Vietnam Transportation TRAVEL TO THE COUNTRY Airports Noi Bai International Airport Hanoi Tan Son Nhat Airport Ho Chi Minh City 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. Trains There are currently no train lines running between Vietnam and its neighboring countries. Buses Traveling by road from Cambodia is a slow and expensive alternative to flying. It is highly advisable that travelers fly in instead. 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 and 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. TRAVEL WITHIN THE COUNTRY Cars Car rentals are available. Cabs, which are of Japanese and European cars are inexpensive and can typically be rented for the day for US$30 to US$40. Trains 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 52 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. Buses The bus system runs almost everywhere within the country, with stations built around the country dividing the territory into regions. Buses tend to be slow and unreliable.