On the journey to explore Vietnam, do not miss Hue. This city is an ancient capital of the Nguyen Emperors. Although not as famous and vibrant as other cities of Vietnam, Hue has specific beauty with the antique and meditate features. 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 Vietnam, Hue is about 700 kilometers (430 miles) south of Hanoi and about 1,100 kilometer (680 miles) north of Ho Chi Minh City, is separated with Danang which have a biggest international airport of central Vietnam by Hai Van Pass. It is the reason why most tourists travel to Hue from Danang. Therefore, for anyone who is still confused about which means of transports to choose, this article will give you all the information that you need.

The distance between Danang to Hue is about 100 kilometers. So, the only transports to move is by road and the travel time is just 1,5-3 hours.

I.Travel from Danang to Hue by train: a great experience

Why you should choose a train when you travel?

Every day trains are running  between the North and South of Vietnam, so it is obviously easy to buy a train ticket from Danang to Hue. With a total length of 103 kilometers 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.

Read more: Hanoi to Hue: 5 ways to travel - 2020 Travel Guide

There are about 10 trains every day of Vietnam Railways. One-way train ticket costs about VND 50,000 – VND 150,000 (hard seat, soft seat, SE+NH trains, 1st+2nd class)

• Train station in Danang – Danang Railway Station (791 Haiphong)
• Train station in Hue – Hue Railway Station (NguyenTriPhuong Street)

Youcan buy tickets in advance from the Vietnam Railways bookings site DSVN; Vietnamrailway; VR or you can also book online using the travel agency Baolau which has an efficient website, 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. 

You should consider: Traveling by train still has disadvantages!

Traveling by train brings you a lot of great experiences and gives you the chance 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.

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.

II.Travel from Danang to Hue by Local Coach or Minivan: Cheapest for backpacker

What are the advantages of the local coach?

In all countries, the 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 tickets can vary from VND 100,000-VND 300,000 depending on the coach’s quality and size. You can ask the accommodation reception to help you book transportation or you can search for some reference information as below.

Read more: Weather & Best time to travel to Hue, Vietnam

Some Coach/Minivan providers information:

Why not choose the coach to travel from Danang to Hue?

In spite of all the advantages mentioned above, the coach is not a completely ideal transport to travel from Danang to Hue. The coach mainly serves local people. Consequently, most of the time, neither the salesman or saleswoman nor drivers can speak English. The language barrier will create a lot of difficulties in communicating and understanding. This will lead to big troubles if there’s any delay or you miss your stop.

Furthermore, most local coaches/minivans go from Danang to Hue through  through the tunnel in Southeast Asia - Hai Van Tunnel. You will miss an opportunity to see some incredible sceneries of Central Vietnam, like Hai Van Pass, view of Danang 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

III. Travel from Danang to Hue by Shuttle Bus: Convenient and straightforward

What’s so good about the 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 a 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 Danang 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 of  the better service will definitely higher. You will have to pay about USD7-USD15(~VND150,000 - VND350,000) for a one-way ticket/person. 

Where to catch the shuttle bus from Danang 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 Danang. 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. Similar to the coach, you can also find the bus providers’ contacts on vexere.com or Travelertick and book through the website or call them to book. A more convenient way for customers having accommodation in the center of Da Nang is going straight to the tourist bus agencies.

Some shuttle buses information:

Is there any hesitation for the shuttle bus?

Although compared to the local coach, the journey by shuttle bus is shorter and has much better services. But same to local coach, you will miss a chance to enjoy the stunning view from Haivan 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.

IV. Travel from Hue to Danang by Private car/taxi: Carefree and Painless

Who to take a 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 Danang 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 with 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 Danang to Hue?

Taxi from Danang to Hue

There should be no difficulty getting a taxi to travel from Danang to Hue. You can call 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 an all-in journey to have a better price. The price can vary from USD45-USD65(~VND1,000,000 -VND1,500,000) 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 Danang to check whether they have any taxi heading back to Danang. If you’re lucky, you can go there at half price or even less.

Taxi Brand List:

Private car from Danang 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 Danang Private Car or Viet Nam Budget Car Rental or Hura Car to book and get the updated price. The driver normally can speak English. You don’t have to worry about 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 Danang 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 USD50 - USD75(VND1,000,000 - VND1,700,000 for one way including parking fee, tolls, petrol, driver. If you get a private car you could probably negotiate a cheaper rate for 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.

A private car without 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 USD25-USD65(~VND500,000-VND1,500,000) per day and can be higher on the weekend and holidays. There are a lot of choices for you which are available at otochothuetulai.vn Honestly, to be easy to rent a private car without driver in any country, you’d better have your friends or other travelers who will give the best guarantee for car owners

Why not choose a private car/taxi to travel from DaNang to Hue?

Taxi and private car share the same disadvantage with the coach and bus which is the long trip. Other than that, there are also some hidden risks. The taxi drivers may take a longer route to charge you more for example. Some other more serious ones lie at the private car without a driver. You will need to check the car and all the terms in the contract carefully because some unclear trapping terms can cost you a great amount of money. You might be charged more for damaging the car, not knowing the traffic rules. The worst scenario is you getting lost and messing up your journey. However, if you have the experience, enough budget and a detailed plan for it, driving by your own also promises so much fun.

V. Travel from Danang to Hue: Adventurous journey What are the advantages of the motorbike?

Although motorbike is not convenient for the long journey, yet to the eager travelers who want 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 Danang 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 gasoline is fairly cheap that you don’t mind going the round way to see more and learn more. Especially when you get to Halong Bay, the feeling of achieving something will definitely satisfy you. 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.

Motorbike Trip from Da Nang to Hue

How to rent a motorbike?

It’s not hard to find a bike renting store. A lot of them are available in the Central of Danang City. Most of the owners can speak English fluently, so you can communicate with them easily. Once you go to the shop, you can ask to try the bike that you like. They will also give you some suggestions of which one is suitable with your driving experience and aim.

There are many kinds of bike available which are Honda Win, Honda Wave, Airblade and even more powerful motorbike. After having chosen the one will accompany you, the last step of the process is giving the owner the photocopy of your passport, the deposit, and the renting fee. Some owners may ask you for the original passport. However, it’s recommended to try to make a deal with them. The renting fee is VND80,00-VND300,000/day respectively and no need to deposit if you rent in an accomodation you stay

Some motorbike rental shop: 

The only route for going by motorbike to Hue from Danang 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, Danang, 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 (see the blue line on map). Although this route is slightly longer than taking Highway 1 (see the brown line on map), it’s far more scenic, more rewarding, and quieter (not to mention safer)

What are the disadvantages of the motorbike?

There are actually many disadvantages todriving a motorbike. With the distance of 180 kilometers, 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 under the rain, followed by the chance of an accident. Therefore, using a motorbike to travel from Danang 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.

Brief summary of all vehicles