A review of the overnight sleeper train service from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Nanning (China).

The Hanoi to Nanning train is the only international service from Vietnam, and one of the few international train services in Southeast Asia.

There is also a Hanoi to Beijing train that is a continuation of the Nanning service. For this article I am reviewing the Hanoi to Nanning section, which includes details on the border crossing.

Buy tickets for the Hanoi-Nanning train

Tickets can be bought online at the official site (dsvn.vn) and at Baolau (Nomadic Notes is an affiliate of Baolau).

If you are booking on the dsvn.vn website, look for Gia Lam (for Hanoi) and Nam Ninh (for Nanning). Baolau also allows you to book the onward service to Beijing.

Usually when you buy tickets online in Vietnam, you will get a PDF copy of the ticket sent to you by email. For the train to Nanning, you need to collect the ticket at the station. The ticket office will check your passport and make sure you have a visa (if required). China has expanded visa-free travel for more countries, so if you are eligible you no longer need to apply for a visa.

The tickets are in Vietnamese, Chinese, and Russian. This is a real relic of the past to have a ticket with no English on it.

The ticket is also old-school with the stapled booklet of multi-page carbon paper tickets.

Gia Lam (Ha Noi)

The train departs from Gia Lam Station and not Ha Noi Station. The easiest way to get there is by Grab taxi, and allow about 30 minutes to get there from the old city.

Gia Lam Station is an unassuming station in a small street. There aren’t many food options in this area, so have dinner before you arrive and stock up on snacks.

It’s a small waiting room with no cafe, so it’s not the best station to hang out at.

Passengers are allowed on 40 minutes before departure, so I was glad to be there early to claim my bed.

Note the dual gauge railway track. Vietnam Railways operates on the metre gauge, while this train from China is on the standard gauge (1435 mm).

The obligatory photo in front of the destination plate.

Onboard

Vietnam railway stations are not accessible if you have mobility issues, and it’s a steep step to get into the carriage at Gia Lam.

The ticket inspector takes your ticket and puts it in a little folder, and swaps it for a boarding card. You get your ticket back before arriving in Nanning (just in case you wanted to keep the ticket).

The train is all sleeper cabins, so there are no seats if you were looking for a cheaper option.

The tickets are Soft Sleeper 4-Berth, and there is no price difference for upper or lower. I requested a Lower Berth when booking on Baolau.

I was surprised to see that you get two pillows and a duvet (unlike the one pillow and blanket combination that you get on Vietnam Railways).

There are power outlets under the communal table, so this is a slight advantage for the lower berth passengers.

The mattress was comfortable, and I was able to fit in the bed without touching the wall. I’m 185 cm (6’1″) and I don’t fit in some Thailand sleeper trains.

There is also enough room to sit up on the upper and lower beds. The beds are permanent (like Vietnam and unlike Thailand where they are folded away in the day time).

There is no food service on this train, so come prepared. I had dinner in Hanoi and brought some snacks. I was sharing the cabin with a young Chinese couple, and they asked if it was ok if they eat noodles in the room. They also bought me a packet of chips, so it was nice to be travelling with these polite youngsters.

Pot noodles are the national travel food in China, and you will always find hot water at airports, train stations, and on trains.

The toilet was clean and spacious.

And there is also a separate wash area.

Vietnam to China border crossing

I would have slept well on this train if it wasn’t for the fact that it is interrupted by a long border-crossing procedure in the middle of the night. I saw the timetable at Gia Lam, and I couldn’t work out why there were such long gaps at the border crossing.

The train departs Gia Lam at 21.20 and arrives at Dong Dang at 00.55 (3h 35m).

At Dong Dang Station, you get off the train with all of your luggage and go through Vietnam immigration.

I estimate there were about 100 passengers on the train, and everyone was processed within an hour. Perhaps they have scheduled a 1h 55m stop in case the train is full and there are processing delays.

The train leaves Dong Dang at 2.50 and arrives at Pingxiang (Bang Tuong in Vietnamese) in China at 4.31. China is 1 hour ahead, so that is a 41 minute trip.

At Pingxiang Station, you get off the train again with all of your luggage and go through Chinese immigration. Visa-free travel for Australians made this trip much easier, but no one mentioned that there is an online arrival form to fill out (it would have been handy if this was mentioned in Hanoi). I activated my esim but it took a while to activate. An immigration officer told a foreigner standing next to me to share his internet with me (thanks random traveller!)

Here is the online arrival card.

Most of the passengers were single men (Vietnamese and Chinese workers), so the random handful of westerners were interviewed while waiting to go through immigration. The interviewers had translation devices and asked the usual questions (where are you going? how long are you staying?)

The train leaves Pingxiang at 6.05 (a 1h 34m stop), so overall it took 4 hours and 10 minutes to cross the border.

By the time the train leaves Pingxiang it is sunrise and there is 4h 1m left on the journey.

Pingxiang to Nanning

The Pingxiang to Nanning section is the only daylight section of the trip, so I wanted to see some scenery. The train goes through the region of Guangxi (officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region), and it is a scenic trip through limestone mountains (similar to Ninh Binh and Ha Long in Northern Vietnam).

Every square metre of flat land is given over to agriculture.

I think I nodded off for 30 minutes, but by now the train was getting close to Nanning.

The train passed a high-speed train on the way into Nanning. Most of China is connected by high-speed rail by now, so it was good to be on one of these slower green trains.

I was talking to a businessman from northern China while waiting for the train at Gia Lam. He was happy to practice his English on someone, and I was happy to get an insight on why someone would get this slow sleeper train. He was setting up a tech business in Hanoi and prefers to travel by train, even though it took him over a day to get there.

I did hardly any research about Nanning before I arrived, apart from saving Nanning Station and my hotel in my AMap app. Nanning has a population of over 5 million people, so I was looking forward for some urban exploration. I will have a separate report on my trip to Nanning.

Nanning Railway Station

The train from Hanoi arrives at Nanning Railway Station. This is the old main station in the middle of the city, and there are plenty of hotels nearby (I stayed at Vienna 3 Best Hotel Guangxi Nanning Station). The main high-speed station is at Nanning East (Nanning Dong Railway Station).

Unlike Gia Lam, the platform is level with the train door, so it is possible to place a ramp on the train door.

While the train was waiting at Pingxiang, some more carriages were added to the train.

These are “Hard Seat” carriages, which are padded bench seats that don’t recline. It’s a shame there isn’t a day train from Nanning to Hanoi with this seating option, as that would be a cheap way to travel to China.

At Nanning I got a glimpse of the connecting train that continues to Beijing.

I wanted to visit Nanning so I had no plan to continue to Beijing, but I am now curious about getting the Hanoi-Nanning-Beijing service another time.

After a few days in Nanning, I continued to Hong Kong on the direct Nanning-Hong Kong service. A foreign couple I met on the train were going straight through to Hong Kong. It’s a tight schedule but it can be done, so I will post another article about how to go from Hanoi to Hong Kong by train.

The future of the Hanoi to Nanning train service

One of the reasons I got this train (apart from it being a cool travel experience) was that I wanted to experience it in its current form before it is eventually upgraded. It will be years before that happens, but plans are already in motion. Vietnam has invited China to help build three railways to connect the two countries. Two of the railways will be upgrades of old lines (Lao Cai-Hanoi-Haiphong and Hanoi-Dong Dang) and there will be a new line from Haiphong to Mong Cai.

China have already built standard-gauge railways to meet these three railways at the border. In addition to the slow train that goes from Nanning to Pingxiang, there is a high-speed railway that operates in the same corridor on another line.

I checked for tickets between Pingxiang and Nanning, and the options include the slow train and high-speed railway.

The high-speed service is 1h 10m while the sleeper train is 4h 1m. The distance from Pingxiang to Gia Lam is 176 km, so that trip could be feasibly done in an hour.

[Train distance table at Gia Lam Station.]

If the new train line is built so that the immigration facilities for both countries are in one station, then the border stoppage time could be reduced to one hour. That would then make it a 3-hour trip from Hanoi to Nanning. Until that happens, enjoy the sleepover to China.

Read more railways of Vietnam and train travel stories from around the world. Also follow my other site dedicated to rail travel in Vietnam.

A guide to train travel Southeast Asia, featuring resources for buying tickets and reviews of rail travel in Southeast Asia.

