How To Reach Hue

Once the country’s capital, Hue city is one of Vietnam’s most ancient cities. The city is home to some exquisite beaches and undergone massive transformations throughout the course of time due to the war with America, where majority of the important monuments in the city were completely destroyed. Now considered a UNESCO World Heritage City, visitors can still find remnants of the Nguyen dynasty that ruled here hundreds of years ago. The city of Hue is best reached by international visitors via air. The nearest airport, Phu Bai is about 15 km away from the main city. However there are no direct international flights. Hence, visitors will be required to fly out to one of the major nearby cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh and then take another domestic flight to Hue or drive down. The journeys via road and rail are extremely long drawn and can be quite tiresome.

Approximately 15 km south of Hue is the Phu Bai International Airport. However, there are no direct flights from India to get to this airport. Hence, visitors will be required to fly out to either of the neighbouring cities of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City first. There are 3 domestic daily flights from Hue to Hanoi and 4 to Ho Chi Minh. Flight times are about 1 hour each way. Alternatively visitors can take a bus or taxi from either of these two cities to get to Hue. This is still the best and most convenient way for international visitors to get to Hue. 

The journey to Hue by bus is overnight and can be quite tedious owning to the long distances. The bus ride from Hanoi to Hue takes nearly 14 hours, covering a massive 700 km. Visitors are recommended to stop off at one of the cities on the route to Hue like Quang Binh, Hoi An or Nghe An to take a break and make this long journey more bearable. However, this is a relatively cheaper way to reach for those visitors who are willing to bear the brunt of this road trip.  

The journey via rail is also extremely long but relatively more pleasant than driving down. There are approximately 4 daily trains from the major neighbouring cities like Ho Chi Minh City, but the journey takes a draining 20 hours to get to Hue. Visitors will get to observe the beautiful Vietnamese countryside and are recommended to select the air-conditioned sleeper cabins to make their journey as comfortable as possible. Additionally, it is a good idea to buy train tickets in advance to avoid the issue of overpaying for them at the station itself. 

Being a remote town and small in size, Hue can actually be explored on foot. This is the best and easiest way to take in the sights and sounds of the town. Alternatively, visitors can hire bicycles or motorbikes to get in and around Hue in a quicker and more convenient fashion. Additionally, there are local taxi services available for visitors if they should so desire.