In the journey to explore Da Nang, do not miss Hue. This city is an ancient capital of the Nguyen Emperors. Although not as famous and vibrant as other cities of Viet Nam, Hue has specific beauty with the antique and meditate feature. Hue owes its charm partly to its location on the Perfume River – picturesque on a clear day, atmospheric even in less flattering weather. Being the final province of the North Central area along the length of Viet Nam, Hue is about 700 km (430mi) south of Ha Noi and about 1,100 km (680 mi) north of Ho Chi Minh City, is separated with Da Nang which has biggest international airport of central Viet Nam by Hai Van Pass. It is the reason why most tourist travel to Hue from Da Nang. Therefore, for anyone who is still confused about which means of transports to choose, this article will give you all information that you need.
The distance from Da Nang to Hue is about 180km. So, the only transports to move is by road and the travel time is just 1,5 hours.
Option 1: Train from Da Nang to Hue
A great experience
Why should you choose train when you travel
Every day there are trains running between the North and South of Viet Nam, so it is obviously easy to buy a train ticket from Da Nang to Hue. With a total length of 103km railway and takes 2.5 – 3 hours to go, you should take a train because the fare is so cheap and stable, Comfortable, even luxurious, private carriages tagged onto the back of trains offer a classy way of traveling, safe journey, simple procedure. Taking the Thong Nhat Train through Hai Van pass, you will enjoy the sea view extremely poetically.
There are about 10 trains every day of Vietnam Railways. The one way train ticket costs about 50.000 – 150.000 VND (hard seat, soft seat, SE+NH trains, 1st+2nd class)
- Train station in Da Nang – Da Nang Railway Station (791 Hải Phòng)
- Train station in Hue – Huế Railway Station (Nguyen Tri Phường Street)
You can buy tickets in advance from the Vietnam Railways bookings site dsvn.vn or you can also book online using the travel agency baolau.vn or on 12go.asia which have the efficient websites, details seat and sleeper berth availability, and accepts international cards. Most of the time you can book train tickets a day or two ahead without a problem, except during peak holiday times. For sleeping berths book a week or more before the date of departure.
Traveling by train bring you a lot of great experiences and give you the chances to explore the culture, life, humans of the country you come. But, compared to cars that provide the maximum flexibility, and planes that have much more time and travel alternatives, railways are not as flexible. They often have fixed schedule that cannot be tailored for a single individual. Moreover, It depends on the budget you have and the country you are traveling in. There are super expensive and brand trains, as well as super cheap alternatives.
Traveling by train still, have disadvantages, you might be interested: Da Nang to Hue train – The most famous route in Vietnam
If you chose to travel during the evening time, you will want to find the most comfortable option, especially if you are traveling for long hours on end. You must share your journey with strangers, which might not be so nice when the passenger next to you is a crying child or someone who speaks loudly on their telephone while you are trying to sleep or even you use the Toilets, bathrooms and other public areas on trains can often be dirty or non functional. Although this is the low route, it would still affect you if you are a quiet and private person. The train is the least popular option if you are not the person who has time and health because Traveling by train can take longer.
Option 2: Local coach or minivan
Cheapest for backpacker
What are advantages of the local coach
In all countries, coach along with public transports are the most popular and convenient ways to move from place to place. Another reason for it to become everyone’s favorite transportation is its cheap price. A coach can make your trip much more comfortable and simpler. Especially if you’re not a good map reader yet an eager traveler, a coach is really helpful. The common route of all coaches is National Highway 1A. The journey is just about 2 – 3 hours long. The price for one way ticket can vary from US$ 5 – $15 depending on coach’s quality and size. You can ask the accommodation’s reception to help you book transportation or you can book online on baolau.vn or on 12go.asia, both very nice and clear websites which allow you to use all the main global credit cards. Prices are fair, same as on the Vietnamese one, you will only have to pay a processing fee (around US $1.5)
However, most of local coaches/minivans go from Da Nang to Hue through the longest tunnel in Southeast Asia – Hai Van Tunnel. You will be miss an opportunity to see some incredible sceneries of Central Vietnam, like Hai Van Pass, view of Da Nang and Lang Co beach from the mountain. It is believed to be one of the most dangerous ways to travel due to a large number of accidents.
Option 3: Shuttle bus
Convenient and straightforward
What’s so good about shuttle bus
The shuttle bus is also known as the tourist bus. As the main customers of the shuttle bus are foreign tourists, it offers more comfort and convenience for them. It is usually small high quality bus including Ford Transit, Limousine Bus which have from 9 to 16 seats. Simultaneously, it doesn’t stop in the middle of the way to catch more customers but runs straight to Hue. There is just a small break which is about 15 minutes for the passengers to go to the toilet. Therefore, it will take less time to travel from Da Nang to Hue than going by coach, about 2 hours.
Furthermore, it also includes some advanced services such as wifi, water on the bus. Especially, there won’t be a severe language barrier. The drivers normally have enough English to communicate with you and solve some of your problems. However, the cost for the better service will definitely higher. You will have to pay about US $7 – $15 for a one way ticket/person.
Where to catch the shuttle bus from Da Nang to Hue
As mentioned above, the shuttle bus mainly serves foreign customers. Therefore, instead of departing from the local stations, the shuttle bus will mostly pick up the passengers from the center for foreigners in Da Nang. However, some shuttle buses can also be found in the local coach stations. Some other buses offer hotel picking up service. One thing to notice that the picking up time is usually a half to one hour before the departure time.
