Book your train tickets with Violette Trains.
Violette Trains is a Vietnamese private railway company connecting Hanoi and Lao Cai, as well as Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Dong Hoi, Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang and Saigon.
Trains operated by Violette Trains
Violette Trains operates their own compartments in standard passenger cars operated by Vietnam Railways.
Passenger cars are divided in two classes: Sleeper 2-Berth in compartments for 1-2 passengers and Sleeper 4-Berth in compartments for 1-4 passengers. Customers who wish to enjoy some privacy by reserving the whole compartment can select the maximum number of passengers and purchase all the tickets.
For more information about travelling by train, please read our Train Guide in Vietnam.
Routes
Destinations
Violette Trains serves the following destinations in Vietnam:
Northern Vietnam
Hanoi–Lao Cai railway
The Hanoi–Lao Cai railway line connects Hanoi and Lao Cai, in the Northwestern Mountains of Vietnam. Trains depart from Hanoi Railway Station and return from Lao Cai Railway Station.
Train routes to Lao Cai
Central Vietnam
North–South railway
The North–South railway line connects Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. Trains depart from Hanoi Railway Station and arrive at Saigon Railway Station stopping in the major stations along Central Vietnam, such us Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Vinh, Dong Hoi, Hue, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Dieu Tri, Nha Trang, Phan Rang–Thap Cham, Binh Thuan and other secondary stations.
Train routes to Hanoi
Train routes to Ninh Binh
Train routes to Dong Hoi
Train routes to Hue
Train routes to Da Nang
Train routes to Nha Trang
Train routes to Ho Chi Minh
Change policy
The following change terms apply to the train fares:
| Violette Trains | Change time/date |
| Fare Sleeper 2-Berth (Private cabin) | Permitted with fees |
| Fare Sleeper 2-Berth (Private cabin) | Permitted with fees |
| Fare Sleeper 4-Berth (Shared cabin) | Permitted with fees |
| Fare Sleeper 4-Berth (Shared cabin) | Permitted with fees |
If you wish to change your booking with Violette Trains, please Contact Us. This option is available until 48 hours before departure, after that time please contact directly with Violette Trains. Change fees will apply.
No change for tickets on public holidays.
Cancellation policy
The following cancellation terms apply to the train fares:
| Violette Trains | Cancellation before departure |
| Fare Sleeper 2-Berth (Private cabin) | Permitted with fees |
| Fare Sleeper 2-Berth (Private cabin) | Permitted with fees |
| Fare Sleeper 4-Berth (Shared cabin) | Permitted with fees |
| Fare Sleeper 4-Berth (Shared cabin) | Permitted with fees |
If you wish to cancel your booking with Violette Trains, kindly manage your booking and request a cancellation to proceed with the refund. This option is available until 3 days before departure.
Service fees will not be refunded. Cancellation fees will apply.
- 30% of the ticket fare + 50,000 VND per ticket if the ticket has been issued
- 50% of the ticket fare + 50,000 VND per ticket if 3 days to departure
- No refund if less than 3 days to departure or departure on public holiday
Reviews
Dirty, just a normal Vietnam Raiöways Coach, way too expensive for the service provided Julian
Just as I was expecting. I didn’t expect luxury but Beds were comfortable. Rooms were well air conditioned. Snacks and drinks complimentary in room. Extra food brought round for purchasing. Train was on time. Boarding process easy. Overall clean and comfortable, great way to travel in Vietnam. Clare
We did a 6 hour ride during the day from Da Nang to Dong Hoi and booked out a whole 4 berth sleeper for 2. We are glad we did this as it gave room to space out and relax. It was nice watching the different scenery. Downsides were the cigarette smoke and heat in the train. The aircon did come on eventually, but I should have double checked to see if there was a non smoking carriage. Rachel
Was very easy booking. Room and beds were clean. Very easy way to travel. Carmel
Extremely uncomfortable beds Hilary
The train was very dirty and broken. The attendants did not replenish the soap dispenser or toilet paper, they did not clean the communal areas. There were footprints on the toilet. There were people smoking in between the carriages - I don’t mind smoking - I don’t like the rules to be broken. There was a man sleeping on the floor by the sink. The cabin is poorly designed to get to the top bunk. People were putting their feet on my bed to get up and down. The attendants did not clearly display the prices of the food they were vending, it could be made very simple with a sign. Georgia
Confort minimal pour le prix Remi
It was so good, over my expectation. The bed was comfortable, but it was hard for me to sleep.. it was clean, even the toilet. Good service and It was complementary snacks, some drinks and some fruit, , much impressive. Carina
Fun train! Great way to see the countryside. Fairly comfortable and clean, it was an enjoyable trip! Just pretty cold with the A/C blasting all night :) But everything worked like clockwork; the train was on time, the tickets worked, the carriage was nicely made up, etc. Highly recommended!!! Misti
Il est impossible de ce restaurer a bord au wagon dédié c'est au bon vouloir du personnel. Vraiment un service lamentable jai étai pris au piège durant a9h dans me restaurer. Lorsque que l'on faisait un arrêt en gare le temps était insuffisant pour allée chercher un plat. Không thể khôi phục lại nó trên toa xe chuyên dụng; việc này tùy thuộc vào quyết định của nhân viên. Dịch vụ thật sự tồi tệ, tôi đã phải ăn uống suốt 9 tiếng đồng hồ. Khi chúng tôi dừng lại ở nhà ga, không có đủ thời gian để ăn một món ăn. Brahim
The staff at the station were good, however the female staff on the train were very rude. There were à group of local men shouting and singing and arguing from the moment we got on the train until 3am in the morning, no train staff told them to be quiet. It clearly states on the ticket to respect other travellers and be quiet. Joanna
Excellent train. Clean and complimentary refreshments provided. Michael
bathrooms dirty and smelly Erik
