Phong Nha Train Station | Travel Guide & Nearby Dong Hoi Access

On my Vietnam trip, one of the most memorable stretches was the train ride skirting the Hai Van Pass. Those winding tracks offer some of Vietnam’s most dramatic coastal vistas.

If you’re plotting an epic Vietnam adventure by train, you won’t want to miss how to make your way to the Phong Nha region via its nearest railway gateway - Dong Hoi Railway Station. 
After this I went to Hoi An by motorcycle!

Why the train is a must for central Vietnam

Vietnam’s Reunification Express snakes along 1,726 km of tracks between Hanoi and Saigon, and the segment between Da Nang and Dong Hoi is legendary for its sweeping sea views and mountain tunnels. While buses are cheap, they can get stuck on Highway 1 through the Hai Van Pass, whereas a daytime train glides right across via tunnel and coastline - an unbeatable balance of speed and scenery.

Plus, trains in Vietnam offer a range of seating options from hard seats to air-con sleepers, making long journeys surprisingly comfortable.

Nearest train station: Dong Hoi Railway Station

Contrary to what its name might suggest, Phong Nha Village doesn’t have its own train station; the closest is Dong Hoi Railway Station (google maps location), about 40 km (25 mi) away. Dong Hoi lies in Nam Ly Ward, roughly 522 km north of Hanoi and 166 km south of Hue along the North-South line.

The station building dates back to 1967 and blends modernist concrete design with functional waiting areas, ticket counters, toilets and a small car park. While basic, the station runs daily from early morning until late evening-ticket counters typically open around 06:00 and close by 22:00.

Booking your train tickets

For the best availability, book 1-2 weeks in advance via the official Vietnam Railways site or through aggregators like Baolau.com, which accepts international credit cards and issues e-tickets by email.

• Second-class sleepers from Dong Hoi to Hanoi range from 367,000 VND to 635,000 VND (≈ 16-28 USD) depending on berth type.

• Hard seats are even cheaper- around 200,000 VND for shorter runs like Dong Hoi to Hue.

• From Da Nang, expect to pay 250,000-300,000 VND for a soft seat on a direct train to Dong Hoi (a scenic six-hour trip that arrives in the late afternoon).

• Night trains such as SE2 (departing at 19:30) let you snooze your way north and wake up in Dong Hoi by 06:00-perfect if you want to maximize daytime cave-exploring.

Getting from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha

Once you roll into Dong Hoi, you have several options to bridge the 40 km gap to Phong Nha Village:

• Local bus: Frequent hourly buses run from the Dong Hoi Post Office (about a 1.5 km walk from the station) to Phong Nha for just 35,000 VND, with the journey taking around 90 minutes.

• Taxi or Grab: A metered ride costs roughly 400,000 VND-450,000 VND and takes about an hour; be ready to negotiate slightly if you catch one at the station after midnight. If I were you, I would just book Grab from their app as most of the times its hassle free. In the rare case, someone asks you to cancel the ride and pay them in cash, JUST DON’T!

• Private transfer: Book a 7-seater car for about 650,000 VND each way-ideal for groups or if you want door-to-door service and maybe a stop at Nhat Le Beach on the way.

• Motorbike taxi: If you’re traveling light, you can hop on a xe ôm for roughly 200,000 VND - but hold on tight as not all of the bike riders are considerate haha.

Insider tips & hidden spots

• Scenic daytime trains: If time allows, opt for a daytime ride between Da Nang and Dong Hoi for the Hai Van Pass panorama-hard to beat on the Reunification Express.

• Late-night arrivals: Dong Hoi station can be surprisingly quiet at 2 AM. There’s a small snack stall and a few bench areas, but pre-book a taxi if you’re arriving off-peak to avoid waiting outside.

• Rail-cart fun: In Phong Nha Village, look out for the hand-pulled “long-tail” rail carts running along disused tracks-locals charge about 50,000 VND per ride and it’s a quirky photo op.

• Early-bird bus hack: The 05:30 AM bus from Phong Nha back to Dong Hoi often runs empty-grab a front-row seat for river views and maybe catch a peaceful sunrise at Son River.

• Mix-and-match transfers: For a budget-friendly twist, fly into Hue, take the short 3-hour train to Dong Hoi (≈ 200,000 VND), then bus or taxi to Phong Nha - perfect if you want the cave fun without an all-night ride.

What to pack & prep

• E-ticket printout or screenshot: Vietnamese conductors often want a paper copy, especially on older trains.

• Snacks & water: Station vendors sell instant noodles and cold drinks, but carriage trolleys can be hit-or-miss. Bring your own snacks and a water bottle just in case.

• Travel pillow & earplug: For sleepers, the tracks can be rhythmic but noisy; you’ll thank yourself for a little neck support.

• Local SIM or offline map: Signal dips in tunnels - download Offline Google Map for the whole trip before departure (Should be less than 150 MB).

Happy tracks, and see you in the caves!