Vietnam by Private Train (Ground Only) 2026

Duration

18 Days

Departure Dates

29th October 2026

Prices from

£6,965 Per person

In conjunction with one of our trusted partners, we are delighted to offer this extraordinary tour through the breathtaking landscapes and timeless traditions of Vietnam. Journey aboard the legendary Reunification Express and the Sa Pa Express, visit iconic destinations from the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City to the serene waters of Ha Long Bay, and immerse yourself in Vietnam's vibrant spirit on this adventure of a lifetime.

Overview
Itinerary
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Departure Dates
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Ho Chi Minh City ©Shutterstock

18 days from £6,965 (Ground Only)

DEPARTS

Thursday 29 October 2026

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Journey aboard private carriages on the legendary Reunification Express
Cruise aboard a privately chartered deluxe boat on the picturesque Ha Long Bay
Explore vibrant cities including Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi
Visit Hanoi’s famous Train Street to witness the train passing through narrow streets
Enjoy scenic boat cruises on the Mekong and Perfume Rivers
Relax in the beautiful beachfront cities of Nha Trang and Quy Nhon
Visit UNESCO World Heritage sites including Hoi An and Hue
Experience a traditional Water Puppet Theatre performance
Learn the inspiring story of KOTO, a remarkable social enterprise
Admire panoramic mountain views at the "Roof of Indochina"
Enjoy a nostalgic journey through misty valleys on the Sa Pa Express
Indulge in traditional Vietnamese cuisine
Stay in luxurious, quality accommodation

Also included in your Tour Fare:

17 nights’ bed & breakfast plus 12 evening meals and 15 lunches
Luggage Transport
Services of experienced Tour Leader

This tour is operated by our friends at Railway Adventures in conjunction with Railtrail.

DAY 1

Thursday 29th October
After making your own flight arrangements to Vietnam, you will meet the Tour Leader at Ho Chi Minh Airport and transfer to the Mai House Hotel, our hotel for the next three nights. After check-in, we will enjoy time at leisure to explore our new surroundings before meeting for drinks on the rooftop and enjoying a welcome dinner together.

DAY 2

Friday 30th October
After breakfast this morning, we explore Ho Chi Minh City, still known locally as Saigon, with visits to the historic City Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, the War Remnants Museum, and the old Presidential Palace. After enjoying lunch at a local restaurant, we visit the Jade Emperor Pagoda, one of the most atmospheric temples in Ho Chi Minh City, filled with statues of phantasmal divinities and grotesque heroes. This evening, we head to a local market to sample authentic street food ahead of our dinner along Vinh Khanh street aka 'Seafood Street'.

B, L, D

DAY 3

Saturday 31st October
Today, we journey southwest tracing the path of Vietnam's very first railway line, opened in 1885, to My Tho where we board our private boat to cruise the Mekong Delta to the picturesque province of Ben Tre - Vietnam's 'capital of coconuts'. Along the way, we will visit local villages, fruit orchards, islands, and a coconut candy workshop before a peaceful sampan journey to our lunch spot featuring the regional delicacy - 'elephant ear fish'. On our return to Ho Chi Minh City, the rest of our day is at leisure.

B, L

DAY 4

Sunday 1st November
After breakfast this morning, we make our way to Saigon Railway Station where our private carriages await us for the first of our scenic train journeys - the Reunification Express. We will journey in style and indulge in morning tea, lunch, and an early dinner as we travel along this legendary rail route that symbolised the unification of North and South Vietnam following major damage and sabotage during the Vietnam War. On our arrival in Nha Trang, we will transfer to our luxurious beachfront hotel, the InterContinental Hotel, and check in for our overnight stay.

B, L, D

DAY 5

Monday 2nd November
This morning, we will enjoy a legendary buffet breakfast before our exploration of Nha Trang with visits to Long Son Pagoda, home of the world's largest Buddha statue, and the Po Nagar Cham Tower, located on a sacred hill. We will stroll along the magnificent golden beach promenade and take lunch before rejoining our private train for a spectacular coastal journey past beautiful mountain scenery with afternoon tea and an early dinner served in our private dining car. On arrival in Dieu Tri, we will drive the short distance to Quy Nhon and the Avani Resort, our hotel for the next two nights.

