The practical way to get from Bangkok to Vietnam is to fly. Nonstop flights reach Ho Chi Minh City in around 1 hour 40 minutes, Hanoi in around 1 hour 45 minutes and Da Nang in around 1 hour 35 minutes, according to AirAsia. There is no direct train or bus from Bangkok into Vietnam, and the overland alternatives are long: the land border between Thailand and Cambodia is closed, which leaves a multi-day route through Laos.
Here is how the flights work, which Bangkok airport to use, the Vietnam visa rules to check before you book, and what the overland route through Laos involves if you would rather keep your feet on the ground.
Flying from Bangkok to Vietnam
Vietnam's three main gateways all have nonstop flights from Bangkok:
| Destination | Typical nonstop flight time |
|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) | About 1 hour 40 minutes |
| Hanoi (HAN) | About 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Da Nang (DAD) | About 1 hour 35 minutes |
Flight times are AirAsia's own figures for its routes from Don Mueang. Thai AirAsia flies all three routes from Don Mueang, according to AirAsia's route pages, and Thai Airways sells Bangkok to Hanoi and Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City fares. Other carriers serve the routes too, and schedules change by season, so compare the airlines' own sites.
Pick the gateway by where your trip starts. Hanoi is the base for the north, including Ha Long Bay and the mountains; Ho Chi Minh City for the south and the Mekong Delta; and Da Nang for the central coast, with Hoi An and Hue within reach. An open-jaw ticket, into one city and out of another, saves backtracking the length of the country.
Which Bangkok airport?
Bangkok has two international airports, and low-cost flights to Vietnam often use Don Mueang, in the north of the city, while full-service airlines use Suvarnabhumi, which lies outside the city limits in Samut Prakan. Check your ticket before you head out, because the two are far apart. Our guide to choosing between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang compares them, and our transport guides cover Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. AirAsia advises arriving two to three hours before an international departure.
Vietnam visa rules
Check Vietnam's entry rules for your passport before you book. The official e-visa portal is evisa.gov.vn. Rules vary by nationality: the UK government, for example, says British visitors can stay up to 45 days without a visa, or apply for an e-visa that allows a 90-day stay with multiple entries.
One detail matters for anyone arriving overland: according to the same UK advice, an e-visa restricts you to the entry and exit points you choose when you apply. If you plan to enter by land from Laos, make sure that crossing is the one on your e-visa.
Overland through Laos
If you want to travel by land, the route runs north through Thailand to the Lao border and then east across Laos. The first leg is easy by train. The State Railway of Thailand's daytime Express Diesel 75 leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in the morning and reaches Nong Khai, the border town opposite Vientiane, in just under nine hours, stopping at Ayutthaya, Khon Kaen and Udon Thani on the way. SRT describes Nong Khai as the gateway to Vientiane via the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. Our guide on getting from Bangkok to Vientiane covers that leg in detail.
From Laos, onward travel into Vietnam means a long road journey to one of the Lao-Vietnamese border crossings, or a flight. You will also need Lao entry paperwork: the UK government's advice, for British travelers, is that a Lao tourist visa gives 30 days and can be obtained as an e-visa or, at many entry points, on arrival. Overall, this route takes days rather than hours and suits travelers who want to see Laos along the way, not those in a hurry.
Why not through Cambodia?
The classic backpacker route to southern Vietnam ran overland through Cambodia. It is not currently an option: the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Thailand travel advice, updated on September 18, 2026, says land borders and crossings between Thailand and Cambodia remain suspended, and advises against all but essential travel within 20 kilometers of that border. You can still fly to Cambodia and continue to Vietnam from there; see our guide to traveling from Bangkok to Cambodia.
Planning tips
- For most trips, a flight is faster and simpler than any land route.
- Match your Vietnam e-visa's entry point to where you will actually arrive.
- