buying train tickets

vietnam
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buying train tickets
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can anyone help me figure out how to buy a train ticket from hanoi to xian, and from xian to beijing online or in some way that I don't have to be in hanoi or xian to buy the ticket? by the time I get to the place I want to buy a train ticket from there are no tickets left and I really dont want to have to give up my dream of taking the train through china and have to find a plane ticket from hanoi to beijing instead. just in case, does anyone know of a cheap hanoi to beijing plane ticket?

thanks

Mary

Phong Nha-Ke Bang...
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for Da Nang, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
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1. Re: buying train tickets
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Mare,

Have you tried seat 61? It has rail info for anywhere in the world.

Drifter

vietnam
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2. Re: buying train tickets
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asdasdadjk

vietnam
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3. Re: buying train tickets
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thanks for the reply. I have tried that website, but haven't had any luck actually managing to buy a ticket through any of the links (most don't work, others each have some problem with use)

if anyone has actually managed to buy such a ticket, please let me know!

Auckland
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4. Re: buying train tickets
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Hi

Try www.vr.com.vn

we are trying to do something similar!

Semporna, Malaysia
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5. Re: buying train tickets
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Hi hawera,

I used this website to plan for my internal trip in Vietnam 3 months ago, to see the time, the station, etc. They have trains going to Korea, China... which are interesting to me.

I think they don't sell tickets online. I finally had to buy through my hotel in Hanoi. They charged me quite expensive. Next time I will come to the Hanoi Train Station to buy directly.

land

vietnam
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I finally went all the way to Hanoi to buy the ticket, then went back down south to see vietnam, I plan to return to hanoi tomorrow. The ticket was sold at the train station, at only one window, by one lady who doesn't have a computer, just a book of tickets and various other paperwork that she fills out. Now I see why there is no way to buy it except for going there. However, any travel agency in Hanoi can also book the ticket which begs the question of why the travel agency chains cannot simply call their office in Hanoi and have them book the ticket for you to pick up when you get to Hanoi, but theywon't. Although I haven't asked if it is possible, I imagine that the australian guys who run the HI Hostel in Hanoi would be willing to do the booking for you before you get to Hanoi, then you could pick up the ticket from them and actually stay at their hostel which is one of the nicest places i've stayed in all of SE Asia- free breakfast, AC, free internet, travel agency, kitchen which guests can use, and IMMACULATELY clean! Its called BackPacker's Hostel and is on the hotel booking websites.

Semporna, Malaysia
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7. Re: buying train tickets
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Hi marecascada,

You might have gone to another ticket office. Ga Hanoi is quite big. There are maybe 5 people sitting in counters with computers if you go inside and turned left. They can tell which day what train is available.

The counter you mentioned is possibly the Information Desk near the entrance.

Even in the smaller city, Danang, there are many computers with ticket sellers.

My hotel charged me a bit too much, so I actually came to the Ga Hanoi to check the price myself. It's on the Le Duan Street, intersection with Tran Hung Dao Street.

land

vietnam
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8. Re: buying train tickets
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I'm now in Bejing. The train took 2 days and was one of the highlights of my trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the viet nam part was, of course, in a fairly crummy train car, but when we reached the border we changed to a wonderful chinese train! First class soft sleeper! very nice, clean, pretty, but the best part of all was that there were about 10 foreigners going from Hanoi to Beijing (including a couple I sat next to on one of the bus rides from hell in Viet nam). Anyway, we had an absolute blast! We talked a lot, joked a lot, played cards, drank beer, got really silly, and considered playing hide and seek or having a scavenger hunt late the second night on the train! It was really fun. I managed to look out the window for all of only 2 hours of the 36 or so hour trip- I was too busy chatting and having fun! but those two hours we went through some beautiful mountains, very pointy, rocky, unusual looking, very beautiful. I was really sad when we finally arrived in Beijing! And now I'm trying to be a tourist in beijing, but the tourist sites are so mobbed I can't get in! I mean really really mobbed. like afraid i'll be crushed to death mobbed. so I've tried to go to the forbidden city twice and to see Mao, but too crowded!

I have a new problem now. I can't seem to change my Dong into any other currency. does anyone know if an airport will do it? the chinese banks all refuse. or will I be stuck with a large sum of money in useless vietnamese dong?

Semporna, Malaysia
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9. Re: buying train tickets
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I'm sorry that you still have VND unused. Before I went back to Thailand, I took all the dongs to pay for my hotel room and taxi. I now have maybe VND50,000 only.

land

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