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Cambodia

Railway Operator: Royal Railway.

Buy Cambodia train tickets Baolau.

Cambodia train travel articles

Cambodia railways – a guide to train travel in Cambodia.

The Japanese train in Cambodia: Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville on the KiHa train from Hokkaido

Battambang to Phnom Penh by train

Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville by train

Riding the Bamboo Railway in Battambang

The bamboo railways in Battambang: Comparing the original and new bamboo trains

Indonesia

Railway Operator: Kereta Api Indonesia
Buy Indonesia train tickets Traveloka.

Java train travel articles

Java Railways: maps and resources for Java train travel

Jakarta Airport Rail Link – Train details, and which stations are best for visitors.

Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (Whoosh): A guide to the fastest train in Southeast Asia

Bandung to Yogyakarta by train – one of the most scenic rail journeys in Southeast Asia

KA Probowangi: Train from Surabaya to Ketapang (for the Bali ferry)

Java to Bali by train, ferry, and bus

The most comprehensive online Java Indonesia travel itinerary – By dontworryjusttravel.com.

Sumatra train travel articles

Sumatra Railways: A guide to every train line in Sumatra.

Palembang to Bandar Lampung by train – Riding the coal-subsidised railway of South Sumatra.

Palembang to Lubuk Linggau by train in South Sumatra

Kualanamu Airport Rail Link: The Medan airport train.

How to get from Medan to Lake Toba by train and bus

Medan to Rantau Prapat by train (North Sumatra)

Sulawesi train travel articles

Makassar–Parepare railway: the first section of the Trans-Sulawesi railway.

Laos

Buy Laos train tickets Baolau.

Laos train travel articles

Laos Railways: a guide to train travel in Laos

Laos-China Railway travel guide – A guide to the Laos-China Railway from Vientiane to Boten, including tickets, train types, station guides, onboard amenities, and transport to stations.

How to buy tickets for the Laos-China Railway

Vientiane Khamsavath Railway Station Guide

Udon Thani to Vientiane by train

Malaysia

Malaysia railways

Kuala Lumpur to Singapore by train

Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth (Penang) with the ETS

Jungle Railway – The best train times and most scenic sections.

Gemas to JB Sentral: The last diesel Intercity service on Malaysia’s West Coast

Johor Bahru to Singapore by train: KTM Shuttle Tebrau

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station: A guide to the most beautiful station in Southeast Asia

Padang Besar Station: crossing the Malaysia-Thailand border by train

Myanmar

Railway operator: Ministry of Rail Transportation

Philippines

Railway Operator: Philippine National Railways

Philippines Train Travel Guide

Riding the remnants of the Philippines South Main Line

Singapore

Singapore train travel articles

Singapore Rail Corridor: The former railway line that’s now a walking path

How to get from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur by train

Thailand

Railway Operator: State Railway of Thailand
Buy Thailand train tickets 12go

Thailand train travel articles

Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal; A guide to the main train station of Bangkok.

Train No. 275: Bangkok to Ban Klong Luk Border (train to the Thailand-Cambodia border)

Train 7 Bangkok to Chiang Mai: The day train through historic Thailand.

Train 261: Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) to Hua Hin by Ordinary Train

Bangkok to Pattaya by train

Getting the train in the troubled deep south of Thailand – A review of the train from Hat Yai to Sungai Kolok, through the provinces of Thailand which have travel advisories to not travel to.

Bangkok to Trang by train, and onward connections to the Trang Islands

Bang Sue Grand Station construction update – The future central station of Bangkok

Bangkok to Chiang Mai by train – Best train times to see some of the highlights of Thailand.

How to get from Bangkok to Vientiane by train

Kanchanaburi to Hua Hin by train (with a bonus stop at the tallest stupa in the world)

The train that will transform Nakhon Ratchasima – A report on my visit Nakhon Ratchasima, where a high-speed train will connect to Bangkok, and eventually to the Laos border.

Maeklong market train

Vietnam

Railway Operator: Vietnam Railways
Buy Vietnam train tickets Baolau.

Travel Guide: Rail Vietnam is an independent guide to train travel in Vietnam. (This is my Vietnam train travel site.)

Vietnam train travel articles

Vietnam Railways – A guide to every line, tickets, and FAQs.

Hanoi to Nanning by train

Train SE22 from Saigon to Danang

Da Nang to Hue by train via the Hai Van Pass

Hue-Da Nang “Connecting Central Heritage” train (on my other site, Rail Vietnam)

Da Lat – Trai Mat Railway – A restored heritage railway in Vietnam

Hanoi Train Street Guide: Where to visit the open sections.

Hanoi to Haiphong by train

Nha Trang to Saigon by train

Saigon to Phan Thiet by train – the easy way to get to Mui Ne

Special Train to the Gia Lam Train Factory (Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2023)

Southeast Asia train travel resources

Any questions related to travel by train in Southeast Asia please visit the Southeast Asia Railways Facebook group.

Get a monthly summary of Southeast Asia rail travel news at southeastasiarailways.com.

Southeast Asia train travel FAQs

Is there a Southeast Asia Train Pass?

Southeast Asia is a long way from being developed enough to offer a railway pass that would be similar to the Eurail Pass in Europe. The railway network of Southeast Asia is not extensive enough to warrant such a ticket, and there are very few international connections.

Can I travel from India to Myanmar by train?

Even though the two countries are neighbours there is no rail link yet. There are plans to build a line from Impal in India to Tamu in Myanmar. This would provide an eventual connection from Delhi to Yangon.

Are there any international train services in Southeast Asia?

There are currently three international services:

Bangkok (thailand) – Padang Besar (Malaysia)
Nong Khai (Thailand) – Thanaleng (Laos)
Johor Bahru (Malaysia – Woodlands (Singapore)

Read more here: International train services in Southeast Asia.

Future Southeast Asia railways

One of my projects at Nomadic Notes has been to map the proposed railways of Southeast Asia. To illustrate what is planned for the region I’ve created a map of current and proposed railways in Southeast Asia.

[Click here for larger downloadable image.]

The black lines on the map represent railways that are currently operating, while the red lines are proposed lines.

This map is based on my previous project which depicted Southeast Asia railways as a subway-style map.

[Click here for larger image.]

This map has details of all the proposed railways which are listed here:
Future Southeast Asia – A map of proposed railways in Southeast Asia.

I also write about future railways of Southeast Asia at futuresoutheastasia.com.

[nomadicnotes.com is an affiliate with Tiket, Baolau, and 12Go Asia.]

Dhaka and Chittagong are the two biggest cities in Bangladesh, and there are several trains a day connecting the cities. It’s a far better option than the bus, so plan ahead if you are travelling between the two.

I was originally looking for an agent to buy a ticket for me but my hotel was of little assistance, and I didn’t see any travel agents in my wanders. You can buy tickets online if you have a local mobile phone number. I had opted not to get a sim card as I wanted to go offline for a while. If I had known about this I would have got a sim card.

I went old-school and lined up for a ticket myself. I went two days before as I read the train sells out in advance. I waited 45 minutes in the queue to get a ticket. The ticket agent didn’t speak English but I had the train number and date of travel written down in anticipation. The daily train details are written on a big board in the ticket hall.

My ticket was 656 Bangladeshi Taka ($7.94 USD). I got the Mohanagar Provati (inter city) [704] which had the most civilised travel hours. It departs at 7.45am and arrives at 1.50pm, making it a (supposedly) 6 hour 5 minute trip.

I arrived early to get something to eat and make sure my I got the right train.

One thing I didn’t count on was that the platform information had the train numbers in Bengali numerals. I didn’t even know that was a thing, so I stood at the platform entrance trying to decipher which train was mine.

As it turns out I was the only foreigner at the station so I was standing out like a sore thumb. A young man saw me looking lost and came to my assistance. He had studied in Australia so he was just as pleased to see me as I was of him. He walked me to my train and found the right carriage.

The train departed on time so that was a good start. Travelling through the urban heart of Dhaka is a sight in itself, with markets and slums built right up along the train line.

Once the train had got out of Dhaka a man came through serving breakfast boxes. I wasn’t sure if this was part of the ticket (as it is on some trains in India and Thailand). I took a box anyway just to see.

