get stiffed. Cyclo rides usually cost around 10000 – 20000 VND, and for a more extended tour, it will be about 20000 – 30000 VND.

Boat

Besides, traveling by water is also considered a popular means of transportation in Vietnam. To approach offshore islands, cruises or boats are good options. Vietnam cruise contains three main types: international cruise, premium cruise, and river cruise. Though Vietnam cruises are new forms of traveling in Vietnam, there are still many attractive packages on cruises to famous destinations such as Halong Bay and the Mekong Delta River.
Tourists could travel by freighters or tourist boats for longer and short-haul trips. The former could maybe be at ease or sometimes less, the latter are comfortable. Boat transport is slow and seems to be more popular in the northern region of Vietnam. In general, boat travel is more expensive than bus travel over a single route.

Car Rental in Vietnam

Renting a car to visit some places is a good idea if those destinations are inaccessible by public transportation. There are two types of car rental: car rental with or without driver.

Car Rental without Driver (Self-drive)

You need to prepare: driving license, passport, collateral (by cash from VND 20 – 30 million)
Find out how much the rental cost is, how you will charge it (especially how to pay extra fees and overnight fees) and how deposits are made.
Evaluate the quality of the rental through rental information, clearly car contract and associated support services: including car delivery to customers, free car-washing after rental.
The rental cost is calculated in days or kilometers?
How much is it in case overtime or excess km (often VND 100.000 /hour) and (VND 3.000/km)
Take photos of the car before hiring as the confirmation when giving it back to the owner
When the car crash or damage during the travel, how to solve and deal with the cost?
Clear listed prices

Recommended Car Rental without Driver in Hanoi

Trang Minh Company
Address: No. 1130G La Thanh St
Tel: +84 989 898 984 – +84 967 785 566

Van Minh Company
Address: No. 25B, Lane 120 Yen Lang Street, Dong Da District
Tel: +84 918 186 822 + +84 966 505 995

Recommended Car Rental without Driver in Ho Chi Minh City

Trung Tin Company
Address: No. 142B Hien Vuong St, Tan Phu District
Tel: +84 911 480 086 – +84 822 531 804

Tan An Gia Company
Address: No. 107 Lanh Binh Thang St, District 11
Tel: +84 906 385 773

Recommended Car Rental without Driver in Danang

Vu Khoa Company
Address: 7 Vu Van Dung St
Tel: +84 906 15 0001 – +84 905 499 544

Dinh Auto Company
Address: 124-128 2/9 Street
Tel:  +84 931 525258 – +84 919 190975

Car Rental with Driver

You need to check the quality of the car as well as driving experience of the driver.
Clarify the route, stops, departure and arrival time in the car rental contract
Clear listed prices

Recommended Car Rental without Driver in Hanoi

My Dinh Travel Company
Address: No. 30 My Dinh St, Nam Tu Liem District
Tel: +84 983 314 426

Ngoc Minh Company
Address: No. 25 Lane 31 Doan Ke Thien St, Cau Giay District
Tel: +84 983 229 996 – +84 967 279 998

Recommended Car Rental without Driver in Ho Chi Minh City

Mai Long Thanh Company
Address: No. 286/17A Pham Van Bach, Tan Binh District
Tel: +84 902 202 202

Van Linh Company
Address: No. 3 Dien Bien Phu St, Binh Thanh District
Tel: (+84-8) 3514 1714

Recommended Car Rental without Driver in Danang

Vittour Company
Address: No. 83 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St, Hai Chau District
Tel: +84 236 382 3660

Vitraco Company
Address: No. 384B Dien Bien Phu District
Tel:  +84 905 049 049 – +84 909 119 119

Motorbike Rental in Vietnam

To experience Vietnam at its best, there is nothing better than exploring each small street corners and alleys with a motorbike – a popular means of transportation in Vietnam. Riding a motorbike has become a favorite activity enjoyed by a majority of foreign visitors, especially those being keen on adventures and thrilling experience.

Motorbike Rental Guides

Nowadays, it has become the norm that foreigner visitors love renting a motorbike in Vietnam and travel on their own. With a motorbike, you can choose to explore every corner of the streets or escape the hustling and bustling city and head to discover other places in the country, lain or even mountainous terrain. So, have you ever wonder where you can rent a high-quality motorbike at the best price? The tip to have a safe and enjoyable motorbike travel is to the one that suits your purpose and roads that you’re going to take. There are a number of factors that decide what type of motorbike you should rent, encompass your driving skills, kinds of the road – plain or mountainous path.

