China to Vietnam Train Travel

If you are searching for a true adventure in Asia, a border-crossing train journey definitely fits the bill — like China to Vietnam. The real romance of the journey begins when your view changes from modern cityscapes to rolling rice paddies.

Here is information about the two most popular routes from China to Vietnam, from Beijing or Hong Kong (Guangzhou), both of which require a change of train in Nanning. First we cover the key Nanning–Hanoi leg common to both journeys, then the Beijing or Hong Kong to Nanning options.

* Tickets from Nanning/Beijing to Hanoi and return way can be purchased via China Highlights. Ticket delievery service is also available. Start Now

Nanning to Hanoi

A border-crossing trip from Nanning to Hanoi can be daunting, especially at night, and the choice of transportation matters. Instead of the long distance coaches that are cramped and smell unpleasant, traveling on an overnight train where the legs can be stretched, and beds are more comfortable, is more enjoyable.

Every day, train T8701 departs from Nanning at 18:45. There are two stops: border inspection and change to train MR2 at Pingxiang (凭祥), and the border inspection at Dong Dang. Train MR2 arrives in Hanoi the following morning at 03:45.

The T8701 Journey (local times)

Train schedules in China are always in Beijing time. When you are in Vietnam, make sure you wind your watch back an hour.

Buying Train Tickets at Nanning Station

Regardless of some cyber rumors that there are travel agencies or ticket offices in Nanning, Liuzhou, and Guilin who can help you purchase the tickets, the only way is to purchase them in person at Nanning Railway Station (南宁火车站28 Zhonghua Road, Xixiangtang District). Counter 1 is usually the place to go, but confirm at the Information Desk (问讯处). You will need your passport for the ticket purchase.

Considering the time it takes to buy train tickets to Hanoi in Nanning, it is wise to do things nice and slowly. Getting train tickets to Hanoi might take some time, so it is better to leave at least a couple of hours with all factors considered.

The price of the hard sleeper on T8701 starts from USD30 (RMB181); the soft sleeper starts from USD43 (RMB260).

At Nanning Railway Station, despite the “English Service” label, be prepared for the language barrier and print down what you might need to know in Chinese. For example:

Contact our travel advisor for any help with the language.

The Vietnam Border Crossing

You might feel very sleepy when you are pulled up from the berth and told to get off the train for the customs check, so this should help you be prepared. It will be late, it will be dark, and it will seem as though you are in the middle of nowhere.

The ticket offices at both Nanning and Hanoi will not ask to see a visa in order to purchase the tickets. Denial of entry at customs or the border due to an invalid visa or passport is entirely the traveler’s responsibility, and the train station will not take any responsibility or grant any request for a ticket refund in such a case.

Are you going to Vietnam based on an impulse? Then don’t worry, we offer an easy and fast China visa application service, and delivery is also available at a very reasonable price. Contact us to get more help. This should be done at least one week prior to heading for Vietnam.

At Pingxiang (Chinese border train change), every passenger has to leave the train with all their belongings and wait to get on the new MR2 train. The new train has smaller carriages, which are typical in Vietnam, and passengers are likely to be allocated carriages by the conductors.

Train T8701 will stop at Pingxiang Station at 22:11, giving passengers 30 minutes to unload, get through customs and the passport and visa check, and get on the new train. At 22:41, the Vietnamese train MR2, which is bound for Dong Dang, will leave Pingxiang Station.

You will arrive in Dong Dang, a small colonial-style station, after about 40 minutes. Change your watch to Vietnamese time (GMT+7). Then the second passport check is at the Vietnamese side, taking 1 hour 38 minutes. You won’t have to unload your belongings at Dong Dang Station, but please make sure your valuable items are kept safely with you.

There will be vendors selling SIM cards, water, and snacks at Dong Dang Station; they will likely accept US dollars in small bills or even Chinese yuan. You can even find money exchange agents at Dong Dang, with occasionally desirable rates.

Buying Return Tickets in Vietnam

Travelers can either buy tickets for Nanning in person at Hanoi Railway Station (20 Lê Duẩn Street, Cua Nam Ward, Hoan Kiem District) or book online using a Vietnamese travel agencies’ website. Travelers cannot purchase tickets at Nanning Railway Station. We recommend buying tickets at least one day ahead of departure. The train departs from Gia Lam Railway Station, not Hanoi Railway Station.

For a return trip on the train from Hanoi to Nanning, a soft sleeper is roughly USD36 (VND750,000).

Be aware that the Hanoi–Nanning train arrives at Nanning Railway Station, yet some Nanning (to Beijing or Guangzhou) trains depart from Nanning East Railway Station, at least one hour away by bus.

* Tickets from Nanning/Beijing to Hanoi and return way can be purchased via China Highlights. Ticket delievery service is also available. Start Now

Nanning Route 1: From Beijing

There are five trains from Beijing to Nanning daily. G421 and G529 are the 8-hour high-speed trains, and Z5, Z285, and T289/T288 are overnight trains. The following table shows details. Check here to search for available seats and price details.

Taking a high-speed train is definitely a trendy way to travel and a worthwhile experience in itself. CHR trains G421 and G529 can take you across the country at a full gallop, easily completing the 2,565 km (1,594 miles) within just half a day. The price is only half of the airfare, making it extremely budget-friendly. Nevertheless, some still consider an overnight train ride to be the real deal for serious train travel. The Z5, the most comfortable ride, offers hard and soft sleeper berths with modern and clean in-car facilities.

Example High-Speed Train Journey (G421)

Example Overnight Train Journey (Z5, the most popular night train)

Buying Train Tickets

You can buy these in person at the train station with your passport, no matter which city you are in. Otherwise, use our easy and smart booking system to get it done within three minutes. If you prefer booking tickets as you go, you might want to try our app: / China Train Booking.