The box had a fried skinny chicken leg, a Bengali spiced vegetable cake, and two pieces of plain white bread.

A tea and coffee service also comes through, which is an amazing sight to watch as the drinks are served in crockery.

The breakfast was 90 BDT ($1.09 USD) and the coffee 20 BDT ($0.24 USD).

The good news is that there is a western toilet available. The bad news is that the floor was sloshing with bog water.

The seats were comfortable and the cabin temperature was just right. I was comfortable in jeans and t-shirt .

The train was about an hour later by the time it got to Chittagong. I was expecting a delay so overall I was pleased to be able to take this instead of a bus.

Read more train reviews in the train travel section.

The railway line from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville was reopened for passenger services in 2016 after 14 years of being out of action.

I’ve been to Phnom Penh numerous times and I have always admired the old train station, hoping that one day that train services would resume. If you want to ride the only railway in Cambodia (as of 2018) then here is what to expect.

[Phnom Penh Royal Railway Station.]

Phnom Penh – Sihanoukville timetable

I’ve been wanting to do this trip since the line reopened but I had never timed my travels right. The train only runs on the weekend, starting with a Friday afternoon service from Phnom Penh, and finishing with a Monday morning service from Sihanoukville.

The train takes 7 hours so I wasn’t keen on getting the 15.00 Friday service. Instead I got the 7.00 service from Phnom Penh. There is a 7.00 and 16.00 service on Saturday and Sunday from both directions

From what I have read it is a popular service so I don’t know why it isn’t daily. There are freight trains running during the week but that isn’t a problem in other countries operating a single line railway.

How to buy tickets

I originally made a booking on the Royal Railway website, under “Passenger service > E-booking”. I inputed my details on this form but I never got an email confirmation. It didn’t take any payment details either, so I wasn’t confident my booking was made.

Fortunately I was in Phnom Penh a few days before my planned travel day. I went to the ticket office on Thursday morning and they said that the train was already sold out. I said that I made a booking online though never got a confirmation. They went away and then came back with a ticket for me. I didn’t give them my name so I have no idea how that worked.

The weekend I was travelling was the New Years weekend, so it might have been busier than usual. Either way I would not risk just showing up and expecting a ticket on the day.

If you don’t have the luxury of being in Phnom Penh first I would book online with Baolau to guarantee a seat via a more user-friendly booking service.

Departing Phnom Penh

I got the 7.00 service so I arrived earlier to get coffee. There is a good coffee stand in the station, and also a Tous Les Jours Bakery at the service station opposite the station. I stayed at Hotel Zing, which is a good budget hotel about 5 minutes walk from the station.

The passenger train also carries cars and motorbikes if you can’t be bothered driving to Sihanoukville.

Inside the carriages

The carriages were renovated in conjunction with the relaunch of the service. The seats are bench-style with two benches facing each other.

It’s a bit tight for my liking, and awkward to have to look at other passengers the whole way. At least I had a good group of seatmates who spoke English and chatted.

I wandered along the carriages and saw that other carriages were set up in a metro commuter style. I’m glad they didn’t sell me one of the standing room only seats.

And most importantly I checked the toilet to find a clean western-style toilet.

The train felt like being in a big floating lounge room with cushy seats, carpet floor, curtains, and framed pictures. The air conditioning is also household air conditioning units, and crucially it was set at a comfortable temperature. Trains and buses in Southeast Asia usually have airconditioning set to freezing, so this was a comfortable ride.

There is a kitchen at the end of the train serving drinks and instant noodles.

And the view outside is pretty good too.

[Room with a view.]

Stop at Takao

After 2 hours the train arrived at Takao, and there it stopped for a 10 minute break.

[Takao Station.]

Everyone gets out for a food and drink before continuing the journey.

[Stock up on your meat-on-a-stick snack requirements here.]

Stop at Kampot

The next stop is at Kampot, where there was another convenience break. If you haven’t been to Kampot you should definitely add that to your Cambodia travel plans. It’s too bad that there isn’t a regular service for this route.

[Kampot Station.]

I got out for an iced coffee.

[Kampot coffee lady.]

Arriving at Sihanoukville

The golden beaches of Sihanoukville finally come into view.

[Beaches of Sihanoukville through the window.]

After a long day on the train we arrive at Sihanoukville Station.

[Sihanoukville Station.]

Total travel time

The scheduled travel time is a whopping 7 hours. By comparison you can get to Sihanoukville by van in about 4-5 hours. The Southern Line from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville City is 264 km, so the average speed is about 38km/h.

This trip took 7.5 hours:

Depart Phnom Penh 7.03
Arrive Takao 10.08
Depart Takao 10.18
Arrive Kampot 12.17
Depart Kampot 12.30
Arrive Sihanoukville 14.42

The train stopped a few times in the middle of nowhere, which added the half an hour to the scheduled travel time.

[A bemused cow wondering why we had stopped where we did. I was wondering that too.]

I haven’t found a good explanation why the train is so slow. The track is completely refurbished so it is comparable with the 1-metre gauge tracks of Thailand.

Even though it’s much slower than the van or bus, it was a far more enjoyable journey. If you are on holiday and not in a hurry then this should be the preferred way to travel.

[Delightful Southern Cambodia.]

I hope that they can sort out the train speeds in the future as this should be a daily service that is covered in 3 hours.

A review of the service when it reopened said the train took 6½ hours, with a reduction of two hours expected. At least it beats the days when the train needed armed guards in the 1990’s.

There are now plans to build a faster railway. Read more about future Cambodian railways.

Book your Phnom-Penh – Sihanoukville train tickets here.

Read more about the railways of Southeast Asia and world train travel.

Kanchanaburi is west of Bangkok on the Nam Tok railway line, separate from the main north and south lines. This line formed what was part of the Death Railway, which connected Thailand to Burma by rail. There has been proposals to connect Thailand and Myanmar by rail via this route, but for now it remains as just a plan.

For travellers visiting Kanchanaburi that means there is a bit of a backtrack to continue north or south. If you have already been to Bangkok and want to avoid backtracking, the quickest way south is by a chartered taxi, which takes about 3 hours to cover the 200km journey. Kanchanaburi to Hua Hin by minivan is the cheapest option and takes about 4 hours. (Check tickets here.)

I have travelled by minivan in Thailand a number of times and I try to avoid it whenever possible. The minivans tend to be cramped, with more seats added than was originally intended by the manufacturer.

The other option is to go from Kanchanaburi to Hua Hin by train. The bad news is that the trip by train takes 6 hours and 16 minutes and it involves a change of trains. The good news is that it’s more comfortable, and you get to see one of the great sights of Thailand as a bonus.

Train Times

These are the two trains to get from Kanchanaburi to Hua Hin in the shortest time.

Train 260 (towards Thonburi)
7:19 Kanchanaburi
9:19 Nakhon Pathom

Train 261 (towards Hua Hin)
10:48 Nakhon Pathom
13:35 Hua Hin

Trains in Thailand run at odd hours of the day due to north-south trains sharing the same line, so this time table isn’t replicable at other times of the day.

The 7:19 train at Kanchanaburi is going from Nam Tok to Thonburi station in Bangkok. It’s all 3rd class seating with no reservations required. There are a combination of padded and wooden seats, so check the carriage for the softer seats.

You could technically change at Nong Pladuk Junction, which is the junction where southern and western trains diverge. There is less to do in Nong Pladuk and you would be waiting even longer (it’s 20 minutes from Nakhon Pathom). Fast trains don’t stop here either, so if you are looking to get a train further south then you still need to change at Nakhon Pathom.

Nakhon Pathom

There is a wait of 1 hour and 27 minutes at Nakhon Pathom, which would normally be a boring stop.

Luckily for you, the Nakhon Pathom train station is in the town, so you have time to have a look around. As soon as you exit the station look straight down the road and you will see the Phra Pathom Chedi, which at 120.5 metres is the tallest stupa in the world.

It takes about 10 minutes to walk from the station, so there is plenty of time to have a look.

Between the station and the stupa there is a market, so this is a good chance to have an early lunch, especially as there is no food service on the trains. I met a lovely lady by the bridge selling grilled chicken and sticky rice.

Next to the train line there is a cafe with wifi so you can sit there while waiting for the train. If you exit the station just turn right on the road that follows the train and you will find Nomu Cafe.

