How can you reserve the DMZ bus from Phong Nha to Hue?

Thanks Amelie! Last year I bought my ticket at Mountainview hotel (booking.com) which is located at the mainstreet in Phong Nha. Alternatively, you could sent an email to shi.homestays@gmail.com to reserve your ticket. Booking your ticket online is unfortunately not possible as far as I know. Safe travels!

After a lot of googling I just found out that the email has changed to info@sy-homestay.com, the DMZ bus still runs.

How to Get From Phong Nha to Hue

3Options

3hFastest

$7.90From

Written by Ela · Reviewed by Maarten·

Bus · Train · Private Transfer

View Map

Map showing route from Phong Nha to Hue - 186 km

Phong Nha → Hue186 km

Hue was Vietnam's imperial capital, 186 kilometres (116 miles) southeast of Phong Nha. The old Citadel sits by the Perfume River, and royal tombs dot the hills around it. The private transfer gets you from Phong Nha to Hue in 4h. The bus is the cheapest at $7.90 (208,000 VND), and the train costs a little more.

DISTANCE

Distance from Phong Nha to Hue

Phong Nha and Hue are about 186 km (116 miles) apart, and the journey itself covers around 210 km by road. Depending on the option, the trip takes between 3h and 6h.

~186 km

Straight-line distance

~210 km

Route distance

Travelling the other way?Hue to Phong Nha→

COMPARE

3 ways to travel from Phong Nha to Hue

There are three ways to travel from Phong Nha to Hue. You can choose between the bus, train, and private transport. The journey takes 3h–4h and the quickest way is by bus. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus with tickets starting at $7.90 (208,000 VND).

TransportDurationPrice

There are two types of buses you can take when travelling from Phong Nha to Hue. The first one is a DMZ Bus Tour that stops at the Vinh Moc Tunnels and Ben Hai River. During this 6-hour tour, you get an extra historical tour of Vietnam.

Tickets for the DMZ bus cost $23 (600,000 VND), which already includes the bus transfers, entrance fees and a local guide.

If you don’t have time to spare for the historical tour or want a budget-friendly ride, you can take a direct bus from Phong Nha to Hue. There are several bus companies offering bus trips in the morning and the afternoon.

With a direct bus, you can get to Hue in 3.5-4.5 hours. Ticket prices start from $7.90 (208,000 VND).

Departure and arrival station

The buses from Phong Nha to Hue have varying departure and arrival points.

DMZ Bus

With the DMZ Bus, you will be picked up from your hotel in Phong Nha about 30 minutes before departure time. This bus makes a 1-hour stop at Vinh Moc Tunnels and a 30-minute stop at Ben Hai River Museum. The bus parks at DMZ Bar in Hue city centre at around 13:30.

DMZ Bus tickets can be booked with Phong Nha and Sy’s Homestay. You can visit Phong Nha’s website or contact Sy’s Homestay through their Facebook page.

Direct Buses

Queen Cafe Bus, Grouptour, and TBus all depart from the Central Backpackers Hostel along the main street in Phong Nha.

Meanwhile, you can board the Full Moon Party Tour bus at Phong Nha Hung Thanh Bus Office, just a 5-minute walk from the Backpackers hostel. Note that Hung Thanh, a bus company that used to operate this route, gets bad reviews about overloading, rude staff, and dirty buses.

All direct buses park at the Doi Cung area in Hue city centre.

Bus schedule from Phong Nha to Hue

4hGreen TripsSleepingCentral Backpackers Hostel - Phong Nha7 Doi Cung04:30$8208,000 VNDTickets

3h45mQueen Cafe BusSleepingCentral Backpackers Hostel - Phong NhaLaurel Hotel/Queen Cafe04:00$9236,000 VNDTickets

3h20mCamel TravelVIP SleepingThien Phu HostelHue Office (Nguyen Sinh Cung02:4503:45$10250,000 VNDTickets

3h20mCamel TravelVIP SleepingThien Phu HostelHue Office (Nguyen Sinh Cung01:45$10250,000 VNDTickets

4hGreen TripsVIP CabinCentral Backpackers Hostel - Phong Nha7 Doi Cung04:30$10270,000 VNDTickets