B, L, D

DAY 6

Tuesday 3rd November
Today, we have the chance to learn about Vietnam's largest and most developed form of martial arts, Viet Vo Dao (aka Vovinam) at a local family home before continuing to the historic Cha Do Ban Citadel, the final capital of the ancient Champa Kingdom. For lunch today, we will visit a local market to sample exotic fruits, traditional Vietnamese coffee, and regional favourites including crab noodle soup and jumping shrimps fried pancake! Afterwards, we have time to visit the stunning Bai Xep Beach before returning to the hotel for an evening at leisure to enjoy all the resort has to offer.

B, L

DAY 7

Wednesday 4th November
Today, we return to Dieu Tri to board our private train for the scenic rail journey to Da Nang enjoying a sumptuous morning tea and lunch in our private dining car as we roll past stunning rural scenery of rice fields, palm trees, and charming villages. Our coach will be waiting for us at Da Nang to transfer us to our luxurious riverside hotel in Hoi An, the Anantara Resort, nestled on the banks of the Thu Bon River where we check in for our three-night stay and enjoy our evening meal together.

B, L, D

DAY 8

Thursday 5th November
After an early breakfast, we enjoy a guided walking tour of Hoi An visiting the highlights of the Old Town including the Thien Hau Temple, the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge, and the ancient trading houses. We have some time at leisure this afternoon to take lunch, wander the alleys of the old city, or visit one of the renowned tailors or shoe makers who can create any garment within 24 hours so if you'd like a unique item to take home, this is the place to be! This evening, we reconvene for our evening meal at a local restaurant in the heart of the Old Town.

B, D

DAY 9

Friday 6th November
Today, we enjoy a full day at leisure to spend how you please in Hoi An. You can relax and unwind in style at the hotel, explore the Old Town further, join a traditional Vietnamese cooking class, or ask your Tour Leader for recommendations of local excursions and attractions.

DAY 10

Saturday 7th November
After breakfast this morning, we board our private coach to visit the world-renowned Cham Sculpture Museum, home to the world's largest and most valuable collection of Cham sculptures. After our visit, we will be treated to lunch at a famous local restaurant before continuing to Da Nang to rejoin our private carriages for the picturesque journey over the stunning Hai Van Pass and through stone-lined tunnels to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage City of Hue. Here, we transfer to the Senna Hue Hotel for two nights and enjoy an evening at leisure.

B, L

DAY 11

Sunday 8th November
After breakfast, we embark on a full-day guided tour of Hue, once Vietnam's royal capital, visiting the highlights including the ancient Imperial City and Hue Citadel, the Tomb of Tu Duc, and the Royal Arena. Following our lunch at a local restaurant, we will explore the tranquil Thien Mu Pagoda before returning to the hotel by boat along the picturesque Perfume River. This evening, we will enjoy an elegant dinner with music, art, and royal architecture at the riverside Ben Xuan Garden House Theatre.

B, L, D

DAY 12

Monday 9th November
Today, we transfer to Hue Airport for a short morning flight to Hanoi, Vietnam's dynamic capital, where we enjoy our lunch together at a local restaurant before checking in to the Apricot Hotel for our two-night stay. This afternoon, we experience the charm of a traditional Water Puppet Theatre performance - one of Vietnam's most unique cultural art forms - followed by our evening meal at a nearby restaurant.

B, L, D

DAY 13

Tuesday 10th November
After a leisurely morning, we will make our way to KOTO for lunch, a remarkable social enterprise providing hospitality training and work opportunities to disadvantaged youth and we will learn its inspiring story from a small banh mi stall to an acclaimed restaurant. This afternoon, we will visit the Ho Chi Minh Stilt House and the historic One Pillar Pagoda before returning to the hotel for some free time. This evening, our Vietnamese guide will take us on a street food tour through the Old Quarter, sampling delicious, authentic food along the way.

