Last updated July 2023 | Words and photos by Vietnam Coracle | 114 comments
Tom Divers is the founder and creator of Vietnam Coracle. He’s lived, travelled and worked in Vietnam since 2005. Born in London, he travelled from an early age, visiting over 40 countries (he first visited Vietnam in 1999). Now, whenever he has the opportunity to make a trip, he rarely looks beyond Vietnam’s borders and his trusty motorbike, Stavros. Read more about Tom on the About Page, Vietnam Times and ASE Podcast.
In Vietnam, you can put your motorbike on the train and send it from one destination to another. You can send your motorbike to at least 16 different train stations along the coast between Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and Hanoi. This is a hugely convenient service for riders. I put my motorbike on the train regularly and have done so for over a decade. The service is quite efficient and reliable, and it has gotten better over the years. Sending your motorbike by train is relatively hassle-free, but requires some patience and understanding of how the process works. Overall, sending a motorbike by train in Vietnam is a massive boon for riders, but there are a couple of considerations and drawbacks to be aware of before you decide to use this service.
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SENDING A MOTORBIKE BY TRAIN
Advantages, Drawbacks & Step-by-Step Guide
Below, I’ve written about the advantages and drawbacks of sending a motorbike by train, followed by an illustrated step-by-step guide. I’ve also included a map with all the train stations you can send a motorbike to/from in Vietnam. It’s useful to know exactly how the service works, because this will ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible and that your expectations are suitably managed. Most importantly, riders should be aware that, apart from a few unique spur line routes (see Related Guides), your motorbike does not travel on the same train as you (the passenger), and it usually takes between 2-4 days to arrive at its destination.
CONTENTS:
MAP:
Train Stations to Send Motorbikes to/from in Vietnam
ADVANTAGES & CONVENIENCES:
For travellers and residents alike, sending a motorbike by train is very convenient. For example, most people fly into and out of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) or Hanoi, but their road trips will be largely focused on rural areas, far from the busy streets, pollution and concrete monoliths of the nation’s two biggest cities. Travellers can rent their motorbike in Saigon or Hanoi and then send it on the train to another destination that’s much closer to the region they will be riding in, thus avoiding the long, slow crawl on clogged roads and busy highways to get out of the major cities and industrial suburbs. Indeed, many motorbike rental companies offer this service for an extra fee. Two classic examples of this are: renting a motorbike in Saigon and sending it to Nha Trang; or renting a motorbike in Hanoi and sending it to Dong Hoi (near Phong Nha).
Likewise, when you come to the end of your road trip, instead of riding all the way back to Saigon or Hanoi and thus ending the journey on a low note negotiating awful traffic on polluted highways, simply ride to the nearest station and send the motorbike back to its final destination by train.
Riders can also send their motorbikes on the train to skip large sections of a route. For example, perhaps you are riding the length of Vietnam on a south-to-north route, but you want to skip the central section between Quy Nhon and Hue for some reason: simply put your motorbike on the train at Quy Nhon (Dieu Tri station) and send it to Hue station where you can pick it up a couple of days later and continue on your route.
Remember, you can send your motorbike to/from almost every major station along the coast on the main south-north rail line between Saigon and Hanoi: that’s at least 16 different destinations to choose from (see my stations map).
DRAWBACKS & DIFFICULTIES:
There are a few drawbacks and/or difficulties to be aware of when sending a motorbike by train, but these shouldn’t be a problem as long as you make allowances for them and organize your road trip accordingly. Read the following bullet points before deciding to send your motorbike on the train:
- Your motorbike does not travel on the same train as you (the passenger); it goes on a separate train in a freight carriage. (There are a few notable exceptions to this rule on spur lines branching off the main south-north rail route: see Related Guides for details.)