Show all 27 companies

4h10mGrouptourSleepingPhong Nha SSBHue Luxury SSB03:50$11290,000 VNDTickets

3h45mGrouptourSleepingPhong Nha SSBHue Luxury SSB04:00$11295,000 VNDTickets

3h30mQueen Cafe BusLuxury SleepingCentral Backpackers Hostel - Phong NhaLaurel Hotel/Queen Cafe04:00$11295,000 VNDTickets

4h30mFull Moon Party TourPhong NhaHue04:0006:5007:0008:5009:0009:10+2$13340,000 VNDTickets

4hDuc Duong BusVIP Luxury 22Central Backpackers Hostel Phong Nha7 Doi Cung Hue14:3014:4515:0015:15$14380,000 VNDTickets

4hDuc Duong BusVIP Luxury 22Central Backpackers Hostel Phong Nha7 Doi Cung Hue14:15$14380,000 VNDTickets

3h45mGrouptourSemi SleeperPhong Nha SSBHue Luxury SSB04:00$18480,000 VNDTickets

3h45mGrouptourVIP SleepingPhong Nha SSBHue Luxury SSB03:49$18480,000 VNDTickets

3h45mGrouptourVIP SleepingPhong Nha SSBHue Luxury SSB04:00$18480,000 VNDTickets

3h45mGrouptourSemi SleeperPhong Nha SSBHue Luxury SSB03:45$18480,000 VNDTickets

3hTo Vietnam TravelSleepingCentral Backpackers Hostel Phong Nha7 Doi Cung Hue04:00$19485,000 VNDTickets

4h20mTechbus VN JSCVIP 20 SeatsTbus PhongnhaHue Vy Da14:30$19485,000 VNDTickets

4h20mTechbus VN JSCVIP 20 SeatsTbus PhongnhaHue Vy Da14:45$19485,000 VNDTickets

6hDMZ Bus TourPhong NhaHue07:30$23600,000 VNDTickets

4hTechbus VN JSCVIP 20 SeatsTbus PhongnhaHue Hanh Cafe14:40$23610,000 VNDTickets

4hTechbus VN JSCVIP 20 SeatsTbus PhongnhaHue Hanh Cafe14:55$23610,000 VNDTickets

4hTechbus VN JSCVIP 20 SeatsTbus PhongnhaHue Vy Da14:40$23610,000 VNDTickets

4hTechbus VN JSCVIP 20 SeatsTbus PhongnhaHue Vy Da14:55$23610,000 VNDTickets

4hTechbus VN JSCVIP 20 SeatsTbus PhongnhaHue Office14:40$23610,000 VNDTickets

4hTechbus VN JSCVIP 20 SeatsTbus PhongnhaHue Office14:55$23610,000 VNDTickets

3h30mTBusSleepingCentral Backpackers Hostel - Phong Nha7 Doi Cung04:00$26680,000 VNDTickets

3h30mTBusLuxury SleepingCentral Backpackers Hostel - Phong Nha7 Doi Cung04:00$37980,000 VNDTickets

Available atBookaway 12Go Asia Phong-nha-cave

Hue

When you want to travel by train from Phong Nha to Hue, you’ll first have to go to Dong Hoi Railway Station (not Dong Ha!).

You can find Dong Hoi Train Station some 40 km southeast of Phong Nha. That’s 1.5 hours by bus or an hour by taxi.

In Hue, the city centre is a 10-minute taxi ride or a 30-minute walk from the railway station.

Step 1: Phong Nha to Dong Hoi Railway Station by Bus

1-1.5h$1.90 (50,000 VND)

From Phong Nha, you can catch Local Bus #4 to get to Dong Hoi Railway Station. A bus ticket costs $1.90 (50,000 VND).

Bus #4 is available daily from 05:30 to 17:00. You can hail this bus along the main street in Phong Nha. However, it can only take you up to Dong Hoi Central Bus Station. From here, it’s a short taxi ride or a 15-minute walk to the train station.

You can also get a taxi to take you straight from your hotel in Phong Nha to Dong Hoi Railway Station. Rates start from $15 (400,000 VND) for the 1-hour taxi ride.

See our page on Dong Hoi to Phong Nha for more details.

Step 2: Dong Hoi to Hue by Train

2h 55m - 3h$6.80 (178,000 VND)

Vietnam Railways operates several daily train trips from Dong Hoi to Hue.

