Hanoi Railway Station

The train station is in downtown Hanoi only 5 minutes from Lake Hoan Kiem. Trains depart to all corners of the country and are widely used since they’re an economical means of travel and, aside from coastal roads near Ha Long Bay, the road system in Vietnam is fairly poor.

The trains themselves are also somewhat dilapidated. The seats are made of hard wood and the demand is such at you need to get tickets at least two days in advance. The only exceptions are the luxury sleeper trains which head to Lao Cai in the north. There is, however, also a third-class train for Lao Cai that is very inexpensive.