Colourful, vibrant and full of energy are just three adjectives that can be used to describe Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam. Often known by its old name of Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is bursting with culture, architecture and a 24/7 bustling life. Once you’ve walked its streets, the coastal city of Nha Trang is usually a place to rest. The first beach spot in Vietnam is the perfect place to relax with its white sandy beaches and where you can enjoy the lively atmosphere at night.
How to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang
Train passing through Ho Chi Minh City © Quang nguyen vinh / Shutterstock.com
The shortest road route from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang is 430 kilometers, so while Nha Trang is a popular getaway from Ho Chi Minh City, there are quite a few stretches between the two cities. The journey is long with buses taking between 9.5 and 11 hours, although at least there are night buses so you can rest and sleep. A faster option is the train, although the duration can vary from 7 to 9 hours depending on the service, so you should do your research to find the best timetable. The last option is to fly from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang. This is undoubtedly the fastest way to get to your destination and, surprisingly, not necessarily the most expensive. Here we outline the pros and cons of each option.
Flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang
Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport © AsiaTravel / Shutterstock.com
Let’s start with the quickest way to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang: by plane. Tan Son Nhat International Airport is the busiest airport in Vietnam and is quite centrally located in Ho Chi Minh City. From here there are flights to Cam Ranh International Airport in Nha Trang, which are served by three airlines: Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air and Jetstar Pacific Airlines. Out of them all, VietJet Air is the one with the most daily flights and is usually the one with the cheapest tickets for flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang. For this reason, it is very likely that you prefer to travel by plane rather than by train or bus.
As we mentioned, flying is not that expensive when compared to other transport options. With VietJet Air, the price of a seat can even be lower than the price of a sleeper ticket on some trains. Although the biggest advantage of the flight is the duration as it only takes 1 hour to reach your destination. So, even if we add waiting times at airports, a flight will still be the fastest option to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang. You will be able to leave the big city in the morning and reach Nha Trang by lunch time.
From Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang by train
As mentioned above, the plane is the cheapest way to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang and can even be cheaper than taking the train. However, remember that if you buy a train ticket with a sleeper, you will save one night of accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City or Nha Trang. Therefore, although the flight may be cheaper, you will have to pay for the accommodation to make the price comparison realistic.
One of the biggest advantages of traveling by train from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang is that there are always many connections between the two cities. This gives you great flexibility in finding an option that suits your plans, whether you prefer to travel overnight or during the day. The good thing about traveling during the day is that you get to see beautiful scenery that you would miss at night or from a plane, so keep that in mind when choosing your tickets.
The operator is Vietnam Railways and you can buy tickets directly from them, whether you’re looking for the cheapest option (2nd class seats only) or want a sleeper ticket. The service provided by Vietnam Railways is acceptable, but if you prefer more comfort and more attentive service, you may want to consider operator options such as Saigon Golden Train or Livitrans Express. You’ll travel on the Vietnam Railways train anyway, but these private operators have private carriages that offer more luxury and comfort. You will have to pay more to enjoy this benefit, but it may be worth it.
From Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang by bus
The last option is the cheapest and slowest way from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang. You will need to weigh up the pros and cons of traveling by bus before taking this option.
Traveling by bus has its advantages. It is undoubtedly the cheapest way to travel, so it is perfect if you are going to spend time in Asia and need to control your spending. Considering the distance you will travel, bus tickets are very cheap. Of course, spending so many hours on the bus is not for everyone.
Two major companies operate services between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang: Hanh Cafe and The SinhTourist. The buses operated by Hanh Cafe are rather more basic than The SinhTourist buses as they have air conditioning and standard seats only for a trip of around 9.5 hours. On the other hand, with The SinhTourist, you can enjoy sleeping places, TVs, hostess and snacks, as well as toilets on board, all for a few euros more.
If you don’t mind sleeping anywhere, night buses are great and inexpensive because you won’t have to pay for a night’s stay.