Taking the hoi an to saigon train is a classic 19-to-20 hour journey along the Reunification Express line that costs anywhere from ₹2,550 ($27) for an AC seat to ₹5,900 ($62) for a comfortable 4-berth sleeper cabin. Flights from nearby Da Nang to Saigon are vastly quicker at just 1 hour 20 minutes, with one-way tickets ranging from ₹2,700 ($28) to ₹7,600 ($80), making them the smartest choice if you want to skip a brutal day of slow overland travel.
✅ Last verified: June 2026
Route Overview
Before you commit to spending nearly an entire day in transit, look at how the options stack up for this 850–930 km journey down the Vietnamese coast.
| Transport Mode | Total Travel Time | Average Cost (INR / USD) | Booking Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight (via Da Nang) | 1 hour 20 mins (plus 1 hour transfer) | ₹2,700–₹7,600 (~$28–$80) | Airline Direct |
| Sleeper Train | 19–20 hours | ₹2,550–₹5,900 (~$27–$62) | dsvn.vn |
| Sleeper Bus | 18–24 hours | ₹2,100–₹4,200 (~$22–$44) | Vexere.com / redBus.vn |
The Train
The hoi an to saigon train does not actually roll through Hoi An itself because the town has no railway tracks. You need to catch it from Tra Kieu Station, which sits about 20 km away from Hoi An ancient town. Getting to Tra Kieu from your hostel will take a local taxi ride costing ₹950–₹1,450 (~$10–$15).
Two main trains service this route optimally for backpackers. The SE21 departs Tra Kieu at 08:41 and gets into Saigon at 04:35 the next morning. The other major option is the SE11, which leaves at 15:50 and rolls into the city at 11:20 the following day.
Do not even think about booking a fan cabin or a basic seat for a journey this long unless you want to arrive entirely broken. Here is exactly how the pricing breaks down on the official state railway site, dsvn.vn:
- AC Soft Seat: ~699,000 VND (₹2,250 / ~$27). Fine for short hops, a nightmare for an overnight stretch.
- 6-Berth Sleeper: ~1,199,000 VND (₹3,910 / ~$47). Triple-tiered bunks. The top bunk has very little headroom, so aim for the middle or bottom if you can.
- 4-Berth Sleeper Cabin: ~1,571,000 VND (₹5,160 / ~$62). This is the right call, yaar. You get a thick mattress, actual leg space, and only 3 other people in your compartment.
The Bus
If you are on an absolute shoestring budget, the hoi an ho chi minh bus network will save you a few hundred rupees, but it comes at the cost of your peace of mind. Direct long-distance sleeper buses leave right from Hoi An at various intervals throughout the day. You can catch morning departures at 09:00 and 11:00, or afternoon/evening slots at 13:00, 15:30, and 17:45.
Major operators running this marathon route include FUTA Bus Lines, An Phu Hoi An Travel, Hanh Café, and Dinh Nhan. The entire overland haul takes anywhere between 18 to 24 hours depending on highway traffic and how frequently the driver pulls over for rest stops.
Tickets cost between ₹2,100–₹4,200 (~$22–$44). Do not buy these from random local street tour operators who tack on hefty commissions. Book them directly online using Vexere.com or redBus.vn so you can see the layout and choose a lower bunk away from the rear engine, which gets incredibly hot and loud.
Flights
Flying is honestly the most sensible route for this specific stretch of Vietnam. Since Hoi An lacks an airport, you will need to take a 45–60 minute road transfer up to Da Nang International Airport (DAD). A shared shuttle bus from Hoi An to DAD will only cost you ₹290–₹550 ($3–$6), while booking a private Grab or local taxi costs around ₹1,100–₹1,900 ($12–$20).
Once you are at Da Nang airport, there are over 30 daily direct flights heading straight into Tan Son Nhhat International Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City. The flight time is a swift 1 hour 20 minutes.
Low-cost carriers like VietJet Air, Bamboo Airways, and the flag carrier Vietnam Airlines operate constantly along this corridor. One-way fares routinely swing between ₹2,700–₹7,600 (~$28–$80).
Baggage Warning: Keep an eye on VietJet and Bamboo fares. The baseline promo tickets do not include checked luggage. If you show up with a heavy backpacking rucksack without pre-purchasing a 20 kg allowance online, they will slap you with a heavy fine at the check-in counter.
When you land at SGN airport, getting to the main backpacker hub around District 1 or Phạm Ngũ Lão is incredibly easy. A Grab car or a traditional taxi will cost you around ₹480–₹950 ($5–$10). If you want to go hyper-budget, jump on a public city bus for less than ₹100 ($1).
Land Border Crossings
This specific trip from Hoi An to Saigon is 100% internal within Vietnam. However, if you are an Indian backpacker doing a wider Southeast Asian overland loop—meaning you are entering southern Vietnam from Cambodia via the Moc Bai land border, or coming into central Vietnam from Laos via the Lao Bao checkpoint—you need to know the rules to avoid getting turned back.
