Vietnam Transportation and transfer
guide
 By
Air to/from Vietnam Vietnam Airlines
operates international flights to/from
the following destinations: Amsterdam,
Bangkok, Berlin, Dubai, Frankfurt,
Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Jakarta,
Kaohsiung, Kuala Lumpur, Los Angeles,
Manila, Melbourne, Moscow, Osaka, Paris,
Phnom Penh, Seoul, Siep Riem (Angkor
Wat), Singapore, Sydney, Taipei and
Vientiane.
TIP: Fares are significantly
lower for those flying to Ho Chi Minh
City. Although flights are available
from the capitals of most Southeast
Asian countries as well as from Sydney
and Melbourne. The best place is from
Bangkok as visas are easiest to obtain
there.
Airport Tax International airport
tax is US$12. The airport tax for
domestic flights is VND 20'000 (in some
cases VND 15'000). Remember to leave
enough money for the International
Departure Tax if you're flying out of
Vietnam. They prefer dollars to Dong at
Saigon airport - the exchange rate is
extortionate if you're paying in Dong!
Domestic Flights It is much easier
and safer to travel between cities by
plane and buy your tickets in Vietnam as
they are cheaper. Most routes have a
daily flight (Da Nang- NhaTrang doesn't)
and are easily available and booking
isn’t necessary.
Northern
Airport Flight Service has helicopter
flights to Ha Long Bay. There are 2
flights per week at 8:00 and 15:30 on
Saturday, departing from Gia Lam Airport
in Hanoi (not the international
airport). You can get the tickets at the
Metropolitan Hotel.
Airlines
- Vietnam Airlines (International)
116-118 Nguyen Hue Blvd., Ho Chi Minh
City. Tel (08) 292118
- Vietnam Airlines (Domestic) 27b
Nguyen Dinh Chieu St. Ho Chi Minh City
Tel (08) 299980
- Air France Dong Khoi and Le Loi
St. (Caravelle Hotel), Ho Chi Minh City
Tel (08) 241278
- Aeroflot 4H Le Loi St. Ho Chi
Minh City Tel (08) 93489
- Thai 116 Nguyen Hue Blvd., Ho
Chi Minh City Tel (08) 292118
- Philippine Airlines Ho Chi Minh
City Tel (08) 292200
- MAS116 Nguyen Hue Blvd., Ho Chi
Minh City Tel (08) 30695
Bicycles It is fun to rent a
bicycle and to ride around. Rates are
around US$1 for a day. It is also
possible to buy bicycles and even
mountain bikes, but beware of the
quality. Maintenance is widely
available, but original spare parts are
rare. Instead, any spare part that
"fits" will be used.
Boats
 There
are some boats between the mainland of
Vietnam and the islands. Rach Gia
to/from Phu Quoc takes 6 to 10 hours and
costs around VND 44000. Officially, it
should leave every day at 8 am in Rach
Gia and at 10 am in An Thui. In reality
it waits until there are enough
passengers. This can mean day...so be
prepared.
Ha
Tien to/from Phu Quoc This is
officially not allowed, since the boat
crosses Cambodian waters so if you catch
one of these the risk is your own as to
whether you get put behind bars for your
efforts or not.
Vung Tao to/from Con Dao There is
a boat between Vung Tao and the island
Con Dao. One way takes about 13 hours.
Buses
 Traveling
by road from Cambodia is a slow and
expensive alternative to flying. The bus
system runs almost everywhere within the
country, with stations built around the
country dividing the territory into
regions. For longer trips buses tend to
be slow and unreliable it is therefore
generally advised that travelers fly in
instead.
Na
Trang/Ho Chi Minh City Express and
regular buses link Nha Trang with Ho Chi
Minh City; express buses take about 12
hours.
Mini
Buses It is possible to rent a
minibus if you so desire and if there
are a few of you, it possibly works out
to be a cheaper way of getting around
the country, though risky, due to the
high number of accidents in Vietnam.
Cyclos
 An
excellent way to tour any city in
Vietnam is to rent a cyclo. Rates start
from around VND 5000 to VND 10000 for a
ride of up to 10 minutes in Saigon.
Locals pay half that price. You can also
get a tour of one hour for US$1. In
Hanoi prices are more related to the
distance and are a bit more expensive.
Each town seems to have it’s own price
structure, so ask around to get some
idea at the time.
TIP: Make sure that you hold
onto any belongings when traveling in a
cyclo as passing motorists and the like
have been known to grab these as they
pass.
The routes a cyclo may use is being
limited by the government because they
cause traffic congestion, so what seems
to be a short trip could in fact become
quite a long one because of having to
take an indirect route, especially in Ho
Chin Minh City.
Hire Cars Car rentals are
currently not in existence. Cabs, which
are unmarked cars without meters, can
typically be rented for the day. The
rates are about US$15 to US$100
(depending on the car, the place you
rent it from, the region and your
bargaining skills). As with any form of
transport in Vietnam, driving is a risk
you take due to the high accident rate
in the country.
Motorbike hire It's easy to rent a
motorcycle to get around. Usual rates
are US$4 to US$7 for a day for a 50 cc
to 100 cc Honda or Yamaha. If you rent a
motorbike, make sure that you don't
leave your passport with them and that
in the contract they don't overcharge.
Buy a big lock and chain as the
motorbike theft rate is VERY high.
If you
are in a hurry, you can try to flag down
a motorcycle for a ride on the back
(most drivers are not adverse to making
a bit of extra money) or ask a local to
find a Honda ong (motorbike taxi) for
you. The biggest problem is explaining
the destination to the driver because
pronunciation is everything in
Vietnamese. Carry a pen and paper or a
map.
TIP: As in many Asian
countries the standard of driving, to
say the least, is atrocious and at times
it will seem as if every vehicle on the
road is going in the opposite direction
to you. It is therefore generally
advised that unless you are both a very
experienced driver with a good medical
insurance or a risk-taker, it’s NOT
ADVISABLE to rent a motorbike at all.
Ships and Ferries There are no
official passenger services. Travelers
may be able to ride on a cargo ship to
Ho Chi Minh City, Danang or Haiphong
from Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand,
Singapore or France. Check with the
local shipping and travel agencies for
rates and availability.
A ferry
service runs from Cambodia to Chau Doc
in the Mekong Delta.
Trains
 There
are currently no train lines running
between Vietnam and its neighbouring
countries. The Vietnamese railway system
runs from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi
along the coast and links with Haiphong
and the regions further north.
Odd-numbered trains travel south and
even-numbered trains travel north.
The
fastest trains take at least 36 hours
from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi.
Reservations should be made a day or
more in advance. The major setback to
the railways is that tourists are
charged many times more than Vietnamese
people in the form of an outrageously
high surcharge. For long distance
traveling, it is best to fly.
Na Trang
Express trains run to/from both Ho Chi
Minh City and Hanoi.
Please note that the above time
schedules and prices are subject to
change and are therefore intended only
as a guide. |