- On average, your motorbike will take between 2-4 days to arrive at its destination station. The length of time depends on how far you are sending the motorbike and whether it’s a busy time of week/month/year for freight on the railways, such as public holidays or periods of bad weather. To give two general examples: if I put my motorbike on the train in Saigon on Monday morning, I am confident that I can pick it up in Nha Trang by Wednesday; if I put my motorbike on the train from Saigon on Monday morning, I am confident I can pick it up in Hanoi by Thursday.
- Not much English is spoken by staff at stations, especially at the more remote ones. However, some signage is in English, and because this is Vietnam, people will go out of their way to help travellers. Patience and smiling goes a long way.
- Your motorbike will be packed in bubble wrap, blankets, boxes and a wooden crate to protect it, but it will still be in a dusty carriage on a bumpy rail track for many long hours, so expect it to get a bit dirty and perhaps even suffer a blemish or a scratch. It’s best not to be too ‘precious’ about the outside appearance of your motorbike.
STEP–BY–STEP GUIDE:
Below is an illustrated step-by-step guide to sending a motorbike by train. Remember that you need to send your motorbike at least 2-4 days before you want to pick it up at the destination station. When you send a motorbike on the train you must bring the following: passport, motorbike ownership green/blue card, cash, and mobile phone number. Do not fill your gas tank before you send a motorbike on the train, because your bike will be drained of gasoline by station staff. After you send your motorbike, don’t lose the receipt. See the steps and images below for more details.
STEP 1: Decide which station you want to send your motorbike from and to. You can send a motorbike from/to almost all major stations between Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and Hanoi. From south to north the stations are: Sài Gòn, Binh Thuận (for Phan Thiết), Tháp Chàm, Nha Trang, Tuy Hòa, Diêu Trì (for Quy Nhơn), Quảng Ngãi, Tam Kỳ, Đà Nẵng, Huế, Đông Hà, Đồng Hới (for Phong Nha), Vinh, Thanh Hóa, Ninh Bình, Hà Nội. (See my stations map.) As an example, the image below is a list of destination stations (the far left column) with the price for sending motorbikes from Saigon station according to their size and weight (the last three columns on the right). Every station has a chart similar to this:
STEP 2: Ride your motorbike to the train station and look for (or ask for) Phòng Vận Chuyển Hành Lý, Hàng Hóa (Luggage & Cargo Shipping Office). The key word to look for is vận chuyển (shipping). Every station has a vận chuyển office. It is usually to one side of the main station ticket office. Look for signage in Vietnamese. If you can’t see it, find a staff member and ask for vận chuyển xe máy (motorbike shipping). In most stations, this should be quite easy and only take 5 minutes to locate; but in Saigon and Hanoi, which are much bigger, busier stations, you may find it difficult as there are several vận chuyển offices. Don’t be afraid to ask: Vietnamese people want to help. Note that most vận chuyển offices are open from 7am-11.30am and 1.30pm-6pm. You will not be able to send or collect your motorbike outside of these hours.
STEP 3: Once you have located the vận chuyển office, tell the staff which station you want to send your motorbike to. Apart from major stations where staff are used to dealing with foreign visitors, such as Saigon, Hanoi, Da Nang and Hue, not much English is spoken. But this shouldn’t be a problem for most travellers. Use a mixture of pointing, sign language and writing to make sure you communicate your destination station. There will be a board with all the stations and prices for sending motorbikes on it, so you can point at that if you need to. Occasionally, staff might be a little brusque. If this happens, try your best to be patient, understanding and polite.
STEP 4: Hand the staff your passport and motorbike ownership green/blue card and they will start to write you a receipt. Check the information on the receipt (name, destination station, number plate, passport number, price, etc.), add your phone number and then sign it. Do not lose this receipt: you will need it when you collect your motorbike at the destination station. Ask the staff for an estimate of how long the motorbike will take to arrive at its destination. Pay the total amount (cash is easiest) and remember to take back your passport, green/blue card and receipt.
The price is determined by the size and weight of your motorbike. Prices are fixed and clearly displayed on a board. In general, a standard motorbike costs roughly the same price as a regular passenger ticket on the same train route. As an example, sending a motorbike from Saigon to Hanoi costs around $50; or from Saigon to Da Nang costs around $35.