Nakhon Pathom to Hua Hin

Trains are usually late in Thailand but you should still be at the station on time. Today the train was 10 minutes late.

The train to Hua Hin is a 3rd Class “Ordinary Train”, and it is indeed very ordinary. It looks like an old metro train, with hard seats and straps for standing-room passengers. It’s also very cheap, with tickets costing 33 baht ($1 USD) from Nakhon Pathom to Hua Hin.

As with the Kanchanaburi train, check the other carriages to see if there are cushioned seats.

I’ve never seen anyone sit on a train roof in Thailand. I wonder if that was a thing like it is in some other countries.

Hua Hin is also close enough to the centre of town and the beach to be walkable. It’s also one of the most beautiful train stations in Southeast Asia, so it beats arriving in a dusty minivan carpark.

So if you are not in a hurry I would recommend the train over a minivan trip. It’s a more spacious and comfortable ride, the slow trains are a bit of an adventure, and you get the bonus of visiting an impressive landmark of Thailand.

For both trains you buy tickets at the station on the day of travel (there are no reserved seats).

For longer train trips you can book Thailand train tickets here.

If you just want to get to Hua Hin in a hurry then book minivan tickets here.

Read about where to stay in Hua Hin.

For more rail travel inspiration visit the guide to train travel in Southeast Asia in the train travel guide.

Mui Ne is a popular beach resort area in Southeastern Vietnam. The actual beach area is between the towns of Phan Thiet and Mui Ne, though most people just say Mui Ne for the general area.

The easiest way to get to Mui Ne is to get the Saigon to Phan Thiet train, and then get a taxi from there to your hotel.

Saigon – Phan Thiet train

My trip from Saigon to Phan Thiet I was in a double decker carriage, which I had not seen before in Vietnam. This might have been used for the holiday weekend, which was when I was travelling. The train also has sleeper carriages, even though it is not a long journey.

The trip takes about 4 hours and it is the end of the line, so there is no chance of missing the stop.

On the way back I got one of the new carriages which has more comfortable seats and power outlets.

The train reaches a top speed of 80km/h during the trip. In an ideal world where Vietnam is part of a functioning high-speed railway network across Southeast Asia, this journey would only take an hour. Despite the sluggish speed, the journey is still way more comfortable than getting the bus. There is a planned north-south high-speed railway in the future, but that is years away from happening.

There is a drinks and snacks trolley available if you didn’t bring your own.

And no need having to worry about the next toilet break as there are clean western-style toilets onboard.

Getting from Phan Thiet station to Mui Ne

The station is on the outskirts of town for from the beach, so getting a taxi is the best option. There are only three trains a days so the taxis assemble for when the train arrives. If you have been travelling around Vietnam you will know that Vinasun and Mai Linh are the most reputable taxi companies, so I was relieved to see a big gathering of Mai Linh taxis out the front.

A taxi to my hotel took about 45 minutes and cost 185,000 VND. My hotel was about two thirds of the way between Phan Thiet and Mui Ne so it will be cheaper if you are closer to the Phan Thiet end.

Alternatively you can get the local bus (number 9 red bus), which parks on the road outside the station entrance. This goes all the way to Mui Ne town along the main road that runs along the beach. I was staying in Mui Ne and I caught this on the way back. A ticket is 35,000 VND and it appears that you just flag it down when you see it coming.

Getting the train to Binh Thuan

If you can’t get a seat on the Mui Ne train, or if you are coming from the north, you can also get off at Binh Thuan on the main North-South line. This station (formerly known as Muong Man) is about 10km from Phan Thiet, so that will be a longer taxi ride to Mui Ne. The train to Phan Thiet is a spur line from this station.

Buy Saigon – Phan Thiet train tickets online

If you know your dates you can book online and save the hassle of buying tickets at the station or travel agent. Book Saigon – Phan Thiet train tickets here.

For more trip reports visit the Vietnam rail guide and the guide to railways in Southeast Asia. This is part of the Nomadic Notes travel by train series.

Also check out my dedicated Vietnam train travel guide.

To travel by train is one of the joys of visiting Europe. For non-europeans there is a rail pass that lets you travel across the continent. This rail pass is the Eurail Pass, and this guide will help you decide which pass to get, and how to get the most out of your pass.

Why travel by train in Europe

First-time visitors to Europe (especially Americans and Australians) might be shocked to find how comprehensive the rail network is across the continent. European governments still spend money on maintaining and expanding the railways, and train transport is a viable alternative to owning a car.

Centrally-located stations

Most stations are centrally located which enables you to walk from the station to the city centre.

A relaxing way to travel

With a train, you can just turn up to the station a few minutes before departure and get on the train. No need to check in your bags – you take them with you. Onboard you can stretch your legs and walk around, get a coffee, or do some work.

Admire the architecture

[Old meets new at Strasbourg Station in France.]

Many of the big railway stations are architectural marvels that are worthy of a visit even if you aren’t getting the train. I always visit train stations of any city just to see what it is like. In the case of Liège-Guillemins, I visited the city just to see the station that was designed by Calatrava.

[Calatrava’s Liège-Guillemins train station.]

Meet the locals

In the 1995 film, Before Sunrise, Ethan Hawke plays an American travelling Europe with a Eurail Pass. On the train between Budapest and Vienna he meets Julie Delpy, which is where the story begins.

I’m not trying to imply that you too will meet a Eurobabe by travelling by train, but I will say that your chances of doing so are severely diminished if you are on a tour bus with your fellow countrymen.

Independent travel by train means that you are riding with the general population, and not in a tour bus with fellow tourists. I would never have met the people I did who live in Europe if I was on a tour bus.

What is a Eurail Pass?

A Eurail pass is a train pass that offers unlimited travel in 28 European countries on most European railroads (and some ferries). The pass was started in 1959 (when it was known as a “Eurorail pass” or “Europass”) by a consortium of European railway operators and shipping lines.

The pass allows free train travel on regular trains where you can just on walk and take a seat. Premier trains (such as high-speed and night trains) require an additional reservation fee with your pass.

Who can use a Eurail Pass?

Rail passes are only available for non-European citizens. While it is rare for a ticket inspector to check your passport with your ticket, they do occasionally check to make sure the pass is in the right hands.

European citizens can apply for an Interrail Pass.

How many countries are covered by Eurail?

Officially there are 28 countries covered in the Eurail Pass, which are as follows:

While there are 28 countries listed, technically you can visit 31. It’s possible to visit Monaco on the French railways, and you can visit Liechtenstein via Austria or Switzerland. You can also visit Northern Ireland which is included with the Ireland pass, so that adds the UK to your country list.

[Monaco Train Station, operated by SNCF of France.]

Can you travel to Britain with a Eurail Pass?

Britain is not included in Eurail. If you want to travel by train in the UK there are some good rail passes available, including the BritRail Pass.

Types of Eurail Passes

There are several pass types, ranging from days available to travel and defined countries and regions. Passes are also sold by age and group. The Youth Pass is for 12-27 year-olds and the Adult Pass is for 28 years and over. A family pass is for adults and kids (4 to 11).

Instead of creating a student discount, Eurail has opted for the system of selling 2nd class tickets for the Youth Pass, and 1st class tickets for the Adult Pass.

Here are the main pass types which are available to all age groups.

Global Pass

The Eurail Global Pass is the pass that Eurail is best known for, and it is also the most popular. This pass gives you access to every country in the Eurail network. It’s ideal if you are going to visit 5 or more countries, and passes can be either a select amount of travel days or continuous days.

The Select Pass

The Eurail Select Pass lets you travel in 2, 3, or 4 bordering countries by train in 27 participating countries. You can choose the countries to tailor the trip of your choice, which is useful if you already know where you want to go. Eurail also list the most popular choices to give you an idea of itineraries.

One Country Pass

As the name would suggest this pass covers one country, which include the following countries:

This pass type also includes some regional passes, including:

– The Benelux Pass (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg).

– Greek Islands Pass (2 trips between Italy and Greece, 4 trips throughout the Greek Islands, and train and bus service between Patras and Pireaus).

– Scandinavia Pass (Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland).

Is it worth getting a Eurail Pass?

This is the most common question when it comes to considering a pass. There is no simple answer is it depends on where you are going and how much travel you plan to do. There are many variables, but in summary:

You should get a Eurail Pass if:
– You are planning to see many cities.
– You are visiting mostly Western European countries.

