Hue and Hoi An is two of the most famous tourist cities in Vietnam. As they are close to each other, it is convenient to visit both. In addition, Hai Van Pass, one of the best natural attractions in the Center of Vietnam is on the way from Hue to Hoi An. Therefore, it is important to pick the best transportation and have a once in a lifetime experience. If you are still unsure about your choice in transportation, here are the best ways to travel from Hue to Hoi An.
Travel by Hue to Hoi An train
Taking a train is one of the most popular ways to travel from Hue to Hoi An. Traveling by train is not only cheap but also comfortable. Moreover, the scenery on the way is also stunning, as the train will go over the Hai Van Pass, while most vehicles will go through the Hai Van Tunnel.
However, there is no direct train from Hue to Hoi An, as there is no train station in Hoi An. Therefore, people who choose the train will have to buy the train ticket from Hue to Da Nang, and then take the bus or taxi from Da Nang to Hoi An.
You might be interested: Da Nang to Hue train – The most famous route in Vietnam
Itinerary
If you plan to travel from Hue to Hoi An by train, here is the guide for the best experience:
- Choose date and time to buy the train ticket from Hue to Da Nang (& vice versa): Traveling by train from Hue to Da Nang will take you about 2,5 hours. In addition, you have to travel from Da Nang to Hoi An by bus, so make sure to get there before 17:00.
- Purchase train tickets: You can buy train tickets online from the baolau.vn or on 12go.asia or buy at Hue Railway Station (address: 2 Bui Thi Xuan street, Hue, Vietnam) or Da Nang Railway Station (202 Hai Phong street, Da Nang city). The price range is from 40.ooo VND (hard seat with no air-conditioner) to 80.000 VND (soft berth with air-conditioner).
- Take a bus from Da Nang to Hoi An: The nearest bus station to Hoi An is only 500m away. The bus will depart every 20 minutes and it will take 1 hour to get to Hoi An. Therefore, just walk to the nearest bus station at 155 Le Duan (Near FAHASA bookstore) and wait there for a few minutes. The price is only 25.000 VND per person.
Please notice that at Tet holiday time – Vietnamese New Year, the number of people using train is rapidly increasing. Therefore, the tickets are expensive and quickly run out.
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Read more: Guide on How to Get from Da Nang to Hoi An
Take an open bus from Hue to Hoi An (& vice versa)
The open bus is another common choice for people who want to travel directly to Hoi An. Because traveling by bus is fast, convenient and cheap, many tourists choose the bus as their main transportation. The most popular kind of bus for tourists is the sleeping bus. It is because this kind of bus always has air-conditioners. Moreover, these sleeping buses are quite safe and comfortable, since the target customer is foreign travelers.
However, if you want to see the stunning Hai Van Pass, then you will disappoint. These sleeping buses always go through the Hai Van tunnel, not the pass because they want to save time. Therefore, traveling by sleeping buses will be more boring than the others. Well, at least you can still sleep there.
Reliable Open Bus Tour
There are several bus agents to choose from, however, their service quality varies. Hence, here are some suggestions to help you pick the best bus for the journey. Just keep in mind that the service of sleeping buses is not as good as other private transportation and could be quite disturbing for some people. So if you want a relaxing and comfortable journey, this may not be your cup of tea.
- The SinhTourist – The best open bus tour in Hue, the ticket from Hue to Hoi An is 120.000 VND per person. There is no English speaker employee on the bus, however, the reservation system is quite organized and convenient. The drawback of this company is the size of each seat. If you are tall, you may find it uncomfortable for your legs.
- Hanh Cafe – One of the cheapest buses in Vietnam. However, the bus is quite disorganizing and it parks quite far from the city center. If you are travel on a budget then you can consider this company.
- Phuong Trang Travel (Futa bus) – The most popular open bus tour for local people. The ticket price is cheap and the bus travel quite fast. The downside is that it will be quite noisy to travel with local people.
Please notice that at Tet holiday time – Vietnamese New Year, the number of people using bus is rapidly increasing. Therefore, the tickets are expensive and quickly run out.
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Join a motorbike tour
For adventurous people, traveling from Hue to Hoi An by motorbike is a promising idea. This is the main reason for the blooming of motorbike tour in Vietnam as well as in Hue. Going on a motorbike tour is quite an amazing experience, as you can feel both adventurous and safe. Moreover, you can fully admire the beauty of Bach Ma Mountain and the Hai Van Pass.
Recommended tour
The best motorbike tour from Hue to Hoi An is the Le Family Rider which allow you to ride a motorbike, with the lead of a professional guide, through the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An. The special feature of this tour is that you can stop on the best view or get to some attractions on the way. The tour price is 58 USD (approximately 1.500.000 VND) per person.
In addition, you will stop at 5 famous attractions: Elephant Spring, Fishing Village, Hai Van Pass, Da Nang City, and Marble Mountain. The tour will last the whole day, so you should make sure to have enough physical strength as well as mental health to endure an 8-hour motorbike ride.
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Hire a motorbike
If joining a tour is over your budget, you can always hire a motorbike to travel yourself. The price for a motorbike from Hue to Hoi An is quite cheap. However, keep in mind that this is not a safe way to travel from Hue to Hoi An. Unlike motorbike tour, you do not have a leader so you have to figure out the way by yourself.
If you are an experienced biker who frequently travels by bike around Vietnam, then you can consider taking this mean of transportation. The journey could be really dangerous if you have little knowledge and experience about traveling by motorbike. So unless you have a local guide to lead the way, it is hard to travel this long distance.
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You might be interested: Guide to Motorbike Rental in Da Nang
Hiring private car
The most popular way to travel from Hue to Hoi An (& vice versa) is by private car because of its convenientness. Traveling by private car have all the advantages that other means of transportation do not have. You can sit comfortably in a private car and enjoy the stunning sight of Hai Van Pass. In addition, you can stop at many amazing destinations on the way if you request in advance. The price for Hue private car is also reasonable in comparison with other tours, especially if you are travel in a large group.
Read more: Guide on How to Get from Da Nang to Hue (& Vice Versa)
Moreover, you can also get a large discount on other services such as motorbike tours in Hue and Hoi An. An English guide on the way is also available upon request. The high-quality service of private car will worth every penny. So if you want a relaxing journey and still see the best of Vietnam, private car will be a perfect choice.
Click here to check prices for the private car
Another option to use one of the favourite transfer companies. Blacklane transfers is vailable world wide. The cars are luxurious and super comfortable. If you don’t mind paying a higher price tag, you can never go wrong with a Blacklane transfer. It is also a great way to build in some stops to visit some sites along the way. If you are traveling in a group or with your family, this will be the best way. In addition, a private car pickup is available at any time whereas taxis are more difficult to find during the quiet hours of the day.
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To conclude, the journey from Hue to Hoi An is amazing, especially the Hai Van Pass. This is a once in a lifetime journey that you should not miss once you visit the center of Vietnam. Let’s try it and have a memorable experience in Vietnam.
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