Note: You might be asked to write your address in Vietnam on the receipt. If so, just write the name and address of a hotel at your destination – that should be fine.
STEP 5: While you are completing the transaction, your motorbike will likely be undergoing some changes needed for travelling as freight on the train. Both wing mirrors are unscrewed and stored in the trunk under your seat; all the gas is siphoned from your tank (make sure you don’t fill-up just before going to the train station); and your motorbike is checked for any markings, flaws, or breakages so that the freight company is not held responsible for these on the other end. (Remember not leave anything valuable in your motorbike trunk and don’t accidentally leave your keys in the ignition.) Then, your motorbike goes through the ‘mummification’ process. Vietnam’s railroads are surprisingly bumpy so, to reduce the chances of damages occurring during the journey, your motorbike is covered in protective layers: cloth, blankets, bubble wrap, foam, cardboard and an exoskeleton made of wooden planks. Safe and secure, your motorbike disappears behind the scenes with all the other freight, awaiting the locomotive that will transport it up or down country to its destination.
STEP 6: Now everything is finished at the departure station: you’ve paid, you have your receipt and an estimate of the arrival date, and your motorbike is on its way to its destination. All that’s left for you to do is to get to the destination yourself: by road, rail or air.
When your motorbike arrives at the destination station, you will receive a text message or phone call from the freight company. (If you don’t hear from them, assume there’s been a miscommunication and head down to the station anyway). At the destination station, find or ask for the Phòng Vận Chuyển Hành Lý, Hàng Hóa (Luggage & Cargo Shipping Office), just like you did in Step 2 at the departure station. Show the staff your receipt. They will check your information with their books, find your motorbike, unwrap it, put the mirrors back on and hand it over to you. (In some cases, there may be a small ‘handling fee’ – usually between 10,000-50,000vnd.)
When you receive your motorbike, give it a quick check: brakes, tyres, frame, trunk, mirrors, etc. Now, you’re good to go! Except…..no, you’re not. Because you don’t have any gas in your tank. Ask the staff for the nearest trạm xăng (gas station). You’ll probably have to walk your motorbike there, although some bikes seem to be able to run on fumes for the minute it takes to get as far as the nearest gas pumps. Once you have a full tank of gasoline, hit the road for the great Vietnam road trip that lies ahead of you.
*Disclosure: I never receive payment for anything I write: my content is always free and independent. I’ve written this guide because I want to: I regularly send my motorbike on the train and I want my readers to know about it. For more details, see my Disclosure & Disclaimer statements and my About Page
Hello, Tom. Thank you for useful information. I am in HCMN at the moment and can’t really decide how to proceed to Hanoi. Been reading all your articles. Can I take a bike with me on the same train to Tat Champ? To cut some way to Dalat? Or shall I take it to Phan Tiet and drive from there towards Dalat?
Hi Lilia,
For taking your bike on the train to Thap Cham please read the information on the page above.
For taking your bike on the train to Phan Thiet, please see this guide, and note that the train to Phan Thiet currently leaves at 6.45am daily.
Best,
Tom
Hey Tom,
Just asking if this information is still up to date in 2025? I read something about tigit no longer using trains for transport but I think this is just because the bikes are not on the same train as you are on. This wouldn’t be a problem for us sending the bikes from Da Nang to Hanoi a few days before we are flying there ourselves.
Thanks so much for all your information you’ve made this Viet trip so easy for us 🙏
Cheers
Troy
Hi Troy,
Yes, the process for sending a motorbike by train is still the same as the details laid out in this guide. I do it regularly.
I hope you have a good trip.
Best,
Tom
Does your passport and motorbike title names have to agree. Mine is registered in my wife’s name but she will not be with me to put my motorbike on the train.
