Airport
Three airports in Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh greet international flights from all over the world. Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi is the farthest from the downtown (about 35 kilometres) while it takes only 20 minutes from Ton Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh to the city centre. The best way to travel from the airport to the city is by taxi, which is available at the arrival hall of every airport.

Currently you can fly to Vietnam from the following cities: Vientiane, Paris, Guangzhou, Amsterdam, Berlin, Dubai, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Frankfurt, Jakarta, Kaohsiung, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Moscow, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Osaka, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap (Angkor Wat), Singapore, Sydney and Taipei.

Travellers pay approximately 14 USD for an international airport tax, which can be paid in US dollars, when leaving Hanoi and 12 USD when leaving Ho Chi Minh and Danang.

Domestic Flights
It is safe to travel around Vietnam by planes. The country’s national carrier Vietnam Airlines has regular flights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Danang to popular tourist destinations such as Hue, Hoi An, Dalat, Hai Phong, Vang Tau, Phu Quoc and Nha Trang. Tickets can be purchased at local travel agencies in Vietnam and online travel companies. All domestic airfare include domestic airport tax but not fuel surcharge.

Railway
Vietnam’s railway network is about 2,600 km long in total and runs from the picturesque northern town of Sapa to the urban Ho Chi Minh City in the south. The Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh Reunification Express Train operates on a daily basis, which takes travellers on a 33-hour ride along a 1,726 km route. The train passes several famous cities such as Hanoi, Hue, Danang, Nha Trang and Saigon.

There is also an international train from Hanoi to Beijing (China). The trains run twice a week from Hanoi and stop at the Vietnamese frontier town of Lang Son (Dong Dang station) where you go through customs and immigration procedure before entering China. Most popular among foreign tourists, the train’s first class sleeper cars are clean and modern with air-conditioned sleepers and a restaurant.

Indeed, train travel in Vietnam is cheap and convenient. A one-way ticket for the Hanoi – Saigon route costs about 60 USD for an air-conditioned soft sleeper and 49 USD for an air-conditioned hard sleeper (6 berths). You can buy train tickets at local train stations in major tourist cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. In some case, train stations in some tourist cities have computerized booking system that allow tourists to buy the ticket for the trip that departs from stations other than the one they are at.

Except during the Tet Holiday in January and February, it is easy to secure the first class ticket 3 or 4 days in advance. It is also worth knowing that separate tickets for each leg are required if you wish to stop off in some place before continuing the journey.