As many a traveler will tell you, taking an overnight train in Asia is quite an adventure, one that I have always found to be enjoyable and something to look forward to.
If you’re planning to take an overnight train in Vietnam or are simply curious about long distance train travel in Asia, you’ll find this list of ‘things to know before you go’ useful.
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| Photo by collect on the internet |
Ticket
You should buy tickets as soon as possible if you decide to travel by Vietnam train. A coach has from 4 to 6 beds. If traveling in a small group, you can occupy the whole coach for private space. With this kind of transport, you can have fun moments and don’t need to worry about the safety. Besides, your luggage is stored in a separate carriage.
Seat
- Choose a seat near the window: You can ask the ticket sale to know about the seats located next to the window. However, a disadvantage of sitting close to the window is that in some places, scoundrel throw stones in the train. Note that when the train goes through these places, you should close the door or prepare defensive measures.
- For a normal carriage (a 6-bed room): You should choose the bed 1 or 3, which lies on the ground or on the top. If choosing the bed 2, you will be troubled by the people from the bed 1 and 3 when they climb down or stand up. Lying in the bed 1, you can easily observe the luggage while you will have quiet space if choosing the bed 3.
- For a luxury coach (a 4-bed room): you should choose bed 1 rather than 2. The location of bed 2 is inconvenient for moving.
Luggage
- The station entrance is far from the train coach, so the luggage should be compact and convenient to use.
- You should wear comfortable clothes.
- You bring important personal belongings with you and store other belongings on the shelf of the bed 1 or on the compartment of the bed 3.
- You should be careful about your belongings. The train station is crowded, so the belongings may be stolen.
Clothes
Wearing pants will help you to keep warm at night. It is also suggested to bring a lightweight jacket with you and a scarf that can be used as a pillow, a cover or a bed sheet.
Food
On the train, there is a canteen offering fast food such as noodles, rice porridge and crisps. At lunch and dinner time, trolleys go along the train coaches to distribute food to passengers. If you have a long trip, please bring fruits, water and tissue paper.
Toilet
At the head of each coach, there is a toilet. You should get up early for personal hygiene before the train arrives. If you don’t want to use water on the train, you can bring a water bottle. You also remember to take loo paper with you when going to the toilet.
Finally, remember to enjoy the journey! Depending on how long it is and which route you take, the ride will take you through traditional villages, farms or mountain scenery. The country offers some fantastic views to wake up to which easily make up for the minor delays.