With numerous existing types of motorbikes including Dream, Wave, Simpson or Minsk, it is necessary to choose a suitable one. Scooter is the easiest type of motor to drive but it can be used on plain roads while motorcycle is difficult to control but it is able to conquer mountainous paths.

Motorbike Rental Recommendation

If you’re in Hanoi, wander around Hanoi Old Quarter, you can encounter a lot of motorbike stores for rent, whereas if you’re in Ho Chi Minh City and Hue, make your way to District 1 in Saigon and Hung Vuong Boulevard in Hue respectively to rent a motorbike. Like car rental, you can also ask the hotel staff for motorbike rental service.

Other Transportation Rentals in Vietnam

Bike and cyclo are the common means of transportation which are encouraged to use by tourists for a responsible travel to destinations in Vietnam. You can easily hire a bike in bike agencies and a cyclo in the streets in Hanoi, Saigon or Danang with a reasonable price (from VND 50.000 to VND 70.000 a day for bike and from VND 50.000 to VND 150.000 for a travel by a cyclo).

Why to Take a Train?

When first mentioning Vietnam, things including heart-touching natural landscape, distinct values of architecture, culture, and biodiversity, mouth-watering cuisine to the soul beauty of friendly, amiable and highly cultured Vietnamese people often come to our mind. And the train is a great way to get around Vietnam to capture as many amazing things as possible.

• Safe means of transportation: It cannot be denied that Vietnam’s train is a comfortable, safe and cheap way to travel.
• Time-saving: Train is more advantageous than others in the way that it can help you save much time. For example, when I took an overnight train from Hanoi to Hue or Danang, it took me less time than traveling by air. My train departed in the evening in Hanoi and arrived at Hue city right in the next morning. It’s really convenient, right?
• Breathtaking view from the train: in my journey from Hue to Danang, the train moved along the South China Sea, which is the most beautiful part in the way from Hanoi to Saigon. By taking a train, you can have a chance to cross magical parts of Vietnam covered with lust primeval forests, spectacular waterfalls, stunning cliffs, soaring mountains, refreshingly cool plateaus, and green rice fields. Hence, visitors’ expectation will be met as they can get the sense of exciting adventure that they cannot have from the life of the crowded cities, thereby gaining an insight into the best of Vietnam.

How to Purchase Tickets?

To buy train tickets, you need to make a reservation. If no, there will be nothing for to buy. You can buy separate tickets for each individual and also for each leg of a train journey. For instance, with a trip from Hanoi to Hue, you can purchase all the tickets in advance or buy it whenever you stop at each train station along the way you move.
Some train stations to purchase tickets:

• In Hanoi: Head to Le Duan Street to approach Hanoi main station to buy your train ticket.
• In Saigon: Buy tickets at Saigon city center train ticket agency located at 275C Pham Ngu Lao where tickets are available for your train journey.

You are advised to book the ticket as soon as possible. Normally, booking is available 60 days before the departure so remember to mind the time to get the ticket for your journey. Another way to purchase a train ticket is to book online. You can go directly to its website at Vietnamese Railways.

How Much does a Train Ticket Cost?

As I previously mentioned, train fares in Vietnam is much cheaper than others. By traveling by train, you can not only experience an amazing Vietnam but also save time and money as well.

• Children aging from 0 to 4 have to pay nothing. They are allowed to get on the train for free.
• Children aging from5 to 9 have to pay half.
• Those who are over 10 have to pay full.

You can also visit the website of the Vietnamese Railway for detail prices of train ticket. One thing you should remember is that you should come to the train station 30 minutes before the train starts to do all the preparation before getting on the train.

Look Back – My Personal Train Experience

I have to admit that traveling around Vietnam by train is definitely one of the most exciting things to do. Everything on the train satisfied me as a pleasantly clean place equipped with all necessary convenience to generate great comfort to customers. From the windows of the train, Vietnam is like a perfect patchwork of the brilliant colorful picture surrounded by white clouds and a vast area of pagodas and temples giving way for soaring mountains. Sitting on the train’s seat, a bit further from the splendid mountain peaks, I seemed to be overwhelmed by the impressive and spectacular beauty of pristine primeval forests with large trees flocks of butterflies, the wildflower fragrance blew by the wind; some sections are dotted with incredibly vertical waterfalls.

Your Vietnam tour to explore this wonderful S-shaped country would be more memorable with a journey by train. The above is my own experience when traveling by train, hope that you also have a great trip and have fun with that.