Ticket prices start from $6.80 (178,000 VND). The journey takes about 2h 55m - 3h, depending on which train you take.

3h2mVietnam RailwaysSecond Class SeatDong HoiHue02:32$7178,000 VNDTickets

2h59mVietnam RailwaysSecond Class SeatDong HoiHue09:26$8210,000 VNDTickets

2h59mVietnam RailwaysSecond Class SeatDong HoiHue05:41$9234,000 VNDTickets

2h54mVietnam RailwaysSecond Class SeatDong HoiHue07:05$9242,000 VNDTickets

2h59mVietnam RailwaysSecond Class SleeperDong HoiHue09:26$12315,000 VNDTickets

Show all 6 companies

3h1mViolette Express TrainShared Cabin for 4Dong HoiHue05:4107:05$431,140,000 VNDTickets

Train tickets are available on Bookaway.

Booking Tip

We recommend booking your tickets online through BookAway. Their site is intuitive, provides a clear picture of what you can expect, and offers great customer service. If you're eyeing the best deals, you might occasionally find slightly cheaper tickets on Baolau.

You are to get off at Hue Railway Station. Depending on the location of your hotel, you can reach it on foot (about 30 minutes) or via a short taxi ride.

Hue

You can take a private transfer from Phong Nha to Hue. Rates start from $100 (2,650,000 VND) for a 2-seater car.

If you’re travelling in a larger group, you can also rent a bigger minivan.

We recommend booking your ride via BookAway because they offer spacious cars that come with trusted drivers.

Check Private Transfers with BookAway

Phong Nha

Hue Happy Travel

Standard Car 2 PAX

$100 (2,650,000 VND)

$51 (1,320,000 VND) per person

Tickets

Hue Happy Travel

Standard Car 2 PAX

$100 (2,650,000 VND)

$51 (1,320,000 VND) per person

Tickets

Hue Happy Travel

Standard Car 4 PAX

$115 (3,050,000 VND)

$29 (760,000 VND) per person

Tickets

Hue Happy Travel

Standard Car 4 PAX

$115 (3,050,000 VND)

$29 (760,000 VND) per person

Tickets

Vietnam Locals

Standard Car 3 PAX

$145 (3,800,000 VND)

$48 (1,260,000 VND) per person

Tickets

Vietnam Locals

Standard Minivan 8 PAX

$185 (4,900,000 VND)

$24 (610,000 VND) per person

Tickets

Available atBookaway

Hue

Reach out to our Community

Hi Maarten, great post! Do you, by any chance, know how to reserve the DMZ bus from Phong Nha to Hue? Thank you!

MaartenGeckoRoutes team

Thanks Amelie! Last year I bought my ticket at Mountainview hotel (booking.com) which is located at the mainstreet in Phong Nha. Alternatively, you could sent an email to [email protected] to reserve your ticket. Booking your ticket online is unfortunately not possible as far as I know. Safe travels!

DanFebruary 2019

After a lot of googling I just found out that the email has changed to [email protected], the DMZ bus still runs.

MaartenGeckoRoutes team

Hi Dan! Thanks a lot for this update! Much appreciated!

Hi Maarten, I am traveling to Vietnam in 2 weeks and I tried to book the DMZ bus but the address is no longer active. Do you know another way to book it or can you suggest another alternative?
Thank you,

MaartenGeckoRoutes team

Hi Arla! Thank you for reaching out to us. We have contacted Sy's Homestay and found that they are still operating the DMZ Bus. We have also made all the necessary updates on this post. You can now view their current contact details as well as schedule and rates. Thank you and we hope you will enjoy your visit to Vietnam!