First, traditional Visa on Arrival (VOA) counters do not exist at these land borders. You cannot just show up and expect a stamp. Indian passport holders must pre-arrange an E-visa online before arriving at the gates.
A Single-Entry E-visa will cost you ₹2,400 ($25) paid online during your application phase, while a Multiple-Entry E-visa costs ₹4,800 ($50). There are absolutely no official additional stamping fees required when you cross the physical land checkpoint.
Land Border Scams to Dodge
When crossing from Cambodia to Vietnam via Moc Bai, bus drivers or self-proclaimed “immigration agents” will frequently walk down the aisle demanding an extra ₹480–₹950 (~$5–$10) in cash. They claim this is to speed up the process or fill out your arrival cards. Tension mat lo, ignore them. Walk up to the immigration booths yourself; the paperwork is free.
At borders like Lao Bao or Moc Bai, rogue officials might point you toward a secondary desk for a mandatory medical or sanitation temperature check. They will demand a small cash bribe for a fake health stamp. Passports do not require this stamp; walk straight past them to the official immigration line.
The exchange shacks sitting right on the border lines offer horrendous, predatory rates for both Indian Rupees and US Dollars. Avoid them entirely. Wait until you cross over and find an official bank ATM inside the city to pull out Vietnamese Dong.
Common Mistakes Indians Make
Putting the wrong entry port on your E-visa
This is the single biggest disaster for Indian backpackers. If you buy your E-visa online and write “Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi)” as your entry port, but then decide to cross overland into Moc Bai from Cambodia, the border officials will strictly deny you entry. They do not care if the visa is approved and valid; the entry gate must match exactly what is printed on your paper. If it doesn’t, you face a forced turnaround and a cancelled trip.
Presenting a digital visa on your phone
Do not show up to a Vietnamese land border checkpoint with your E-visa saved as a PDF on your smartphone. They will reject it instantly. Land border officials require a physical, printed copy of your pre-approved E-visa for their physical records. If you forget to print it, you will be forced to pay extortionate printing fees to local border touts who run shady shops nearby.
Not checking your passport validity page
Indian immigration and regional Southeast Asian border offices strictly enforce the 6-month passport validity rule. If your passport expires in less than 6 months, or if you do not have at least 2 completely blank pages left for the entry and exit stamps, you will be stopped before you even board your flight or cross the border line.
What Most Guides Don’t Tell You
The Tra Kieu train station availability trap
Because Tra Kieu is a small station compared to Da Nang, the high-quality 4-berth sleeper cabins sell out weeks in advance for the SE21 and SE11 lines. If you try to book a ticket just 2 days before departure, you will likely be stuck with an AC Soft Seat for 19 hours, which is brutal. If the train is full from Tra Kieu, check availability starting from Da Nang Station instead; it adds an hour of travel time north, but they get a much larger allocation of sleeper berths.
SGN airport traffic gridlock
Ho Chi Minh City traffic is legendary, pakka. If you choose to fly from Da Nang to Saigon and land during peak rush hours (07:30–09:00 or 17:00–19:00), a taxi ride from SGN airport to District 1 that usually takes 25 minutes can easily drag out to 1.5 hours. Factor this in if you are meeting friends or booking tours on the evening you arrive.
FAQ
How to go from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City by bus?
You can book a direct overland sleeper bus through operators like FUTA Bus Lines or Hanh Café via Vexere.com or redBus.vn. The journey takes between 18 to 24 hours and costs anywhere from ₹2,100–₹4,200 (~$22–$44) depending on the seat type and operator.
Can Indians cross Moc Bai border?
Yes, Indian passport holders can cross the Moc Bai land border without any drama, provided they hold a pre-approved, physical printed copy of their Vietnam E-visa that explicitly designates Moc Bai as their official port of entry.
How much is the train ticket from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City?
Caught from the nearby Tra Kieu station, a train ticket ranges from approximately 699,000 VND (₹2,250 / ~$27) for an AC soft seat up to 1,571,000 VND (₹5,160 / ~$62) for a comfortable, clean 4-berth sleeper cabin.
What is the cheapest way to travel from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City?
The cheapest option is traveling via a direct overland sleeper bus or booking an AC Soft Seat on the Reunification Express train from Tra Kieu, both of which start at approximately ₹2,100–₹2,550 (~$22–$27).
— Subodh
If you have the cash, just book the flight from Da Nang and save yourself a whole day of sitting around, but if you want the classic experience, book that 4-berth train cabin early on dsvn.vn and enjoy the ride, bhai.
The Bananarchy Shortcut
This corridor is part of every Bananarchy trail. Bus tickets, border timings, and slow-boat bookings are handled — no spreadsheet needed. The ₹1.5L trip cost covers this leg plus every other route across Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
Can I Join This Route? ✦