Travelled in a 4-berth sleeping compartment. It was not the most comfortable that I have experienced but I did manage to get some sleep despite the strange noises being made by the man opposite. Francis
It was a fantastic experience. Clean and very comfortable. David
Superbe cabine Veronique
A great way to travel! With the cost we paid for, we are very happy with everything that went on the train! On thing i wish that there are more private cabin for 2 people. But Everything waa great! Thi
Very helpful staff Nigel
Waiting area and station team were excellent. Train team not quite as good, forgot to bring towels to room when using foot baths. Didn’t collect foot baths. Had booked for soft sleeper, but didn’t get. Very incinerable bed Susan
Clean, comfortable and super cosy cabin. We really loved the experience! Great staff. Great amenities. Really comfortable beds! Thank you! Joanne
Our room/coach was quite dirty, the door didn’t lock and the smell of cigarettes was bad. Desiree
The train was a little cold for sleeping, we did not realise the vents were open Mercedes
Private cabin. Plenty of space for luggage. Drinks and snacks provided. Comfortable journey Jane
No that ai expected the journey to be easy but considering this was a "VIP" service it wasnt terrific. The primary gripe was that the air conditioning wasn't on in the cabins and some of the staff and one Chinese customer were smoking at the end of the carriages. The rooms were getting hotter the further south we went. It turned out the entire carriage had the problem. Fortunately once it was brought to the attention of the staff member on the carriage she turned it on which was a relief. Still, it shouldnt have required our intervention. It was an experience, but not one I'd repeat, and it's hard to know if the VIP premium was worth it. Alexander
The carriages were clean, the guard and food service was excellent but the beds were very firm. If you can afford the extra of the VIP 2 berth it is well worth the extra cost - if available. Janet
We paid more for two train tickets for a two-person sleeper cabin than we paid for three nights during New Year’s period in a 4-star hotel in Hoi An… and what we got in return was filthy, disgusting blankets, a bed covered with little stains, a dirty cabin, and USB sockets that didn’t even work. A truly terrible experience. I honestly wonder how they have the nerve to charge such prices for services of such poor and unacceptable quality. Luca
Lovely sleeper carriage, friendly staff, good value Alexis
it was nice trip. I was not happy about that toilet has not cleaned for 18hours. only the beginning was clean. ordered food came over 40 minutes later.that was too long. hope the service will get better. thank you so much. Kengo
Prompt service.Train tickets all good. Will use again Petra
Overall the train was fine, our one issue that dropped our rating low was people smoking on the train and it filtering through the vents making it very difficult for those of us not used to smoke. Wendy
There was no additional service whatsoever aside from few free beverages and snacks laid out on the table. A total rip off! Nothing compared to some other private Vietnamese railway company who offers stewards, bedding service, cleaner carriage etc. Min
We really enjoyed our travel and the staff were very friendly. They ensured that we got to the right cabin and helped us get off at the right stop Mark
Tren con cucarachas. Camas extremadamente duras. Aire acondicionado muy fuerte. Solicité una cama baja y me dieron una alta. Las fotografías del tren no se parecen en nada a la realidad. Decepción total Jose
Les couchettes sont agréables et les lits plutôt confortables et propres. Les boissons et les grignotage sont appréciés Leonie
Disgusting. Locked us in the train for 43 hours due to the weather. No solutions given, no free food or water. Jane
The berth ( for 4paxs) that I booked for Saigon to Danang and Danang to Hanoi are bad. It'nothing like the photos shown on the website. Not even the voilet colour scheme. Misleading! The toilets on board are filthy. The one located in our coach is just little better compared to others. Bedding were smelly! Booking with Baolau is easy. Cindy
Really nice train ride experience Oto
the booking process was easy and the team were really helpful. Philippa
Les draps étaient sales et sentaient mauvais et la couette etait vraiment sales en dessous des draps et le train etait vetuste et je trouve que pour le prix ça reste un peu juste en terme de qualité. Même si le confort du lit etait au rdv. Ines
On time, comfy beds, would enjoy packets of coffee and tea and water dispensers for hot water. Drissana
The journey was a great experience but the cabin and berths were not cleaned by Violette Trains team, mattress wasn't very comfortable. Asad
We had Safe and comfortable travel. Daniela
Read many varied reviews so wasn’t sure what to expect. What we got was a cabin for 2, fabulously comfy beds because the unused upper bunk mattresses were on our beds. The bedding and cabin were clean…no cockroaches! Food was cheap and tasty, water and cola supplied. The breakfast tray was fine, if there was a coffee service we might have missed it. Train absolutely on time. We loved it. Definitely recommend booking a cabin for 2 (you have to pay for all 4) unless you’re happy to share. Anna
Train was on time & staff were helpful Jacqueline
We had a fun time on the train. Slept surprisingly well considering it feels as if the train is running on one square wheel. Cabin was warm and plenty of bedding. Very authentic Ryan
Beds were comfortable and clean, easy booking process. Rooms smelled damp and could do with better ventilation Emily
Las cabinas son las mismas que las de la compañía Vietnam railway. La única diferencia era un cojín y el cobertor con el nombre de Violet. No se veía limpio, el aire acondicionado no se podía regular. Los puertos USB no funcionaban. El wc estaba lleno de agua y salpicaba con el vaivén del tren. Las mochilas no cabían debajo de las camas inferiores. No vale la pena reservar con Violet train Manuela
El viaje fue bueno. Falta higiene Nora
The toilet is terrible. One delay of plus then 4 hours whitout a previus comunication Joao
The provided service was as expected. Lutgarde