How To Get From Hue To Hoi An (and Vice Versa)

Moving on from the old Imperial capital of Hue, it’s time to hit the next city on your Vietnam bucket list. Once a thriving trade port along the silk route, Hoi An is likely your next stop heading south. The distance from Hue to Hoi An is approximately 125 kilometres. However it can range from a three-hour train ride to four-hour car ride. Partially through flat terrain, then on to narrow cliffside roads overlooking Central Vietnam’s coastline.

The journey to Hue from Hoi An is connected by the famous Hai Van Pass. A remarkable 24-kilometre section of mountain road, on the coast looking out to the East Vietnam Sea. It is one of the most beautiful scenic routes in Vietnam. So have your camera ready.

Struggling to find the best way to get to Hue from Hoi An? Well look no further! Below you’ll find plenty of options to choose from to best suit your travel plans. Hidden gives you the lowdown, from solo travelling on a motorbike to private group tours.

A Quick History of Hue

Located on the banks of the Song Huong “Perfume River” lies the Imperial City of Hue. Hue (pronounced “hway”) is widely known as Vietnam’s “most royal city.” Once the home of the Emperor, it is now the resting place of seven imperial tombs and the Forbidden Purple City, surrounded by thick stone walls. Although many of its buildings were damaged during the war, it’s managed to retain much of its former glory. Today this vast 19th Century citadel encompassing the city, its palaces and shrines are one of the city’s major drawcards.

Getting from Hue to Hoi An

The distance from Hue to Hoi An is approximately 125 kilometres. However it can range from a three-hour train ride to a full day motorbike tour. Partially through flat terrain, then on to narrow cliffside roads overlooking Central Vietnam’s coastline. 

Luckily there are quite a few ways to get to Hue from Hoi An. Depending on your budget and time constraints, you can opt for a bus, train, private car or even motorbike—all of which come with pros and cons.

Bus, private car and motorbike will get you directly into Hoi An, while the train will get you to Da Nang city, just 30 kilometres north of Hoi An. From Da Nang, you are a short ride away (45 to 90 minutes) to Hoi An, either by local bus, express shuttle bus, taxi, or private car. You can read more on how to get to Hoi An from Da Nang in our article here.

Mode	Time	Price (VND)	Price (USD)	Stop
Train & Transfer	21/2 - 4 hours +45 - 90min transfer	40,000 - 90,000 & 20,000 - 500,000 Transfer	1.70 - 3.90	Da Nang
Bus	4 - 5 hours	100,000	4.30	Direct
Shuttle Bus	4 - 5 hours	240,000	10	Direct
Private Car	5 - 6 hours	1,180,000 - 1,680,000	50 - 72	Direct
Motorbike Self Drive	7- 8 hours	300,000 - 1,000,000	13 - 43	Direct
Motorbike Tour	8 hours	1,100,000 - 1,160,000	47 - 50	Direct

Hidden has put together everything you need to know about each mode of transport, along with some tips and common traps you need to avoid, so you can make an informed decision and get the most out of your journey!

When you decide to book your trip from Hue to Hoi An, Hidden recommends using Baolau or 12GoAsia For private cars read our article here for all the details.

Scenic Route Option from Hue to Hoi An:

Train

Anyone can go from point A to point B. But for a long trip why not add some beauty to it? We think that one of the best and most affordable routes is by taking a train with Vietnam Railways. Above all, the train journey is spectacular, complemented with a beautiful view of Vietnam’s coastline. From Hue, the train ride is a comfortable and scenic option to head to Hoi An. On the right side of the train, you’ll see expanses of beautiful countryside, and on the left side, there’s the beautiful coastline and secret beaches.

A train ticket ranges from 40,000 to 90,000 VND (1.70 to 3.90 USD) depending on the seat you choose. You can purchase them at the train station or via a third-party service, 12go.asia. The train ride varies from 2.5 hours to 4 hours depending on the time of day.