You should not get a Eurail pass if:
– You only plan on visiting a few cities.
– You only plan to visit Eastern Europe/The Balkans.

If you are visiting less than 5 cities then you would be better off buying individual tickets.

The Eurail Pass has been devalued somewhat over recent years with the expansion of the pass into Eastern Europe. Train travel is still relatively cheap in Eastern Europe, and there is not a great choice of destinations in the Balkans. If you were to get side-tracked spending weeks riding the rails in eastern Europe or the Balkans then you would not be making the most of your pass.

If you are spending most of your time in Western Europe (especially Scandinavia, Benelux, France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) you will easily make up the value of your ticket.

Which pass is the best option?

These are the best rail passes, depending on your travels.

The “don’t buy a Eurail pass” option: Instead buy individual “point-to-point” train tickets

If you are only planning on visiting a few cities then a pass won’t save you money. In this case just buy individual tickets for your travel needs. You can buy tickets on the day at the train station, though for longer trips there should be discounts if you book in advance.

Discount tickets will lock you into a time and date, but if that is no problem then buy tickets online at Voyages-SNCF. This is the French railway website which is surprisingly English user-friendly for a French site, and you can book tickets across Europe on this site.

Eurail Flexi Pass – For the D.I.Y “Grand Tour of Europe”

A Flexi Pass is ideal if you are planning to visit 5-10 cities, especially if they are spread out across the continent. This pass is like a Do-It-Yourself Grand Tour of Europe. The 10 days within 2 months pass would enable you to see the most famous cities in Europe, giving you enough time to enjoy each city between travel days.

[Visit All European Highlights with Eurail.]

Mix and match with the Flexi Pass and individual tickets/flights

With the Flexi Pass you could use that to cover long distances by train, and then take a mix and match approach for the rest of your travels. For example, once you are at a chosen destination you could take a short day trip from this city base. Paying for an individual ticket for small trips would be cheaper than using one of your travel days.

You could also fill in a couple of legs with low cost airlines. If you get caught short by a day or are at the wrong end of the map, do a flight search to consider your options. With Skyscanner you can type destination “Anywhere” and that will find the cheapest flight out of your destination. You could then restart your rail journey from there.

Eurail Global Pass – For the ultimate European travel adventure

[Gare du Nord in Paris. You’ll probably pass through here at some point.]

The Global Pass is a continuous pass ranging from 15 days to 3 months. This pass offers unlimited travel within the tickets time frame on trains that don’t require reservations. This is the best rail pass if you are planning an all-out European travel adventure, where you are roaming from one city to the next nearly every day.

The dream trip is spending a summer roaming around Europe on a 3 month Global Pass. For many people, this is the trip of a lifetime that will be talked about for years to come. You will be on the rails nearly every day, discovering charming secondary cities and medieval towns. This is the Golden Ticket of rail travel.

The 3 month Global Pass also works out to be the best value Eurail Pass. If you consider that you get 92 days in a 3-month pass, then that works out at €14.22 per day for the youth pass and €17.75 per day for the adult pass.

Where to buy a Eurail Pass

The easiest way to buy a Eurail Pass is to order it online at Eurail. They ship worldwide, and for US customers there is the option of free economy shipping.

Standard and Premium shipping is available which allows you to follow the status of your order online. This option is by registered mail, so someone has to sign for the package.

Can I buy a Eurail Pass if I’m already in Europe?

If you have left your planning for the last minute and are already in Europe, you can have your pass delivered to hotels and hostels (just let them know to expect a letter). I have twice had passes sent to hotels I was staying at.

Can I buy a Eurail Pass at train stations in Europe?

[Paris-Gare de Lyon: lots of trains, no Eurail Passes.]

One place you can’t buy the pass is at train stations, and you can’t have passes delivered to a station either. One of the benefits of having a pass is never having to queue for a ticket.

Pre-trip planning

The Eurail Pass is known for the freedom of being able to jump on a train whenever you want to travel across Europe, but you will get far more out of your pass if you do some planning. From what I have read on forums, most people who were disappointed in the pass didn’t really understand what they were doing with it.

Here are some tips to prepare before you travel.

Get a Europe guidebook

Before I had ever set foot in Europe I had not even heard of half of the places I ended up visiting. There are hundreds of amazing secondary cities that you never hear about if you don’t live in Europe. Before embarking on my European travels I got the classic Lonely Planet Europe and studied up on all those places in between the famous cities. I know it is cool to be spontaneous, but it’s also helpful to know what cities are of interest and what cities are grim industrial towns.

Use the Eurail map

You can use the pass up to 11 months from the date of purchase, which gives you plenty of time to prepare. One of the benefits of booking in advance is that you will get your ticket sent to you along with the Eurail travel map. This beautiful map shows everywhere that the train goes within the Eurail countries. It’s a great visual aid to work out a grand master plan. You can download the exact same map as a PDF from the Eurail site, but there is nothing like having a large paper map laid out in front of you to get you excited about travel.

Download the Eurail App

Download the Rail Planner Eurail/Interrail app for Apple or Android before you travel. This is one of the most useful travel apps I’ve ever used, and worthwhile getting if you are a frequent rail user in Europe.

The app has a database of virtually every train service in Europe and you can use it offline. This app is useful for planning your itinerary to get to know travel times and departure frequencies. When making my initial plans I was drawing lines all over the map. I inputted potential routes to work out how long each leg would take, and what frequencies are available.

Short-list destinations

With the aid of the map, a guide book, and the app, you can now start making a list of places you would like to visit.

One suggestion for the map is to make a “Europe dream board.” Put the map on a cork board and put a pin in your “must see” destinations. Or you could put a pin in every place you want to see, and use a different colour for the “must see” destinations, and another colour for the rest. If you have too many pins you can then try and whittle the list down to an itinerary that you can work with.

If you prefer online pinning then make a Europe board on Pinterest to collect destination ideas.

Flights to Europe: Plan your start and end points

[Amsterdam – A great place to start Eurailing.]

Another reason to plan ahead is to work out your start and end points. You don’t want to find yourself at the other end of Europe to where your flight home is when the ticket ends. There is no point in spending any more money than you need to.

If you are buying a return ticket (for example you are flying in and out of Amsterdam) then you need to plan your trip so that you are doing a loop. Or you may prefer to fly into one city and out of the other.

A good way to determine which cities to start and end from is to list which cities you would like to spend the most time in. While there are many cities you’ll be satisfied to wander around for half a day, there are some cities you may never want to leave. If you are using a continuous pass where every day counts, then you don’t want to be spending too many days not travelling.

For example maybe the two cities you desire to spend the most time in is Paris and Budapest. Arrange your travels so you arrive in Paris well in advance before your tickets starts, and book your return trip from Budapest for however many days after your pass expires.

Eurail itinerary examples

There are over 10,000 railway stations covered in the Eurail network, which means there are countless amount of itinerary options. Eurail provides a sample of popular options to give you an idea to start with.

Here is how I visited 57 cities in 31 days with a 1 month Eurail Global Pass.

Can I visit every country on the Eurail Pass?

When surveying the Eurail map I think everyone must have thought at one point, “I wonder if I can visit every country on the Eurail Pass?” It would be an extreme challenge to do so but it’s possible. I have worked out an itinerary of how to visit every country with a Eurail Pass. You would need the 3-month continuous pass to do this, otherwise you would just be spending all your time on trains without enjoying the cities on the way.

If you have done this let me know!

Do I need a visa to travel to Europe?

Keep in mind that if you are planning extended travels in Europe that you will have to observe the Schengen Visa laws. There are 26 countries covered by Schengen, and you can spend 90 days in any 180 days period in this area. Different visa rules apply for every nationality so research before you go.

Get travel insurance

Make sure you arrange travel insurance before you go. I recommend World Nomads for European travel. If you are unfamiliar with travel insurance then read this on why travel insurance is a good idea.

How to travel with a Eurail Pass

The day has arrived and you are ready to begin your rail travel adventure. Here are some basic tips for Eurail travel.

Validate your Eurail pass

Before you travel you need to validate your pass, which can now be done online when you buy your pass.