Hi,
There are couple of doubts I have, it would be great if you can help us figure out the transportation bit.
We are planning to visit Hanoi - Halong bay (overnight cruise) - Nin Binh (2 days) - Phong Thang (2 days) - Hoi An.
1. How do we get from Halong bay to Nin Binh and Nin Binh to Phong Thang.
2. As we are travelling in the month of November, is it advisable to make a stop in Phong Thang or do we skip this bit?
3. I would like to know if there are direct trains from Phong Thang to Hoi An?
Regards,
Su

MaartenGeckoRoutes team

Hello Su, before I can really help you, you have to explain me where Phong Thang is exactly? Does this place have a different writing? I never heard about this place to be honest. Regarding your first question, I think it is best to book an overnight cruise from Hanoi with Klook (klook.com) for example. This includes pick-up and drop off in Hanoi, so you can take a bus or train from Hanoi to Ninh Binh (geckoroutes.com) once you arrive back in Hanoi. Alternatively, you can travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay on your own, and then continue by bus to Ninh Binh ($10.50). However, keep in mind this bus from Halong Bay to Ninh Binh (shareasale.com) only leaves once a day at 11:30.

AbegailGeckoRoutes team

Hi Jan, glad we could help! Thanks to your comment, we got in touch with Phong Nha Farmstay too, and they confirmed that the DMZ bus departs at 07:30 and costs 600,000 VND. If you're looking for a direct bus that doesn't depart as early as 04:00, you can check Full Moon Party Tour buses. They have trips at 07:00, 09:00, and 19:00. Tickets cost only 375,000 VND for the 4.5-hour ride if you book on 12GoAsia (12go.asia).

Amélie· 2018

“Thank you very much!!! ????”

STAY

Our favourite places to stay in Hue

Here are our favourite places to stay in Hue for every budget.

Budget

Hong Thien Ruby Hotel

Hong Thien Ruby Hotel offers great value if you don't want to spent too much on an accommodation. Excellent breakfast, good location and friendly staff. What do you need more? Single beds incl. breakfast from $16 (420,000 VND) and double rooms from $24 (630,000 VND).

Check availability

Budget

Hotel La Pere

Another hotel that offers great value for money is Hotel La Perle. This eco-friendly hotel is located in the same area and also offers an outstanding breakfast plus fresh fruit all day long! Double rooms start from $24 (630,000 VND).

Check availability

Mid-Range

Cherish Hue Hotel

Want to treat yourself? The experience you get a Cherish Hue Hotel would cost you over $100 (2,650,000 VND) in a Western country, but here it won't cost you more than $42 (1,100,000 VND)! The staff is super professional and a breakfast buffet like this is hard to find anywhere else! The hotel also has a spa where you get a 30% discount as a guest and you can get a massage or other treatment for very reasonable prices.

Check availability

ABOUT YOUR DESTINATION

Why Visit Hue?

Hue in central Vietnam is a treat for history buffs. As the former national capital and seat of the Nguyen Dynasty, Hue is the best place to get to know Vietnam’s last imperial family. Explore the Imperial Citadel, cruise down the Perfume River, or sample an Imperial Banquet.

But if you ask us, the best thing to do in Hue is to ride a motorbike to the nearby Hai Van Pass — one of the greatest ocean roads in the world. This will reward you with some of the most jaw-dropping views you'll see in Vietnam!

Rounding it up

That's the full picture for getting from Phong Nha to Hue, roughly 186 kilometres (116 miles) apart. In all, there are 3 ways to make the trip. The cheapest fare is $7.90 (208,000 VND). The quickest trip takes 3h.

Prices and timetables change, so it's worth a quick check before you travel. Have a question, or travelled this route recently? Ask the community below and we'll do our best to help.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the distance from Phong Nha to Hue?

The distance from Phong Nha to Hue is 186 kilometres (116 miles).

What is the fastest way to get from Phong Nha to Hue?

Journey times from Phong Nha to Hue overlap: bus 3-6h, train 3h 55m - 4h 30m, private transfer 4h. Depending on the departure, no single option is always the fastest.

What is the cheapest way to get from Phong Nha to Hue?

The cheapest way to get from Phong Nha to Hue is by bus with ticket costs starting from 208,000 VND.

About the Authors

Ela

Senior Travel Writer

Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she's not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines. Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she'll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.

MaartenReviewer

Founder & Trip Planning Expert

Based in Bali, Maarten's passion for travel is undeniable. In 2016, he decided to quit his job as a stock analyst and started doing what he always dreamed of: travelling through South East Asia and helping other people plan their trips. When he is not working on Gecko Routes, you'll find him surfing in the ocean or exploring the best gems of Indonesia.

Affiliate Disclosure

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gecko Routes free and up to date.

How to Get From Phong Nha to Hue

Distance from Phong Nha to Hue