Vietnam rail travel is now even easier with International Rail

International Rail, the leading global rail specialists, is pleased to announce train travel within Vietnam is now accessible on International Rail with schedule information and prices available online. The new service allows UK visitors to research the trains before talking with an International Rail advisor and booking the tickets and ensures visitors can feel safe and confident in their bookings when on their discovery of Vietnam. Vietnam joins an ever expanding list of international rail services available on www.internationalrail.com.

The new service will open up the train as a feasible option for UK visitors when in Vietnam and allow tourists to explore and enjoy a much wider experience of the country. Rail travel in Vietnam is considered to be a great value, must do experience as well as a mode of transport and truly opens up the country to visitors offering the opportunity to see more of the country and meet the locals.

The railway system in Vietnam is owned and operated by the state-owned Vietnam Railways (Đường sắt Việt Nam). There are basically three major lines in Vietnam as follows:

Hanoi-HCMC/Saigon - this is the main route crossing the whole country from north to south
Hanoi-Lao Cai (for Sapa) - this is the route in the north west of the country, which eventually would lead towards Kunming in the Yunnan province in China
Hanoi-Dong Dang - this is the route to the north east of the country towards Nanning in the Guangxi province in China (and onward to Beijing)

Every train travelling along the main route Hanoi-HCMC/Saigon is also known as the 'Reunification Express'* and when travelling this main North to South route the most popular stops are Vinh, Dong Hoi, Hue, Da Nang, Dieu Tri (for Quy Nhon), Nha Trang, Muong Man (for Phan Thiet) and Ho Chi Minh City.

For visitors, the most popular route tends to be the Hanoi-Lao Cai route (for Sapa), which can be travelled either at night, when three services operate or in the day. The journey takes eight hours and the day time service can be quite lengthy as no sleepers are available.

Night services on the other hand offer sleepers, air-conditioned carriages and the choice between various companies. Some of these companies have services specifically designed for tourists and so attach their private coaches to the regular trains and so offer an even more comfortable experience. Visitors to www.internationalrail.com can find details of all of the services available on this route and how to book.

Alternatively, visitors can take the Hanoi-Dong Dang route for international services from Vietnam to China, so take the route from Hanoi to Dong Dang, in the northeast of the country and then onwards to Nanning and Beijing.

These journeys are extensive, to reach Nanning, visitors take the Hanoi-Nanning daily overnight service departing from Hanoi at 21:40 and arriving in Nanning at 09:00 the following morning; each coach has four berth cabins with air conditioning, room for luggage and reading lamps.

To get to Beijing, there is a twice weekly service which runs from Hanoi and reaches Beijing after two nights of travelling. Guests travel in four berth cabins with air-conditioning, room for luggage and a reading lamp.

To find out more information on travelling by train in Vietnam please visit www.internationalrail.com/vietnam.aspx or call one of the rail experts on 0871 231 0790.(Calls cost 10p per minute from UK landlines, charges from mobiles and international calls will vary.)

* Vietnam Railways has two main types of trains on the North to South route, SE Express and TN, in which the latter are much faster and equipped with more modern coaches.

Trains SE1 to SE6 have air-conditioned restaurant cars and soft-sleeping berths. They have 3 classes: air-con soft sleeper, air-con hard sleeper and air-con soft seat.

Trains TN1 & TN2 are older, slow and very basic with only hard sleepers and hard seats. Trains TN3-TN10 have 6 classes: air-con soft sleepers, air-con hard sleepers, hard sleepers, air-con soft seats, soft seats & hard seats.

International Rail offer the worlds' largest selection of rail journeys and passes, built from over twenty years' experience in the travel industry. Visitors to www.internationalrail.com can create and book unique and exciting itineraries across the world at the click of a mouse.

For all media enquiries, potential press visits or image requests please contact:

Becky Fairlie-Clarke

PR Consultant - International Rail

Magic Torch PR

T: 07974 306579

E: press@internationalrail.com