Yes, you read Da Nang, but unfortunately, there isn’t a train station in Hoi An yet. However, if you don’t mind adding another 45 to 60 minutes to your trip, this would be a great, safe, scenic route to take. Because getting to Hoi An from Da Nang train station isn’t too difficult. Check out our other article, How to get from Da Nang to Hoi An (& Vice Versa), for options.

Da Nang Train Station: 791 Hai Phong St – Duration: 2.5-4 Hours (depending on departure time)

Hidden Hint: If going by train, then sit on the left side to have a clear view of the coastline.

Da Nang to Hue Train Timetable

Train	Times	Duration	Price - Soft Seat
SE10	10:03-12:58	2h 55m	96,000 VND (4 USD)
SE4	12:49-15:26	2h 37m	93,000 VND (4 USD)
SE2	13:55-16:19	2h 24m	82,000 VND (3.50 USD)
SE20	18:45-21:24	2h 39m	75,000 VND (3.20 USD)

Hue to Da Nang Train Timetable

Train	Times	Duration	Price - Soft Seat
SE1	10:59-13:25	2h 26m	96,000 VND (4 USD)
SE19	09:31-12:20	2h 49m	105,000 VND (4.50 USD)
SE3	08:37-11:05	2h 28m	93,000 VND (4 USD)

Bus from Hue to Hoi An

There are several direct bus options to get to Hoi An. We’d suggest using The Sinh Tourist or Hanh Cafe services, they are notably good buses to use. Costing around 100,000 VND (4.30 USD), The Sinh Tourist bus has two schedules: one departing at 8:30.a.m and arriving around 12:30.p.m;. The second departing at 1:45.p.m and arriving around 5:15.p.m. You can book your ticket and pay online for 99,000 VND (4.30 USD).

Sinh Tourist – Address: 38 Chu Văn An – Business hours: 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., daily – Duration: 4-5 Hours (depending on traffic)

Shuttle Bus from Hue to Hoi An

Hue Shuttle bus offers a service to Hoi An and is a good option if you are a group or want to take a small bus (they limit passengers to a maximum of 10). They pick you up at your hotel in Hue and drop you off at your hotel in Hoi An. However, the price is 240,000 VND (10 USD). Also if the shuttle bus is not full, then they may pick up people on the way. The ride will take around four to five hours. The first departure is at 7.a.m and the second at 2:30.p.m. This would be the best option if you wanted quick and easy travel without the need to go to a pickup location.

Hoi An Express – Duration: 4-5 Hours (depending on traffic) – Address: 11 Nguyen Cong Tru St, Hue 

Private Car from Hoi An to Hue

Why not make a day trip out of your travel from Hoi An to Hue and visit some of the most popular tourist spots along the way?  Including Marble Mountains, My Khe Beach, the Hai Van Pass, and Lang Co Beach. Turn a potentially dull four-hour trip into a six-hour adventure. So get out of the car and stretch your legs, walking up the 156 stone steps at Marble Mountain. After that grab a quick dip in the ocean at My Khe Beach.

With a 5-star rating on TripAdvisor, VM Travel Hoi An has “very cool and nice driver(s)”. They will happily take you, your family, and friends on a day tour, ending at your destination in Hue.

Private car prices range from 1,180,000 VND (50 USD) for a 4-seater car (12.50 USD/person) to 1,680,000 VND (72 USD) for a 16-seater (4.50 USD/person). So, if you have a bigger group, it’s nearly the same cost as a direct bus or train ride from Hue to Hoi An.

The Itinerary

The day’s itinerary starts with pick-up at your hotel at your specified time (we think the earlier, the better to get the most daylight). Firstly heading to Lang Co Beach, then driving through the Hai Van Pass (“Ocean Cloud Pass”). After that it’s on to My Khe Beach, Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village to Marble Mountains. Finally,ending up at your hotel in Hoi An. Upon request with an additional 200,000 VND (8.50 USD) per car, you can also visit Elephant Springs. They consist of small waterfalls and ponds you can swim in.

*Note that entrance fees to Marble Mountains and lunch is not included. Read this article for more information about the popular site.