Hi Tim,
It should be fine – for many years my bike was in someone else’s name but I never had a problem when sending my bike on the train.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom. Any idea of the cost for bigger than 175cc bikes.? It seems to stop on that latest category on the table.
Great blog and work btw,you’ve been very helpful in most of my trips.
Hi Cedric,
I don’t know exactly what the charge would be for a bigger bike, but certainly it would be more. If you can get down to the station, it should be quite easy to find out what the price is.
Best,
Tom
I recently loaded the bike on the same sleeper train that I was on. Just made sure it was like that the day before. The downside is that you have to buy the remaining sleeper ticket unless you go a few days early to the station or are lucky.
Hi Albert,
Thanks. Yes, it’s usually much better to send the bike in advance to be safe.
Best,
Tom
I’m going to use my teaching break over TET to ship my bike from Saigon and spend a couple of weeks wondering around the Ha Giang loop etc. A now or never thing. From your article it appears I should just turn up about 4 day before I want the bike in Hanoi and they’ll take it. It will be busier around TET. Is there a likelihood that I might be told there’s no room? Is this something I can book?
Hi David,
Yes, it is highly likely that freight will be slower and/or busier during or around the Tet holiday, so I would advise sending your bike at least a week in advance just to be sure.
I’m not certain if it’s possible to book a spot in advance – you could go to the station and try to ask about that.
Best,
Tom
Hi, in case someone tries to transport a bike from Sapa/Lao Cai back to Hanoi: we tried to do this with our motorbike – but we were not successful.
The ‘van chuyen’ cargo company at Lao Cai train station does not exist anymore and the office is knocked down. Instead, we were approached by people on the street, explaining there is now only one way to transport a motorbike to Hanoi anymore: pay 1.4m-1.8m VND, which includes two sleeper train tickets and the ‘motorbike handling costs’. Apparently, there’s only one space per train (SP2 and SP4 night trains to Hanoi). We asked twice at official counters, one denied the existency of a transportation service, the other pointed outside for us to talk to the people on the street. It seemed a bit sketchy (and expensive) to us so we decided to go with an official long distance bus – they also transport motorbikes and only charged 60% for sleeper tickets incl bike handling compared to the train. The bus station is just next to the train station. All went well with the bus and it took even 3h less than with train – but of course a bit less charming 🙂
Hi Marc,
Sorry to hear about that and thank you for sharing your experience on this route. I’m glad it worked out OK for you in the end
The Hanoi-Lao Cai route is a spur line, so it is different from transporting bikes on the main line. However, it definitely used to be possible, because I wrote a guide specifically about the Hanoi-Lao Cai route. It could be that you can only transport your bikes on that train if you are also travelling on the train yourself. I will see if I can find out more information.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom, I hadn’t seen that post 🙂
But we actually did want to travel with the bike. But the officials said it is not possible anymore. As the van chuyen office looked like it had been closed for quite a couple of months, the only way we saw – with the train – was the aforementioned. Apparently these guys have an agreement with the train staff, as we’ve been told that we’d be charged on the train after loading the bike onto it.
Hope this clarifies a bit more – but I’m sure if would help others if you’d find out more on your means.
Warm regards
Hello,
Do you think it is possible to put our motorcycles on a train even though we bought them at HCMC and plan to resell them in Hanoi?
We do have blue cards but they are not in our names. We have just had the joke to take the ferry to the Con Dao islands, they do not want to take them to us because the blue cards are not in our names and we do not have a sales contract.
So, we are afraid that it will be the same story for the freight train.
Do you think this will be a problem? Not being able to send them higher into the center would significantly change our plans.
Thank you very much for your answer.
Hi Elise,
I’m sorry to hear about the problem with the ferry to Con Dao Islands – that is quite strange.
In all probability you should be able to transport your bikes on the train even though the blue card is not in your – my bike is not in my name and I have never had a problem with it!
But to be safe, take your bikes to the station at least a couple of days before you HAVE to, then you will give yourself enough time to make other arrangements if it doesn’t go according to plan.