If your pass is not validated you can go to the ticket office of the train station on your first day of departure. At big stations they may have a dedicated Eurail window, otherwise just go to a ticket agent and ask to have your pass validated. make sure you go a bit earlier on the first day, just incase there is a queue.

Fill out your pass as you travel

Another important bit of paperwork is to fill out your journey details as soon as you start your journey. Don’t fill this out until you are actually on the train, just incase your scheduled train didn’t arrive and you take another option. This is stapled to your pass and it has a table where you can fill out each leg.

I found that most of the time the ticket inspectors didn’t look at the details, but the one time I hadn’t filled out the form they asked for it. I had just sat down on and a ticket inspector came up to me before I had even opened my bag. Filling out the form is usually the first thing I do so I don’t forget. They were a bit grumpy but I filled it out on the spot.

Make the most of stopovers and junction towns

One of the benefits of using Eurail is not being locked into a train time. You can get off and see other cities on the way to your next destination.

While travelling through Germany I had to change trains in Hanover. I wouldn’t have thought to visit here otherwise, but for short stopover it was great to wander in the town and see some of the sites.

On a trip from Strasbourg to Nuremberg I had about ninety minutes between connecting trains in Offenburg. This is a small city which I knew nothing about, but as the station was close to town I figured going for a walk was better than standing on the platform for over an hour. In that time I found these delightful man-birds on the street which made the detour worth it.

Going back to my guidebook recommendation, have a look for interesting towns to visit on the way between big cities. There are so many small towns that you can wander around in for an hour in between trains. Also look for places that you could take a detour instead of a direct train.

Note that if you have a reserved seat then you have to stay on that train, which is another reason I prefer not to use trains that require reservations.

Reservations

Even though the Eurail Pass is a ticket to free travel around Europe, in some cases you need to make an extra paid reservation for certain train types. The reservation is for special intercity, high speed, and overnight trains. These reservations are required because the trains often are booked out and seats are assigned. For these trains is makes sense to assign seats when a train is 16 carriages long, otherwise everyone would be stampeding to the first available carriage.

How to avoid paying for reservations

I personally find it annoying that there is an extra fee for some trains, as it kills the magic of being able to hop on any train, any time. Having said that it is quite easy to avoid paying the fee with some planning.

You can still travel around most of Europe without a fee, and the trains are easy to find when using the Eurail app.

France is probably the hardest place to travel without a reservation fee as they have so many TGV (high-speed) trains for intercity services. The good thing about this is that it made me consider other trains, and in the process, I saw some wonderful cities I would have otherwise missed.

[A comfortable InterCity train in France – no need to take the TGV.]

Paris to Brussels is a classic example. The THALYS high-speed train has a hefty reservation fee, so I took local trains to travel between the two cities. By doing this I got to visit the charming little cities of Amiens and Lille on the way.

[Lille – France]

When making a reservation makes more sense

I made it a point in my travels to avoid paying for a reservation. Sometimes though you will find your itinerary is so tight that it will make more sense to make a reservation. I paid a €6.75 reservation fee for a 3-hour train ride in Spain, instead of spending a full day on local trains.

Also make use of the night trains if they are available and make economic sense. The Lisbon to Madrid is an overnight service and you can reserve a bed in a 4-bed sleeper (2nd class) for €29. In this case you are paying a reservation fee instead of a night in a hostel or hotel.

A suggestion for considering reservations would be to give yourself a budget. If you set a budget of, for example, €50 then consider that whenever you are planning a route.

Onboard services

Each country operates their own trains, so services on trains in Europe vary according to the class type and country.

Internet

Onboard internet has been rolling out across different train services across Europe, though it’s not a common service yet. The times I have used it I have found the service to be patchy, so I’ve only used it for light duties like getting booking details from my email and reading the news. It’s a bonus if you have it, but come prepared to not have it.

Power

Power outlets are available on some services – mainly on newer trains and in first class.

If you have numerous devices a powerstrip is a useful device. It is best to come prepared though and have everything charged the night before.

Food and Drink

Food and drink are available on long-distance trains, but I wouldn’t rely on them for sustenance. Snacks are usually junk food, and the meals in the dining carriages can be costly.

My travel system is to have breakfast before getting the train and to prepare the day before with some snacks from a supermarket.

Sometimes I didn’t have breakfast so I had the onboard options. As much I loved these chocolate croissants, I wouldn’t want to be eating them every day.

If you do get caught unprepared most long-distance trains have a dining cart.

On first-class Austrian trains, you can get real coffee served in a real cup.

In addition to arriving at the station a bit earlier to have breakfast, I found myself trying out all the coffee vending machines in every country. Some of the coffee was good (and all of them better than any US brewed coffee).

[An unusually big coffee in the Czech Republic.]

Toilets

One of the many reasons that trains are better than buses is having access to a toilet. While some buses have toilets, they get scary real quick.

Some of the older trains still have an open hole that flushes onto the tracks, while the newest trains have vacuum flushes similar to an aircraft toilet.

One thing you will soon discover about Europe is that most public toilets have an entrance fee. In a continent where human rights are so valued, it seems that going to the toilet isn’t a basic human right. The average toilet charge in Western Europe is 50 cents, so going to the pay toilet over a month can soon add up.

If you are having a stopover or think you will be a while before you reach your hotel, then pay attention to when your final stop is and go to the toilet on the train before you get off.

Timetables

As you will be spending so much time on trains you will need to know how to read a timetable.

Train station timetables

Every train station has departure and arrival times printed out and posted to a wall. The standard convention is the yellow paper is the departure information and the white paper is for arrivals.

The timetable will list all the trains stopping at the station throughout the day, listed in time order. The Netherlands is an exception in that they show arrivals and departures grouped by destination.

Plan with the Eurail App

I mentioned in the pre-planning section that you should download the app before you go. If you haven’t already done so then go ahead and do it now. This app will save you so much time and frustration when trying to work out rail itineraries.

The app works offline, so no need to be on wifi to use it. Enter your start and end stations and the app will work out the rest. I had many travel days that involved complex connections, and this app will give you the best option. Most crucially you can filter out trains that require a reservation if you are trying to avoid extra fees.

As an example here is my suggested itinerary to get from Ceske Budejovice to Hallstatt. These two small destinations have no direct service and trying to work it out from the timetable book would have been a hassle.

The app also shows you where you are on the journey, or at least where you should be if everything is running on time. As it is offline it doesn’t have real-time tracking. If your train is late and you miss a connection then input your new times and places to find the best route.

Printed Timetables

The Eurail package that you receive in the mail includes a timetable booklet with the most popular cities listed. This doesn’t list every place so the app is the best way to plan.

I was in a hostel and I found an old Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable book. This used to be the rail travel bible when it came to planning European train travel. Before the age of mobile phones, this was the guide that was most useful.

After 140 years of publication Thomas Cook stopped publishing the timetable. The book has now been resurrected by rail enthusiasts and relaunched as the European Rail Timetable.

Carriage information

When waiting for the train it’s important to take note of the carriage composition. InterCity trains can be 12 to 16 carriages long. Even if you don’t need a reservation it is still advisable to check where the 1st and 2nd class carriages will be located so you don’t have to wait.

For regional trains, some are only two carriages long so make sure to stand at the right end of the platform to avoid having to rush down the other end.

Some countries will have a poster on the platform with the train composition mapped out for each train.

Another place to check carriage information is on the departure board on the platform.

Types of trains

Regional Trains

Regional trains usually stop at every station in between big cities.

Some regionals have 1st and 2nd class, though it’s common for them to have just a 2nd class. There are no drink carts either so come prepared.

The most ridiculous regional train I took was from Wroclaw (Poland) to Usti Nad Orlici (Czech Republic). This trip took over 4 hours and stopped 36 times, and some of the stations were nothing more than a platform in a forest. There was no other option to get where I needed to go, so I brought food and made sure my devices were charged. It was a pleasant morning of travel.

InterCity

As the name would suggest the InterCity services travel between the big cities and don’t stop at smaller stations.

These are my favourite trains as you can travel great distances in comfort without having to make a reservation.

High Speed

High-speed trains travel between the big cities, with stops at fewer cities along the way. These trains require a reservation on top of your rail pass in order to secure a seat.

Eurail Extras

Read up on any extras that your pass offers in case you can use them on your trip. Some cities have lounges that are similar to an airport lounge, and these are available for 1st class pass holders.