VM Travel Hoi An – Address: 91 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai – Duration: 5-6 Hours – How to book: Online

Motorbike from Hoi An to Hue

In the land of motorbikes, scooters, and organised-chaos traffic, why not make the ride to Hue by motorbike? The trip is on partially flat terrain on Hwy 1, but do note that this is a truck-filled highway, which can be a bit hair-raising at times. We wouldn’t recommend this route for new drivers.

From there, you head up the narrow, winding, cliff-side road through the Hai Van Pass.  A magnificent ride—full of scenic lookouts. The direct trip from Hue to Hoi An is approximately three hours. But we recommend that you take it slow. Stop a few times at the top along the way and take in the captivating beauty of Central Vietnam.

Renting a Motorbike

If you don’t have a motorbike, there are a few rental companies in Hue that let you rent one-way and then drop off in Hoi An or vice versa. Read our complete guide to going from Hue to Hoi An by motorcycle  and our guide to renting a motorbike in Vietnam.

Hidden Hint: If you have luggage or a backpack, then some companies will transport your belongings to your hotel in Hoi An. It will be ready and waiting upon your arrival in the evening.

Style Motorbikes has offices in Hoi An and Hue with various motorbike rental options ranging from 300,000 VND (13 USD) to 1,000,000 VND (43 USD) per day. If renting for the one way trip Style will transport your luggage to your end destination for free. Hidden Hoi An used Style Motorbikes when researching our Hoi An to Hue Self Riding Guide and were impressed with their service and their bikes. Style Motorbikes website – Hoi An Address: 314 Cua Dai – Hue Address: 45 Nguyen Cong Tru

Hidden Hint: Style Motorbikes will transport bags for non-customers at the cost of 100,000 VND/bag.

Vespa Adventures Tours

Those new to riding or unable to ride a motorbike are not excluded from this adventure. Booking an adventure tour and sit pillion on a motorbike with an experienced local driver. This is the perfect way to get the Hai Van Pass motorbike experience without the risk of driving yourself. You also get a built in tour guide and can focus on the scenic views. Most adventure tours will take your luggage and drop it off at your end destination.

Easy Rider Tours

A day tour by Easy Rider motorbike costs around 1,300,000 VND (55 USD). But it should be noted that ‘Easy Rider’ has become a generic term for independent drivers offering tours on large cc bikes. Picking a good, and safe, driver can be a bit of a lottery. Our pick is Mr. Thong who has been doing this route since 2014 with a 5-circle rating on TripAdvisor.

The trip starts with an 8 a.m. pick up at your hotel. From there you’ll head to Marble Mountains, My Khe Beach, and go through the Hai Van Pass. You’ll also stop for lunch and a lookout here. After that you make your way to Lang Co Village and Elephant Springs, where you can also swim.

Easy Rider – Address: 109 Le Hong Phong St, Hoi An – Duration: 8 Hours – How to book: Online

Jeep Tours of the Hai Van Pass

If two wheels isn’t your style, then consider cruising up the Hai Van Pass on a retro jeep tour. The jeeps can take three or four passengers so it is a great option for groups or families. Most of the jeeps are convertible or open-top, so you still get to enjoy the wind in your hair without having to ride a motorbike.

Hoi An Jeep Adventures offers a Hai Van Pass & Coast tour from Hoi An to Hue. The full day trip costs 3,360,000 VND (145 USD) per person. Tours require a minimum of two people to run however there are often groups for solo travellers to join.

Hidden’s Thoughts

In conclusion, from safety with a view on a train or bus to an adventure on a guided or self-guided motorbike ride, experiencing the beautiful Hai Van Pass is unforgettable. Because the view overlooking Vietnam’s coastlines, secret beaches and rice paddies is just breathtaking.

But if you’re running short on time and are a solo traveller or a couple on a budget, take the bus. Then you won’t have to worry about getting to Da Nang to catch the train. However if your budget can stretch a little more, opt for a shuttle bus. The added convenience of having a hotel pickup and drop off and only 10 passengers can’t be overlooked for double an already low price.