Best,
Tom
Hello,
Thank you for your complete and quick response!
We also think it’s a bit of overzealousness regarding the ferry to Con Dao! They told us to come tomorrow at 7 a.m. and negotiate directly with the boat guard to be able to take the motorcycle on board… we even said to ourselves that a small ticket could get the thing done… we’ll see!
They talk to us about border control etc., we don’t really understand!
For Phu Quoc we didn’t have this kind of problem at all! Anyway…fingers crossed for tomorrow!
And for the train, great, your answer reassures us! In fact, we’re not in a big hurry so we’ll go drop off our motorbikes at Phan Thiet station and if things really don’t go well, we’ll review our plans but the fact that you don’t have a blue card in your name and that you have never had any problems, that reassures us a lot!
THANKS
Elise
Hi Elise,
It is true that the Con Dao Islands are consider a border region, so things are often more complicated there. Hopefully it will work out tomorrow. Remember to smile, be polite and patient. And remember that the only boat route you can take motorbikes on is the Soc Trang-Con Dao route, not the others.
Regarding sending your motorbike on the train from Phan Thiet: unless you are sending it to/from Ho Chi Minh City, you can’t do it at Phan Thiet station: you need to go to Binh Thuan station instead, because that is on the main line – it’s quite close to Phan Thiet station.
Best,
Tom
Can we send bikes from Ninh Binh train station to Da Nang?
Ninh Binh is not listed as a “Major Train Station” on your Google Map so I’m not sure.
Also I couldn’t find any Door to Door offices in Ninh Binh, so if it is possible I guess we have to use another company? For that, do we just turn up at the train station office and ask around?
Hi Ben,
Yes, you should be able to send your bike on the train from Ninh Binh to Da Nang. Just remember that it usually takes 2-4 days for the bike to arrive at the destination.
At Ninh Binh station look for, or ask for, the Phòng Vận Chuyển Xe Máy or Phòng Hành Lý. This is where you can arrange to send your bike. It should be fine, but be patient because it’s likely that the staff won’t speak much English.
Best,
Tom
Great post Tom,
I plan to send my scooter from HCM City to Ninh Binh in next tour. Your post is really informative.
Thanks and Best regards,
Taurus
Hi Taurus,
Thanks! I hope you enjoy your trip.
Best,
Tom
I need to send my motorbike from Phong Nha/Dong Hoi to Hanoi, but I dont want to wait the 2-5 days? I saw that you can send the bike with bus, but I cant find anythink about it.
Hi Matyas,
Yes, there are usually bus services on most long-distance routes in Vietnam that can transport your bike.
If you are in Phong Nha, I suggest you ask the staff at the popular hostels or The Farmstay for information about this bus, as they will almost certainly be able to help.
Best,
Tom
I was told the same thing in person at the Door to Door office in Hanoi – no change to the 7-10 days receiving time. I ended up boarding my motorbike underneath a sleeper bus (which I don’t recommend doing for a nice motorbike) towards Phong Nha.
Hi Chris,
Well, that’s very strange. Maybe they’re short on staff after the pandemic, or perhaps there are some specific repairs on that route at the moment, or perhaps your bike is larger than most(?)
Yes, I transport my bike by bus fairly regularly too. Personally, I think it’s really convenient, especially for mountain destinations where the trains don’t go. But, yet, if you have an expensive bike or are precious about it getting scratched, then buses can be rough.
Best,
Tom
Hi, I want to get my bike to Hue from Haiphong on Monday. Who do I contact to see if it can happen?
Hi Seamus,
The best and most direct way to get the information you need is to go to the station in Hue.
Best,
Tom
For what it’s worth, I reached out (by email) to the Door to Door office in Hanoi to inquire about sending my bike to nearby Vinh, and they firmly informed me that the receiving time is 7-10 days. I’m guessing this is relatively new but figured it might be useful for anyone still expecting the receiving time to be 2-5 days.