There are discounts available for ferry travel which might help in your itinerary and also look out for city metro use.

Planning Accommodation

Another big consideration of your trip is planning accommodation. Gone are the days where you could just turn up to a hostel and get a bed. If you are travelling in the summer then you should plan ahead as much as possible.

These are my best tips for planning accommodation:

– Book in advance but use the “pay later” or free cancellation option.

– Consider Couchsurfing. I’ve stayed at few places where hostels were booked out so Couchsurfing is a good backup option. It also fits in well with the spirit of the pass and “meeting the locals”. After being unable to find a hostel bed in Groningen I found a proverbial couch and had a great night in the process.

– Be mindful of where your accommodation is located in relation to the train station. This doesn’t apply so much if you are staying in a big city for a few days. If you are staying in a mid-size city and are only there for half a day, it is better to find something that is near the station. This way you can easily walk to the hostel, dump your bag, and begin exploring straight away. In the morning you can get up and be at the station without having to rely on public transport or taxis.

One that springs to mind is the Generator Hostel in Hamburg which is opposite the entrance of the main train station. Saving 30 minutes of travel in the morning is worth it when you are getting early trains.

[Generator Hostel in Hamburg.]

Eurail Resources

This guide is compiled from the experiences of my two previous Eurail experiences, and I am also planning to do the 3-month continuous pass at some point.

If you have any questions let me know in the comments, and if it’s relevant I will add answers to this guide. If you have completed a Eurail trip and would like to share your itinerary, that can be published at europerail.net.

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A review of train SE7 from Nha Trang to Saigon in a four-bed berth (first class sleeper).

Vietnam by train is a great way to travel if you are making your way up or down the coast. While I wouldn’t traverse the whole length of the country in one go (especially when flights between Hanoi and Saigon are so competitive) it’s good for the stops in between.

Trains in Vietnam operate on the North-South Railway, with just a few spur lines on the way. Most of the trains are plying the Hanoi-Saigon route, which is the train that I caught from Nha Trang to Saigon.

I booked train SE7, which departs Nha Trang at 8.35am, and arrives in Sai Gon at 4.05pm, making it a 7.5 hour journey.

I booked online in advance to save me going to the station, and to also get a good seat, or bed in this case.

If you like lying in bed all day reading books then this trip is for you. The beds in the sleeping cabins are fixed, so they are not converted into seats during the day (as they do in Thailand). I think the SE7 is the best train from Nha Trang to Saigon as it doesn’t depart or arrive at inconvenient hours.

The station at Nha Trang is centrally located and I walked there from my hotel in about 10 minutes.

I was at the station 30 minutes early and to my surprise the train arrived five minutes before the scheduled departure. The SE7 begins its journey in Hanoi the day before, so there is plenty of opportunity for it to be delayed along the way. Trains in Vietnam are known to be late so this was a good start.

There is an information board at the platform which will tell you which end of the platform to wait for your carriage.

Todays engine is the Doi Moi, which is the name of the economic reforms of Vietnam which began in 1986.

The track at Nha Trang does a loop through the city to save having to change engines at a dead-end track. This is the train track which I walked by while I was in Nha Trang.

Here is what the four-bed berth (first class sleeper) looks like.

You are assigned a bed number, and the old sheets are removed before you get to your bed. After we left an attendant came through and gave me a fresh sheet, but unlike the trains in Thailand they don’t make your bed.

I got a lower bunk, but if you don’t mind the top bunk both beds are the same size (compared to Thailand where the top bunk is smaller). There are no curtains on these beds, though being in a compartment you can seal yourself off from noise and light during night travel.

There was no dining compartment on this train so there are drink carts throughout the day and a lunch trolley.

I wasn’t expecting a power outlet so it was a bonus to find one at the light switch. In this case it is advantageous to have the top bunk. There are only two outlets between four beds. The compartment was air-conditioned, and it wasn’t set to freezing as they do on some trains in Southeast Asia.

I went for a walk to see the other services on the train. There is a hot water unit for instant noodles and tea makers.

Other seats available include “Soft Seat” class, which offer individuals seats in 2×2 configuration.

The cheap seats are in the “Hard Seat” class. They are not joking when they say they are hard seats. These wooden seats resemble park benches. With passenger numbers declining from increased competition by low cost airlines, perhaps it’s time to do away with these seats and install more more comfortable seats.

There are squat toilets and western toilets onboard, so you may have to go exploring to find your preferred style.

Note that all toilets have bum guns, though you should bring your own toilet paper in case there is none.

As most of the railway is on a single track the north and south trains share the same line. As a result the trains are timed to pass each other at designated passing loops. This is why so many trains in Vietnam travel at odd hours of the day. And if one train is late it will have a knock-on effect for the timetable in the rest of the country.

Travelling through southern Vietnam you will see miles of dragonfruit plantations.

At one point the train was running parallel to a highway, where our train had the humiliation of being out-run by someone on a scooter.

If this is your first time arriving in Saigon by train, then you should rouse yourself out of bed and view the spectacle of passing through the districts of Saigon. Despite being the largest city in Vietnam, there is only one track to serve north and south trains, and the buildings are built close to the line.

To my amazement, the train arrived at exactly 16.05, just like it said it would on the ticket. The train terminates at “Ga Sai Son” (Saigon Railway Station), which still keeps its old name even though the city become Ho Chi Minh City in 1976. The station is in District 3, not far from District 1 and central Saigon.

The total journey is about 411km, so the 7.5-hour journey averages about 55km an hour. There are talks of a high-speed train from Hanoi to Saigon which would travel at 350KM/H. Another plan has a high-speed train from Ho Chi Minh City–Nha Trang via the new Long Thanh International Airport project (which I have included in my future Southeast Asia map).

[Read more about the construction of the Vietnam high-speed railway.]

I don’t think they need a high-speed train, but a train that can travel at 160KM/H (like the KL to Penang train) would reduce the travel time down to under 3 hours.

Flights between Nha Trang and Saigon only take 40 minutes, but if you are not in a hurry then take the train and enjoy the designated stay-in-bed day.

Book Nha Trang to Saigon train tickets online or search for more train tickets in Vietnam.

For accommodation, visit the guide on where to stay in Nha Trang.

This article is part of a series on Vietnam train travel. For more train travel ideas visit the guide to Southeast Asia trains or the complete train travel series.

I like to travel by train in Southeast Asia if it’s a reasonable alternative to flying. For the trip from Bangkok to Vientiane, getting the train is a comfortable and economic way to go.

First off I will say that the train doesn’t actually go to Vientiane; it stops at a station about 16km away. Thai Railways will sell you connecting minivan tickets for the last part of the journey, so that is close enough to qualify as a train to Vientiane.

I had an exact date I wanted to travel on so I booked my ticket in advance with 12go. Trains can book out well in advance during the high season so I didn’t want to leave that to chance. 12go is a more user-friendly booking option than the official Thai Railway website.

The train to Vientiane is via the Bangkok – Nong Khai service. Nong Khai is on the Mekong River on the Thai-Laos border. Get the train to Nong Khai, and from Nong Khai, there is a connecting shuttle train to Thanaleng in Laos. I booked the #25 overnight train from Bangkok to Nong Khai.

This train leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal at 8:25 pm, and if everything goes to plan you can be in Vientiane by around 8.30 am.

It turned out that I had good timing with this trip as I got to experience the new train carriages which had just come into service the week before.

The new carriages come with the number one most desired amenity for the modern traveller; a personal power outlet for every seat.

Another improvement from the old train is the airline-style western toilets. The bum gun has been retained so it’s like the best of both worlds.

There are public sinks outside the toilets.

There is a dining carriage with food and drinks available onboard. I had dinner before I left so I didn’t feel the need to eat, apart from some instant noodles.

The offer of “crapmeat” didn’t awaken my appetite.

When booking tickets there is a price difference between the upper and lower bunks, with the upper bunks being cheaper. It’s cheaper because the bed is narrower and there is no window.

When you board the train the seats are still out and you sit at your assigned seat, which becomes your bunk number.

Not long after the train departs the seats are converted into beds. It’s an efficient operation and the railway staff make it look so easy. Here is a video of my seat being turned into a bed.

[YouTube: Converting seats into a bed.]

