Timetable checked on October 21, 2026
Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City by train: the Reunification Express
The whole North–South line, the route of the Reunification Express (Tàu Thống Nhất in Vietnamese): 1,726 km from Hanoi to Saigon station in 32h 45m to 40h 50m, with at least one night on board. A journey to do once, in a soft sleeper.
- Journey time
- 32h 45m to 40h 50m
- Departures
- 7 a day
- First / last
- 06:00 / 21:45
- From
- ₫1,220,000
- Distance
- 1,726 km
Hanoi Station (Ga Hà Nội) → Saigon Station (Ga Sài Gòn)
The short answer
The official timetable lists 7 trains a day over the whole line, leaving Hanoi between 06:00 and 21:45. Journey times range from 32h 45m to 40h 50m; the fastest is SE1. Book a 4-berth soft sleeper, bring water and snacks for the long stretches, and consider breaking the trip in Hue, Da Nang or Nha Trang, where every train stops anyway.
- FastestSE1 at 21:45, arrives 06:30 (32h 45m)
- CheapestSoft seat, air-conditioned from ₫1,220,000 (≈ $48)
- Best night trainSE1 at 21:45, arrives 06:30: a full night on board, no hotel needed
- Think twiceSE9 arrives at 03:26, in the middle of the night
Timetable Hanoi → Ho Chi Minh City
| Train | Departs | Arrives | Duration | From | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE76-berth · Soft seat · 4-berth · VIP 2-berth | 06:00 | 17:00+1 day | 35h 00m | ₫1,220,000≈ $48 | Book |
| SE56-berth · Soft seat · 4-berth | 08:00 | 18:20+1 day | 34h 20m | ₫1,320,000≈ $52 | Book |
| SE96-berth · Soft seat · 4-berth | 13:00 | 03:26+2 days | 38h 26m | ₫1,330,000≈ $52 | Book |
| SE23 | 14:15 | 07:05+2 days | 40h 50m | — | Book |
| SE3Night train6-berth · Soft seat | 19:20 | 05:30+2 days | 34h 10m | ₫1,560,000≈ $61 | Book |
| SE11Night train | 20:40 | 11:20+2 days | 38h 40m | — | Book |
| SE1Night train6-berth · Soft seat · 4-berth | 21:45 | 06:30+2 days | 32h 45m | ₫1,560,000≈ $61 | Book |
Timetable Ho Chi Minh City → Hanoi
| Train | Departs | Arrives | Duration | From | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE86-berth · Soft seat · 4-berth | 06:00 | 16:20+1 day | 34h 20m | ₫1,360,000≈ $53 | Book |
| SE66-berth · Soft seat · 4-berth | 08:45 | 19:14+1 day | 34h 29m | ₫1,340,000≈ $52 | Book |
| SE106-berth · Soft seat · 4-berth | 13:15 | 03:40+2 days | 38h 25m | ₫1,370,000≈ $54 | Book |
| SE24 | 14:25 | 09:35+2 days | 43h 10m | — | Book |
| SE4Night train6-berth · Soft seat · 4-berth | 19:20 | 04:36+2 days | 33h 16m | ₫1,560,000≈ $61 | Book |
| SE2Night train6-berth · Soft seat · 4-berth | 20:35 | 05:42+2 days | 33h 07m | ₫1,560,000≈ $61 | Book |
| SE12Night train | 21:00 | 10:10+2 days | 37h 10m | — | Book |
Official Vietnam Railways (VNR) times for Thursday, November 12, 2026, checked on October 21, 2026; 12Go fares checked the same day. Times change at Tết and during engineering works: the booking page always shows the live timetable.
Fares by class
| Class | VNR fare | 12Go, from |
|---|---|---|
| Soft seat, air-conditioned | ₫1,030,000≈ $40 | ₫1,220,000≈ $48 |
| Hard sleeper, 6 berths | ₫1,270,000 – ₫1,640,000≈ $50 | ₫1,590,000≈ $62 |
| Soft sleeper, 4 berths | ₫1,670,000 – ₫1,760,000≈ $65 | ₫2,110,000≈ $83 |
VNR fares: best carriages, compiled from dsvn.vn by seat61 (June 10, 2026); a lower berth costs a little more than an upper one. 12Go prices include its service fee and were checked on October 21, 2026. Amounts in other currencies are indicative.