Hi Chris,
That is very strange, and highly unlikely to be accurate on their part. Vinh is only 300km from Ha Noi. I just sent my motorbike on the train from Saigon to Da Nang and back again last week (which is over 1,000km): in both cases the receiving time was 2-3 days.
It might be that Door to Door (which is a private company) do not generally operate freight on the Ha Noi to Vinh route. But the other freight companies at the station in Ha Noi (RATRACO, I thinik) will almost certainly be able to send your bike between the two cities within a few days, not 7-10 days (unless it’s a public holiday).
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi we are wanting to get the train from Hue to Ninh Binh and I wondered if it is possible to book a motorcycle on to the same train you are travelling? We were looking at taking the 5am train but if we can’t then we will have to return the bike to Da Nang drop off point and get the train up to Ninh Binh overnight. Due to our schedule we wouldn’t be able to send it says before.
Thanks in advance
Hi Joanne,
It’s usually not possible to send your bike on the same train on that particular route – only a few specific routes allow you to take your bike on the same train that you travel on. The train from Hue to Ninh Binh doesn’t usually allow bikes to travel on the same train that you are on.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom
Ok thanks. Will return to Hoi An\Da Nang and return the bike there then get the overnight train up to Ninh Binh. Thank you.
Jo
Hi Tom,
Sorry if double posting. Just wanted to ask if you knew how far in advance you can buy the bike tickets from Saigon station and how early they open up the ticket offices in the morning.
Thanks
Hi Simon,
No, that’s my fault for being slow to reply to your previous comment, sorry. I have just replied to your comment here.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Great advice – much appreciated! I am planning to put my bike on at Saigon where I live, collect at Danang, then follow your coastal routes back. This seems like a safer bet weather-wise than the mountains via Buon Ma Thuot and Dalat at this time of year.
Do you know if they accept bikes with the bike box fixed, and pack this up as part of the deal? I don’t want to show up at the station with the bike box, then have to carry it away and take it on the plane to Danang. I see in your photo above that you didn’t have your bike box attached to the trusty Nouvo…
Thanks,
Andy
Hi Andy,
You can send your box too, but most likely they will detach the box from the bike and send it in a separate package to avoid damage. I’ve done it before and it worked fine – you’ll have to pay more for the box, of course.
Tom
Thanks, reassuring to know. I’m looking forward to the trip 🙂
Hi
First off all, i’m mind blowned by your site! Lots of usefull information instead of just the great sights/experiences.
Second, we’ll be doing Vietnam by bike, but wanted to go from Phong Nha to Ninh Binh by transports (its 700km and time is of the essence, so want to skip that part and save 3/4 days riding the bike).
From what i’ve read in the comments you don’t know for sure if any bus transports the motorbikes. From what i’ve seen of your map, we can ship the bike in Dong Hoi, and theres is a train station in Ninh Binh, but is it possible to send the bike to Ninh Binh?? Or the only option is to send it to Hanoi/Haiphong?
Thank you again for the wonderfull work you’ve done, sure made my trip planning a lot easier!
Hi Joao,
I was in Phong Nha recently and there were buses taking motorbikes between Phong Nha and Ninh Binh. If you go to these popular hostels in Phong Nha, they have all the times and prices for these buses.
And, yes, you can send your bike by train between Dong Hoi and Ninh Binh, but it may take between 2-4 days to arrive.
I hope this helps,
Tom
“I was in Phong Nha recently and there were buses taking motorbikes between Phong Nha and Ninh Binh. If you go to these popular hostels in Phong Nha, they have all the times and prices for these buses.”
Mate, you’ve just made my day! This was one of the most anticipaded parts of the jorney, but also one that i was unsure of how i would do it. This is a planning saver.
Thanks again for your work and availability for the rest of the light-weight,do-it-your-self, backpaking worldwide community!
Thanks. I am Vietnamese but I find your post is even more detail and useful than Vietnamese posts
Thanks, Quy. I’m glad you find my posts helpful.
Yom