The cost, depending on what kind of train and seat you choose, varies from USD48 (for a hard seat on a night train) to USD476 (for a business class seat on a G-train).

Booking the return trip to Beijing prior to your arrival in Nanning can actually save some time and trouble since this is a busy route.

Prices of Nanning to Beijing trains differ per train and seat type. The most popular and considerably the most comfortable choice is a USD132 (RMB806) soft sleeper.

Nanning Route 2: From Hong Kong (or Guangzhou)

Hong Kong to Guangzhou

Travelers arriving at Hong Kong airport may take a train, bus, or flight to Guangzhou, but the ‘Through Train’ is the most convenient.

Twelve trains run on the Kowloon–Canton Railway, also known as the ‘Hong Kong to Guangzhou Through Train’ (Z812, Z824, Z820, Z804, Z808, Z814, Z826, Z818, Z810, Z828, Z816, Z802). They all take about 2 hours, departing from 07:25 to 19:24 at night.

Example ‘Through Train’ Journey (Z812)

See more on the Guangzhou – Hong Kong Through Train

Tickets for the Kowloon–Canton Railway (广九线), or the ‘Through Train’, are sold at Hung Hom Station. You can buy them at the station counter, or from some agent offices situated outside the station. Booking ahead is not needed, given the frequency of the services.

Planning ahead, you can book tickets with us, and the paper tickets will be mailed to your hotel (within Mainland China or Hong Kong). Click to start.

Tickets for the Kowloon–Canton Railway that are bought in Hong Kong are not re-schedulable or cancellable in any ticket booths or stations in Mainland China.

Another option is to cross the border at Luohu Port (罗湖口岸) in Shenzhen and take a train up to Guangzhou, which requires a 40-minute bus trip and possibly a long queue. G-trains and D-trains are available from Shenzhen to Guangzhou. If you enter from Luohu Port, be prepared for a transfer to Shenzhen North Railway Station (深圳北站).

The Hong Kong Border Crossing

Hong Kong and Mainland China have an official border, which means you must be prepared for a customs check even if you enter Hong Kong without a visa. The first customs check is at the boarding stage in Hung Hom Station in Hong Kong. The Kowloon–Canton Railway, interestingly, does not stop during the journey for the customs check, even while you are actually crossing the border.

After filling out an entry form at Hong Hum Station before boarding, your passport will be stamped for Hong Kong entry.

Your passport and China visa will be checked again at the immigration point at Guangzhou East Railway Station. The Hong Kong entry form will confirm that you are taking the ‘Through Train’ from Hong Kong. Travelers who hold an invitation from any Chinese organization or company could apply for an On-Arrival Visa at the station. The Shenzhen 144-hour Convenient Visa and Guangzhou 72-hour Visa-free Stay Policy are not eligible for this China–Vietnam border-crossing trip.

Guangzhou to Nanning

With the Guangxi–Guangdong High-Speed Railway in operation, travelers can now shave nine hours off their journey. Nanning would make a nice stopover, no matter whether you go with a high-speed train or an overnight one. Weighing the two options, night trains can not only save a night’s hotel bill, but are also less rushed.

There are 21 bullet trains (20 D-trains and one G-train) running from Guangzhou to Nanning (either Nanning East or Nanning Railway Station). Travelers are advised to book tickets at least one day in advance even though the trains depart every half an hour.

D3632 — the earliest high-speed train — 3 hours 55 minutes

It costs USD29 for a second class seat and USD34 for a first class seat on a D-train; the prices are the same for a G-train, plus it costs USD85 for a business class seat.

Bear in mind Guangzhou has three stations. Make sure you leave enough time to get to the right one.

Guangzhou East to Guangzhou

Bus: Walk to Shengjunqu Station (省军区站) and take bus 30 to Guangzhou Railway Station, which takes about one hour.

Subway: Take Subway Line 1 to Yangji Station (杨箕站) and change to Subway Line 5 to Guangzhou Railway Station, and exit at D1 Exit, which takes approximately 40 minutes.

Guangzhou East to Guangzhou South

Bus: Walk 870 meters to Juntiyuan Station (军体院站) and take bus 303a to Guangzhou South Bus Station (广州南汽车客运站), then walk 300 meters to Guangzhou South Railway Station, which takes about two hours.

Subway: Take Subway Line 1 to Gongyuanqian Station (公园前站) and change to Subway Line 2 to Guangzhou South Railway Station, which takes approximately one hour.

Five K-trains can help you save a night’s accommodation. The easiest route is Guangzhou East Railway Station to Nanning Railway Station by K-train, eliminating the need to change stations in Guangzhou or Nanning.

K1208 — the most popular night train — 13 hours 13 minutes

Choosing a K-train, it costs USD18 for a hard seat, USD34 for a hard sleeper, and USD53 for a soft sleeper.
Enter Guangzhou and Nanning to get full train listings and book.

Getting a ticket from Guangzhou to Nanning is much easier when booking with China Highlights than at the train station, ticket agency, or Chinese website. You cannot book from a station in Hong Kong. However, you can book from anywhere using our app: China Train Booking. You can get it done within two minutes before you have crossed the Hong Kong – China border.

As part of the busiest southbound rail system, trains from Guangzhou to Nanning are often full. Please ensure you book ahead. The cost for the return trip is similar to the outgoing journey.

A Typical Journey Timeline — 2 Days

Getting the Journey Right

Plan well and ensure you have everything you need, including especially enough time to get tickets and change stations. The key is not to rush anything; it is better to go slow rather than to get it wrong.

In Nanning, after you get the Nanning–Hanoi train tickets, the chances are you will have some free time to get some travel supplies, or you could even take a short trip to downtown Nanning.