Stations and connections
Trains leave from Hanoi Station (Ga Hà Nội), main building on Lê Duẩn street.
Saigon station (Ga Sài Gòn) is in District 3, a short taxi or Grab ride from District 1. The trains also stop at Biên Hòa and Dĩ An, on the northern edge of the city: check which stop your ticket shows.
Train or bus?
A domestic flight takes about two hours in the air and is often cheaper than a soft sleeper booked late; a bus is not a sensible option over 1,700 km. Take the train for the journey itself, or ride one section only, such as Hue to Da Nang.
Booking tips
- Outside the holidays, a soft sleeper is usually easy to find a few days ahead; book one to two weeks ahead for a weekend, and as soon as sales open for Tết (late January or February) and the 30 April – 1 May holiday.
- Tickets are e-tickets: keep the PDF or the QR code on your phone with your passport, which staff can ask to see.
- Children aged 0 to 4 travel free, children aged 5 to 9 get 25% off and children from 10 pay the full fare (seat61, from the Vietnam Railways rules).
- Luggage goes under the lower berths or in the space above the compartment door; keep valuables with you at night.
Where to buy
- 12Go: English interface, foreign cards, Vietnam Railways seats and private carriages in one search; a service fee is included in the price.
- Trip.com also sells Vietnam Railways tickets (and fewer private carriages than 12Go), with a discount code for a first booking. Trip.com train code (TRIPTRAIN5P, −5 %)
- dsvn.vn, the official Vietnam Railways site: the cheapest, but less easy to use from abroad.
- At the station ticket office: cash in dong, often no English; fine a few days ahead outside the holidays.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City?
Between 32h 45m and 40h 50m, depending on the train. The fastest is SE1, which leaves Hanoi Station at 21:45 and arrives at 06:30.
How much is a train ticket from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City?
On 12Go, prices start at ₫1,220,000 (≈ $48) for soft seat, air-conditioned (fee included, checked on October 21, 2026). A berth in a 4-berth soft sleeper costs more.
Is there a night train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City?
Every train spends at least one night on board. The evening train SE1 leaves Hanoi at 21:45 and reaches Saigon at 06:30; the morning departures arrive the following evening after a single night.
Can I book the Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City train online?
Yes. 12Go and Trip.com accept foreign cards and send an e-ticket; the official site dsvn.vn is cheaper but less easy to use from abroad. Book early for weekends and holidays.
What is the Reunification Express?
The name travellers give to the North–South line trains between Hanoi and Saigon, Tàu Thống Nhất in Vietnamese, which have run the whole line again since the end of 1976, after reunification. It is not a single train: the 7 daily departures each way are the SE trains, odd numbers heading south and even numbers heading north, and all of them stop in Hue, Da Nang and Nha Trang.
How many nights does the trip take?
One or two, depending on the departure: the morning trains reach Saigon the next evening, the evening trains two mornings later.
Can I stop off on the way?
Not on one ticket: tickets are point to point, so buy one ticket per section (Hanoi–Hue, Hue–Da Nang, Da Nang–Nha Trang, Nha Trang–Saigon) and choose your trains (seat61).
Is there food on board?
Yes. A trolley sells snacks, coffee and drinks, staff sell set meals at meal times, and the sleeping cars have a free hot and cold water dispenser at the end of the corridor (seat61). Bring fruit and snacks for the long stretches.
How we compile these timetables
Times come from the official Vietnam Railways timetable (giotaugiave.dsvn.vn) for one travel date, cross-checked with the 12Go booking engine; private carriages, ratings and "from" prices were read on 12Go the same day. We update the page after each new check and show the date at the top. We do not copy reviews: ratings are 12Go's, dated.
- Vietnam Railways official timetable, giotaugiave.dsvn.vn (travel date Thursday, November 12, 2026, checked on October 21, 2026)
- 12Go booking engine, train results (travel date Thursday, November 12, 2026, checked on October 21, 2026)
- seat61.com, Vietnam page, fares compiled from dsvn.vn (updated June 10, 2026)
Booking links go to our partner 12Go; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes the times or prices shown.
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