Click here to check prices for the Shared Shuttle Bus to Hue
Although compared to the local coach, the journey by shuttle bus is shorter and has much better services. But same to the local coach, you will miss a chance to enjoy the stunning view from Hai Van Pass. Nevertheless, it will still take much of your time. You can’t be 100 percent sure there will be no incident on the way which can ruin your whole journey.
Option 4: Private car/taxi
Carefree and painless
Who to take private car/taxi to Hue
If the local coach and shuttle bus can’t satisfy you, private car/taxi can be your choice to travel from Da Nang to Hue. While private car/taxi is not really economical and also takes as much time as the local coach and shuttle bus, it will give you a carefree direct journey and more space of privacy in return. It suits flexible travelers who don’t like to follow any rules or schedules. This is also a good choice for a small group of friends or family. In addition, everyone can sit nice and close to each other to have a chit chat or lean on each other sleeping. The private car/taxi is also ideal for a businessman who wants to work on the way without being disturbed.
How to get a private car/taxi from Da Nang to Hue
Taxi from Da Nang to Hue
There should be no difficulty getting a taxi to travel from Da Nang to Hue. You can call to the taxi brands which are familiar and credible to you to book one. Normally, the price will be measured by the electricity meter. However, you can deal with the driver on an allin journey to have a better price. The price can vary from US $45 – $65 per way depending on the size of the taxi and if you want to share or not. You also can call some taxi brands in Da Nang to check whether they have any taxi heading back to Da Nang. If you’re lucky, you can go there with half price or even less.
- Mai Linh Taxi: +84 236 352 5252
- Song Han Taxi: +84 236 372 7272
- Tien Sa Da Nang Taxi: +84 236 379 7979
- Vinasun Taxi: +84 236 368 6868
There is a new service that recently launched Dichungtaxi (shared Taxi). By booking your taxi on their site, the system will send your booking information to drivers and have them pick you up. You can share the taxi with other people heading the same way by choosing the “share” option. If not, you can always take the “private” taxi as usual.
Also read: Guide on How to Get from Da Nang to Hoi An (& Vice Versa)
Private car from Da Nang to Hue
Private car with driver
There are a lot of agencies or individuals providing this service promoting themselves on the internet. You can check out the private car charter service or if you have a bit of money to splurge out on, you should try the comfort of Mioto. Comfy, air-conditioned cars and their drivers always drive carefully. The driver normally can speak English. You don’t have to worry about the miscommunication too much. They may make your journey less boring if you travel alone or give you a lot of interesting facts along the way. The experienced drivers can be helpful in giving you recommendations of accommodations or services to take
The price for the private car to travel from Da Nang to Hue is in such a wide range. There are many factors affecting the price of this journey. A few to mention are the size, the brand and status of the car, if it’s one way or round trip, waiting surcharge, etc. The average price is about US$ 50 – 75$ for one way including parking fee, tolls, petrol, driver. If you get a private car you could probably negotiate a cheaper rate for the roundtrip. Private cars have the option of taking a tunnel that saves a bit of time on the pass but you tell the driver not to, at least one way so you get to see the whole pass.
The private car without a driver
The private car without driver can be a choice for you but it’s not highly recommended. The
process to hire a car is too complicated. You have to have the B1 driving license, original identity card, original household and a bike with registration certificate (or cash instead). The price varies from US $25 – $65 per day and can be higher on the weekend and holidays. There are a lot of choices for you which are available at Mioto. Honestly, to be easy to rent a private car without a driver in Vietnam, you’d better have your friends or other travelers who will give the best guarantee for car owners.
Read more: Guide to Convert Driver License for Foreigner Living in Vietnam
Option 5: Motorbike
Adventurous journey to Hue from Da Nang
What are advantages of the motorbike
Although motorbike is not convenient for the long journey, yet to the eager travelers who ant an adventure and explore, it is such a great means of transport. With a motorcycle, you can be completely flexible and active with your schedule. The total time to travel from Da Nang to Hue by motorbike is about 2.5 – 3 hours. However, you can stop wherever you want, spend time studying local lives. You can challenge yourself with non-stop driving and feel the air blowing through your hair. The price of the gasoline is fairly cheap that you don’t mind going the round way to see more and learn more. If you don’t own a bike, it’s still possible to hire one. The process of renting a motorbike is much simpler than a car.
You might be interested: Guide to Motorbike Rental in Da Nang
What are disadvantages of the motorbike
The only route for going by motorbike to Hue from Da Nang is through Hai Van Pass or Hai Van Tunnel. The Hai Van Pass can be ridden as a day trip from any of the three main cities on either side of it: Hoi An, Da Nang, and Hue. Alternatively, the Hai Van Pass is a great way to ride all the way between these three cities via an extended coastal route, which avoids busy Highway 1 for the vast majority of the way, and uses quiet, scenic coast roads instead.
Read more: Breakfast at the Peak of Hai Van Pass
There are actually many disadvantages of driving a motorbike. With the distance of 180 km, it requires you to have good health and driving skill. Otherwise, you will easily get tired and have no energy left for other activities. A bigger obstacle for you is when your bike breaks down. If you’re in the middle of the highway, the chance that you can find a store to fix it is almost zero. Another disadvantage could be the weather, especially when it rains heavily. It’s challenging to drive in the rain, followed by the chance of an accident. Therefore, using a motorbike to travel from Da Nang to Hue could be really dangerous for people having no experience. Easily getting lost is also one of the disadvantages. The messy, chaotic traffic can confuse you and lead you in the wrong direction.
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