I have travelled on overnight trains in Thailand before and I remembered that the top bed was smaller, so I booked the lower bed. While the mattress was comfortable, the compartment is shorter than me (I’m 6’1″/185cm) so I had to lie at an angle and have my legs bent to fit in.

Another thing I remembered about the trains is that the air conditioning is set to a level to make you shiver your arse off all night. I wear jeans and a long shirt when I travel, just in case. Fortunately, the temperature was set to a reasonable 22c. I know this because the new carriages have travel information screens.

One difference between the old sleeper trains compared to the new ones I noticed is that there are no bunk ladders in the new train. There are no ceiling fans either and it feels a bit more sterile compared to the old trains.

I also recall that they turned off the lights at some point on the old trains, but on this one, they left them on all night. I’m a light sleeper (so to speak) so I found this irritating. I think I did nod off eventually even though I planned to use the night as reading trip.

The train is scheduled to arrive at Nong Khai at 6.45 AM so I was surprised to see that we arrived early, even with a late departure. A lot of the rail network in Thailand runs on a single track, so throughout the night, the train stops at sidings while waiting for opposing trains to pass. Time can be made up or lost depending on the wait for other trains to pass. There are plans to double-track the railways of Thailand, so this will one day be a thing of the past.

Once you arrive at Nong Khai you then buy the ticket for the train from Nong Khai to Thanaleng (they don’t sell this ticket in Bangkok). The ticket is only 20 baht (.56c USD), and they will sell you a train/minivan combo ticket for 300 baht. This is quite an expensive minivan ride given that it’s only 16 km from Thanaleng to Vientiane. For the purpose of this review, I took this option.

The cheaper option is to walk outside the train station and look for the Friendship Bridge shuttle. This will take you to the Thai-Laos border, and once you clear immigration and cross into Laos you can take local transport to Vientiane.

I stayed in Nong Khai for the day and continued this journey the next day. If you plan to stay in Nong Khai then getting the train would be more hassle.

The one good thing about getting the train to Laos is the easy border crossing experience. The Thai immigration checkpoint is at the end of the platform that the train from Bangkok arrives on.

The connecting train to Laos is timed to depart after the Bangkok train arrives. There is a 45-minute space between trains so there is plenty of time to get your ticket and clear immigration. When I got the train the Bangkok train was running late, so the Laos train was also an hour late.

There are two third-class carriages for this shuttle train, operated by Thai State Railways (Laos currently has no railway of its own).

The train crosses the Mekong over the Friendship Bridge, which is closed to traffic when the train is on the bridge.

Welcome to Laos!

The total journey takes 8 minutes for the 4km journey.

Like at Nong Khai, there is an immigration gate at Thanaleng, and it’s also an easy border crossing experience. Visa on arrival is available here ($ 30 USD for Australians – check for your country before you go).

At the station, the minivan was waiting for those with a pre-purchased ticket. There was one other minivan there looking for business, though I didn’t get to ask what the price was.

One of the passengers was hoping to get the local bus to Vientiane but there were no other transport options at the station. Thanaleng is not near anything and there was no throng of tuk-tuk or taxi drivers here. There are only two train services a day, and the day I went there were about 20 passengers on the train. Perhaps it is not worth the taxi drivers time to wait here.

The minivan dropped us off on Quai Fa Ngum, which is the main road closest to the river in Vientiane. If you have booked a hotel in central Vientiane you can walk from here (it’s a small city!)

Here is a map of Dong Khai – Thanaleng (Dongphosy) – Vientiane.

This cross-border railway opened in 2009, and the original plan was going to extend it all the way to Vientiane. This plan has since been shelved as there is a bigger and better plan in the works. As part of the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link there will be a new railway that travels from Kunming through Laos, connecting Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, and Vientiane. This will then continue through Thailand to Bangkok.

Work has started on this line, though the exact alignment is not publicly known. I have read that there will be a new railway bridge closer to Vientiane and that Thanaleng will become a freight terminal.

The exact location of the future Vientiane railway station hasn’t been made public, which I was hoping to find out. I did find this plan of what the station might look like.

[Found via skyscrapercity.com, original author not known.]

I have been following the developments of proposed Laos railways as part of my future Southeast Asia railway map, so follow this site for developments as they become known.

With more low-cost airlines servicing Laos it is now easier to get to. AirAsia has a flight from Bangkok to Vientiane which has made flights much cheaper. The train is an economical and comfortable way to travel, especially when you consider that you are saving a night’s accommodation by sleeping on the train (and in a bed, not just on a seat). In the future, there will also be a Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway. This will join the Vientiane-Boten railway, making it possible to get a high-speed train from Bangkok to Vientiane.

Book trains in Thailand and other destinations in Southeast Asia with 12Go Asia.

If you prefer to fly, compare all flight options from Bangkok to Vientiane with Skyscanner.

This is part of the Nomadic Notes train travel guide.

A review of the ETS (Electric Train Service) from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth (Penang).

In 2015 the electrification of the train line between Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth was completed. On this modernised track the ETS (Electric Train Service) reaches a speed of 140 km/h.

The ETS is one of the fastest trains in Southeast Asia. The remarkable thing about the ETS is that it runs on a metre gauge track, while most modern trains operate on standard gauge (which is 1435 mm wide). It is one of the fastest trains in the world that runs on a metre gauge.

Booking Online

Tickets for the ETS sell out in advance, so you need to reserve a ticket.

The official site is ktmb.com.my.

Baolau is a booking agent that compares trains, buses, and flights for the same route.

Book Kuala Lumpur – Butterworth train tickets.

Trip Review

The ETS begins in Gemas (southeast of KL) and ends in Padang Besar on the Malaysia-Thailand border. The service I was on runs between KL and Butterworth.

The train doesn’t go to Penang Island but stops at Butterworth, on the mainland opposite the island. Butterworth is in the state of Penang though, so technically you can say it’s the train to Penang.

The ticket says to get to the station 15 minutes before departure. This is good advice if you are beginning from KL Sentral and you have never been there before. The station is a confusing mess with a separate metro platform, airport line, commuter train, and long-distance trains at different parts of the station.

There was a big crowd in a small waiting space, but when the gates opened it was orderly and the train departed at the scheduled time.

Getting back to the track gauge, the wider the gauge the wider you can make the train. With only one metre of gauge, the carriage was noticeably skinnier than the intercity trains I have travelled on in Europe.

A wider track also means a smoother ride. Having spent a month on European trains last year I could feel the difference. It feels just a bit more rickety.

Having said that it’s a comfortable journey and still much better than getting the bus.

[ETS seats – comfortable but skinny.]

I’ve been in Southeast Asia long enough to know how to dress for public transport. As with bus travel, the trains have the air conditioning set for a level suitable for transporting lettuce. Wear jeans and long sleeves because you will freeze.

There is a snack bar onboard which offers a limited selection of meals and snacks. It didn’t look very appealing but it is cheap and there if you need to eat.

[On-board menu.]

I got a 3-in-1 coffee for 2.70 MYR (.70c USD).

[Try getting a hot coffee on a bus.]

A train is always better than a bus because of onboard toilets. On the ETS they have merged the best of west and east by having a western toilet with a bum gun. My friends in Southeast Asia know what I’m talking about here.

[When I become Prime Minister every house in Australia will have a bum gun.]

There is onboard entertainment, or perhaps better described as onboard torture. There are screens at the end of each cabin and in the middle. You can’t escape it unless you have headphones, and I forgot to charge my iPod (rookie mistake.) To make matters worse on this trip the TV was playing a loop of Transformers and Kung Fu Panda previews. I was waiting for the movie to begin only to realise after half an hour that there will be no movie service; the previews were stuck on repeat. I asked an attendant to fix it but he said he couldn’t reset the TV.

[“Entertainment.”]

The train arrived almost to the minute on time at Butterworth. The ferry pier to Georgetown is next to the train station, though it is not well set up for pedestrians so you have to have to walk over a couple of overpasses.

At 3 hours and 52 minutes, this is a great improvement on the bus which used to take 5, sometimes 6 hours. Hopefully, more services are added as there is already a demand for it. Turn down the air-conditioning and play an actual movie and this is a great service.

Read more about train travel in Malaysia and trains in Southeast Asia.

This is part of the Nomadic Notes train travel series.