How To Get From Ninh Binh To Phong Nha Vietnam? | Expatolife

Phong Nha is an excellent place to visit after your trip to Ninh Binh, Vietnam. The area is famous for caves and stunning natural scenery, offering a great time exploring and relaxing.

How to travel from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha Vietnam?

This article is a detailed transportation guide to Phong Nha by bus and train, including ticket prices, timetable, and online booking tips.

Ninh Binh to Phong Nha overview

The distance between Ninh Binh and Phong Nha is approximately 394 km. There are two most common options to travel between two locations: bus or train.

Ninh Binh to Phong Nha bus

• Duration: 7 hours
• Cost: $14

Taking a bus from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha is the most convenient way as the bus will take you directly to Phong Nha town.

Queen Cafe and Hey Travel offer night sleeper buses to Phong Nha, and the ticket price starts at $14.

The buses depart at 6:45 pm from Ninh Binh and arrive at 3:25 am in Phong Nha.

Most accommodation in Phong Nha will allow you to take a shower and rest in the common area. Some places offer early check-in at an affordable price, so you can ask them before visiting.

Ninh Binh to Phong Nha train

• Duration: 8 hours (train) + 1 hour (bus/taxi)
• Cost: starts at $15

If you’re not a big fan of night buses, you can travel to Phong Nha by train. Since there’s no train station in Phong Nha, you need to travel from Ninh Binh to Dong Hoi.

The distance between the two train stations is 407 km. Vietnam Railways offers five trains from Ninh Binh to Dong Hoi: SE7, SE5, Se9, SE3, and SE19.

You can choose different fares, ranging depending on your seat selection. The lowest price is $15 (hard-seat). 

After arriving at Dong Hoi train station, you can take a bus or taxi to Phong Nha. The travel time by bus/ taxi is about 1 hour.

Read more: Vietnam train travel guide.

Best things to do in Phong Nha Vietnam

There are several things to do in Phong Nha, such as exploring Paradise cave, Dark cave, and Phong Nha cave. You can also wander the Bontanical garden or relax at the Mooc river.