About the route from Hanoi to Da Nang
Hanoi lies in the north and Da Nang around 760 kilometers south on the central coast, a drive of eleven to twelve hours that few travelers take on themselves. That leaves three sensible ways to travel from Hanoi to Da Nang: flying, the overnight train, or an overnight bus. The plane is quickest by a long way, and this is one of Vietnam’s busiest air corridors, so flights run throughout the day. The train and bus take between 13 and 17 hours and go mostly overnight, trading speed for a saved hotel night and, on the train at least, some of the finest coastal scenery in the country. Hanoi, the starting point, is the capital and the base for most trips into the north, covered in our Hanoi travel guide if you are still planning your time there.
Da Nang is the central coast’s biggest city and, for many, the most relaxed place to land in Vietnam. After the crowds and traffic of Hanoi it feels open and unhurried: a long beach along one edge, a wide river through the middle spanned by the Dragon Bridge, and the Marble Mountains and Ba Na Hills a short drive out of town. It is also the gateway to Hoi An, half an hour to the south. Our Da Nang travel guide covers what is worth your time once you arrive.
Tip: See the whole route with Local Vietnam
Instead of treating this as a transfer to get through, you can travel the corridor properly on our 6-day Hanoi to Hoi An tour, which takes in Ninh Binh, the Phong Nha caves, the DMZ war sites, and Hue on the way south, with all transfers, guides, and overnight stays included. It ends in Hoi An, right beside Da Nang, so it fits a southbound trip perfectly, and can run the other way on request too.
Option 1: By flight from Hanoi to Da Nang
Why choose the flight
Flying is the quickest way south by a wide margin, turning a full day of travel into well under two hours in the air. With so many flights on this route, finding a convenient departure is easy. For anyone short on time, it is the obvious choice.
How it works
Direct flights from Hanoi to Da Nang take about 1 hour 20 minutes, on one of the busiest domestic routes in the country, with departures roughly every hour from early morning to late at night. The main carriers are Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air, and Sun PhuQuoc Airways, among others. Flights leave Noi Bai Airport, around 45 minutes to an hour outside Hanoi, so allow time for that trip out, and land at Da Nang Airport, right next to the city. Booked in advance, fares often start around 700,000 to 1,100,000 VND (roughly $28 to $44), with the cheapest VietJet tickets covering only hand luggage and Vietnam Airlines including a checked bag. Fares rise sharply close to departure and in peak season, so it pays to book early. Our domestic flights guide has more.
Who it is for
The flight suits almost everyone, and with departures all day there is little reason to settle for an awkward time. Unless you want the overland journey or the cheapest possible fare, start here. The two slower options follow.
Option 2: By train from Hanoi to Da Nang
Why choose the train
The train is the most comfortable way to travel overland, and this is the route most worth choosing for the journey itself. Take an overnight service and you sleep through the long ride south, then wake in the morning for the Hai Van Pass, the coastal cliffs between Hue and Da Nang that rank among the most beautiful rail views in Southeast Asia. It saves a hotel night, and delivers you to Da Nang rested rather than frazzled from an airport.
How it works
These are Reunification Express services, run by Vietnam Railways. Trains leave Hanoi Railway Station on Le Duan Street and finish at Da Nang Railway Station, close to the center, after roughly 16 to 17 hours over 790 kilometers. The classes run from a soft seat up through a six-berth hard sleeper, a four-berth soft sleeper, and a two-berth VIP cabin on some services, and a berth is well worth it for an overnight this long. Soft seats start from around 700,000 VND (roughly $27), soft sleepers from around 1,100,000 VND (roughly $45), and VIP cabins cost more. The simplest way to book is through 12Go, Baolau, or Vexere, as the state railway’s own site needs a Vietnamese bank card that most visitors do not have. Our train travel guide explains the classes.
For the Hai Van scenery, the SE19 is the train to look for: it leaves Hanoi in the evening and reaches the pass in morning daylight, so you wake up to the coast. Sit on the left-hand side heading south for the sea views.
Who it is for
On this route the train is a highlight in its own right, not just a cheaper alternative to flying. It suits anyone who enjoys rail travel, wants to wake up to the Hai Van Pass, and would rather sleep on the move than lose time in airports. If you sleep badly on trains, or simply want to be there fast, the flight makes more sense.
Option 3: By sleeper bus from Hanoi to Da Nang
Why choose the bus
The bus is the cheapest way south, and an overnight service means you sleep through much of it and save a night’s hotel. Newer cabin buses give each passenger a closed-off pod instead of the old open bunks, which makes the long ride easier to bear. It is basic, but it is direct and simple to arrange.
How it works
Buses take somewhere between 13 and 16 hours, most leaving Hanoi in the evening and arriving in Da Nang the next morning. A plain sleeper is the cheapest at around 500,000 VND (roughly $20), while cabin and VIP coaches with private pods run higher, up to about 1,150,000 VND (roughly $46). Names on the route include HK Buslines, G8 Sapa Open Tour, and Hoang Long, all searchable on 12Go, Vexere, and Baolau. Departures leave from a few points around Hanoi and drop at several across Da Nang, so confirm the exact stop before you book. Keep anything valuable with you overnight rather than in the hold. More on the coach types is in our bus travel guide.
Who it is for
The bus is for travelers on a strict budget, and for anyone who does not mind a long night on the road to save a fare and a hotel bill. On a stretch this long, paying up for a cabin bus over a basic sleeper is money well spent. If comfort or a good night’s sleep matters, the train is the better overland choice.
Breaking the journey to Da Nang: Phong Nha and Hue
This is a long trip, and two of central Vietnam’s finest stops lie directly on the route, both served by the same trains and buses. With a little extra time, stopping at either turns the transfer into part of the trip. Traveling south from Hanoi, you reach them in this order.
Phong Nha
Phong Nha comes first, roughly ten hours south of Hanoi, and it is a place many travelers wish they had given more time. The draw is the caves: this pocket of jungle and limestone holds Son Doong, the biggest cave anywhere in the world, and a whole network of smaller ones that ordinary visitors can walk or boat through. Around them lies one of Vietnam’s wildest national parks, with river trips, jungle trekking, and a fraction of the visitors you find at the big-name sights up north. For nature and adventure, few places in the country match it. Our guide on getting from Hanoi to Phong Nha covers the leg, and there is more in our Phong Nha travel guide.
Hue
Hue follows, a couple of hours before Da Nang, and slots easily into a trip down the coast. Once the seat of the Nguyen emperors, it is built around a huge walled citadel, with royal tombs dotted through the hills and along the Perfume River and a calmer, older atmosphere than the beaches to the south. Most travelers find a day or two enough to take in the highlights. The last stretch from Hue to Da Nang then crosses the Hai Van Pass, a fine way to arrive. Our Hue travel guide has the detail, and the final leg is covered in our guide on getting from Hue to Da Nang.
Conclusion: what is the best option for Hanoi to Da Nang
Which way to go from Hanoi to Da Nang really depends on whether you value speed, comfort, or a low price.
Fly if speed comes first. Flights leave all day and take under two hours, though you will need to allow time to reach Hanoi’s out-of-town airport before you even take off.
The train is the choice for comfort and scenery, letting you sleep through the long haul south and wake for the Hai Van Pass, all in a proper berth.
The bus is the budget answer, and on a night this long it is worth paying up for a cabin coach over a basic sleeper.
And if you can spare the time, give real thought to stopping at Phong Nha or Hue. Both lie squarely on the way south, and both deserve more than a glance from a passing train.
