Hanoi, the country’s capital and second largest city, is the country’s main cultural center and boasts a fantastic mix of old and modern architecture, including French colonial buildings that have earned the city the nickname “Paris of the East”. . For a change of heart, after exploring this wonderful city, head south to Dong Hoi. Dong Hoi, much smaller than Hanoi, is the capital of Quang Binh Province. It has beautiful white sand beaches and a surprisingly non-touristy atmosphere. It is also the closest city to Phong Nha-Ke National Park. If you’re looking for other places to visit after the big city, you’ll love Dong Hoi. In this guide, we show you the best ways to travel from Hanoi to Dong Hoi.
Options to go from Hanoi to Dong Hoi
Train through Vietnam © TBone Lee / Shutterstock.com
Although the route from Hanoi to Dong Hoi is quite popular, the two cities are far apart, so it takes some time to travel between them. By road, the shortest route is 500 kilometers. If you decide to drive your own car, the route maps indicate that the journey will take approximately 9 hours. Traveling by car from Hanoi to Dong Hoi has its advantages, but the truth is that when traveling through fantastic landscapes, we recommend taking a bus or train so that you can enjoy the views while relaxing and having someone else drive. Another option to travel from Hanoi to Dong Hoi is by plane. Flights from Hanoi to Dong Hoi are very short. Therefore, if you want to get to the beach as soon as possible, flying by plane may be a good idea.
Hanoi to Dong Hoi flights
Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport is the second busiest airport in Vietnam © charnsitr / Shutterstock.com
We will start with the means of transport that will take you from Hanoi to Dong Hoi in the shortest possible time, which is the plane. To cover such a long distance, it is worth considering this option. The flight time is only one hour. Even when you add in transfers, security and waiting times at the airport, flying is still the quickest option to get to Dong Hoi.
Dong Hoi Airport is just 6 kilometers north of the city. From there you can easily and quickly reach the city. There are two airlines operating flights from Hanoi to Dong Hoi: Vietnam Airlines and VietJet Air. You can almost bet that a ticket with Vietnam Airlines will be much more expensive than with VietJet Air, usually more than three times. Since the flight only takes an hour, it’s not worth spending more to enjoy more amenities or services on board. Therefore, if you have the opportunity, choose a flight from Hanoi to Dong Hoi with VietJet Air.
Hanoi to Dong Hoi by bus
When looking for the best way to travel from Hanoi to Dong Hoi, you’ll find that the bus and train take about the same amount of time. What we can compare is the price, because the bus is undoubtedly the cheapest means of transport to get from one city to another. The only type of train ticket that comes close to the price of a bus ticket is second class. And frankly, buying a second-class seat on a train is not the best option, unless you like to travel in comfort.
Hoang Long operates buses from Hanoi to Dong Hoi that run regularly four times a day. The bus departs in the morning and arrives in Dong Hoi around 4:30 PM. The advantage of choosing this bus is that you can see the scenery, but it could be warmer. Although the most common thing about these buses is that the air conditioning is quite high, but it is something to consider.
The buses operated by Hoang Long are VIP-type buses with reclining seats, as well as on-board toilets, televisions and hostesses. Because they have reclining seats, many travelers prefer to take the night bus to sleep on the way. Also, this way you don’t waste hours of your day traveling and you can start exploring Dong Hoi when you arrive in the morning.
Train from Hanoi to Dong Hoi
The advantage of traveling by train from Hanoi to Dong Hoi is that there are many options to choose from. Various seats and carriages are available, and trains run regularly throughout the day. In Hanoi, trains depart from two different locations: the main train station and Giap Bat station. Trains to Dong Hoi from Giap Bat usually take a bit longer, an hour to an hour and a half longer. However, tickets for these trains are usually cheaper than those departing from Hanoi Central Station. This can be important information if you want to save as much as possible on your trip to Vietnam.
As we said earlier, the cheapest train tickets are for second class seats. Yes, second class has air conditioning, bathrooms, food and hostesses. However, considering that the journey takes between 9.5 and 11 hours (assuming you’re punctual), a conventional seat will be quite inconvenient for you.
Please note that there are also beds in the compartments, both in second and first class. If you’re traveling overnight, it’s a good idea to pay for one of these sleeping options on the way. You can book directly with Vietnam Railways if you don’t mind using the cheapest compartments. If you pay a little more, you can travel in one of the private carriages operated by Violette Express Trains. Unless you are forced to catch a train at a certain time, double check all train options as prices can vary greatly. If you have some flexibility, you can save a lot of money by choosing one or the other train.