B, L, D

DAY 14

Wednesday 11th November
After breakfast this morning, we depart Hanoi for Sapa visiting Lao Cai, the historic gateway between Vietnam and China, along the way. On arrival in Sapa, we make our way to the Hotel de la Coupole and check in for our two-night stay enjoying some free time to take in the serene mountain air and breathtaking views of terraced rice field cascading down the valleys. This evening, we travel by electric buggy through the misty streets to a local restaurant for our evening meal together.

B, L, D

DAY 15

Thursday 12th November
This morning, we can join an optional guided walk through the scenic Muong Hoa Valley, a patchwork of terraced rice fields where we will encounter local families, wooden stilt houses, and water buffalo. Alternatively, you can spend the morning at leisure before we gather for lunch a local restaurant. This afternoon, we ascend to the 'Roof of Indochina' with a cable car ride to Fansipan Mountain, the highest peak in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia where we can admire panoramic views and visit the Buddhist temples. Afterwards, we retrace our steps to the hotel for an evening at leisure.

B, L

DAY 16

Friday 13th November
Today, we reboard our private carriages for the return journey to Hanoi winding through misty valleys and along the Red River, we enjoy a nostalgic ride through the ever-changing scenery of rice terraces, bamboo forests, and traditional villages with our lunch served on board. On arrival at Hanoi, we enjoy our evening meal at a local restaurant before returning to the Apricot Hotel for our overnight stay.

B, L, D

DAY 17

Saturday 14th November
After an early breakfast, we travel by coach to the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Ha Long Bay where our privately chartered deluxe boat awaits to take us on our overnight cruise through this beautiful landscape. We will enjoy our lunch on board before joining one of the many included off-boat excursions or simply unwinding with a massage or spa treatment on board - the choice is yours! As the sun sets, we can sip drinks on the sundeck or join a Vietnamese cooking demonstration ahead of our sumptuous five-course farewell dinner together.

B, L, D

DAY 18

Sunday 15th November
If you're an early riser, you may wish to start your morning with a serene Tai Chi session on the sundeck before our breakfast together as we sail to Thien Canh Son Cave. Known for its mythical atmosphere and sparkling stalactites, we will wander through its chambers and underground landscape, returning to our boat to enjoy a buffet lunch served on board as we sail back to Ha Long Harbour. Here, after our fantastic Vietnamese adventure, you will be transferred to Hanoi Airport for your chosen flights home.

B, L

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

FARES

Ground Only Fare:
Ex Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi	£6,965
Single Traveller Supplement	£1,235
Deposit	£700

*If you would like to include return flights to/from Vietnam, please contact our Customer Care Team on 01538 382323 for a quote.

Please see below the details of the flights we intend to use on our Flight Inclusive tour:

QR008 – 28OCT – LHR 1455 – DOH 0035+1 (London Heathrow to Doha)

QR970 – 29OCT – DOH 0150 – SGN 1305 (Doha to Ho Chi Min City)

QR977 – 15NOV – HAN 1910 – DOH 2310 (Hanoi to Doha)

QR011 – 16NOV – DOH 0150 – LHR 0625 (Doha to London Heathrow)

17 nights’ bed & breakfast plus 12 evening meals and 15 lunches

All train rides, transfers, excursions & admissions as detailed

Services of experienced Tour Leader

HOTELS

Mai House Saigon, Ho Chi Minh (29/10-01/11)

Built from the love for Vietnam, the luxurious Mai House offers authenticity and hospitality with a hearty restaurant serving traditional French & Vietnamese cuisine, a welcoming lobby lounge, a beautiful rooftop bar, and a refreshing outdoor pool plus a wellness area including a spa, sauna, and fitness centre. The chic bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom with a rain shower, a complimentary minibar, ironing facilities, flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

InterContinental Hotel, Nha Trang (01/11-02/11)

Nestled along the pristine coastline, the beachfront InterContinental Hotel offers a blend of luxury living and world-class hospitality with a signature restaurant serving delicious seafood and Vietnamese specialties, an elegant lobby lounge, three outdoor pools with Jacuzzi beds, and a fitness centre. The contemporary bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom with a rain shower, a hairdryer, flat-screen TV, and free Wi-Fi.

Avani Quy Nhon Resort, Quy Nhon (02/11-04/11)

Spanning along a stretch of soft, white sandy beach, the Avani Resort offers a cliff-side restaurant with amazing flavours, a beach bar with beautiful views of Quy Nhon’s bay, a seaview pool, and a wellness centre. The modern bedrooms provide ocean views with an en-suite bathroom, a hairdryer, flat-screen TV, minibar, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

Anantara Resort, Hoi An (04/11-07/11)

Set on the banks of the picturesque Thu Bon River, the Anantara Resort offers riverside dining with a signature restaurant serving delicious local and international cuisine, a modern bistro bar, a heated outdoor pool, and a wellness area. The beautiful bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom with a rain shower, an indoor living area, outdoor daybeds, a minibar, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

Senna Hue Hotel, Hue (07/11-09/11)

Ideally located in the centre of Hue and close to iconic attractions, the Senna Hue Hotel offers a stylish restaurant serving traditional Hue dishes, a relaxing bar located by the gardens, a refreshing outdoor pool, and a spa area. The comfortable bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom, a hairdryer, flat-screen TV, minibar, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

Apricot Hotel, Hanoi (09/11-11/11 and 13/11-14/11)

Nestled in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, the Apricot Hotel offers uninterrupted views of Hoan Kiem Lake, a true fine dining experience in the signature restaurant, a rooftop bar and pool with panoramic views of the city, and a fitness centre. The cosy bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom, a hairdryer, ironing facilities, flat-screen TV, minibar, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

Hotel de la Coupole, Sapa (11/11-13/11)

Situated in the centre of Sapa with an enchanting mix of luxury and tradition, the Hotel De La Coupole offers a stylish restaurant serving classic French dishes, a lavish rooftop cocktail bar with spectacular views of the mountains, and a charming patisserie plus a heated indoor pool and a fitness centre. The elegant bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom with a rainfall shower, a hairdryer, flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

Calypso Cruise Boat, Ha Long Bay (14/11-15/11)

The Calypso Cruises is a beautiful boat that combines relaxation with spectacular views and offers a signature restaurant serving freshly caught, delicious seafood and other international dishes plus a sundeck with a swimming pool and sun loungers. The luxurious cabins offer an en-suite bathroom, full large windows overlooking the bay, a flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, and complimentary welcome drinks.

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Mai House Saigon, Ho Chi Minh

Hotel Granvia, Hiroshima

InterContinental Hotel, Nha Trang

Avani Quy Nhon Resort, Quy Nhon

Anantara Resort, Hoi An

Senna Hue Hotel, Hue

Apricot Hotel, Hanoi

Hotel de la Coupole, Sapa

Calypso Cruise Boat, Ha Long Bay

Visit Ho Chi Minh City

Mai House 1 ©MaiHouse

Mai House 2 ©MaiHouse

Mai House 3 ©MaiHouse

Ho Chi Minh, Notre Dame Cathedral ©Shutterstock

Ho Chi Minh, City Hall ©Shutterstock

Ho Chi Minh, Jade Emporer Pagoda ©Shutterstock

Mekong Delta ©Shutterstock

Reunification Express ©AdobeStock

InterContinental Hotel 1 ©InterContinental

InterContinental Hotel 2 ©InterContinental

InterContinental Hotel 3 ©InterContinental

Nha Trang ©Shutterstock

Nha Trang, Long Son Pagoda ©Shutterstock

Nha Trang, Po Nagar Cham Tower ©Shutterstock

Quy Nhon ©Shutterstock

Avani Resort 1 ©Avani

Avani Resort 2 ©Avani

Bai Xep Beach ©Dreamstime

Da Nang, Marble Mountains ©Dreamstime

Da Nang, Rice Fields ©Dreamstime

Anantara Resort1 ©Anantara

Anantara Resort2 ©Anantara

Hoi An, Thien Hau Temple ©Dreamstime

Hoi An, Japanese Bridge ©Shutterstock

Hoi An, River Boat ©Dreamstime

Hue, River Perfume, Dragon Boat ©AdobeStock

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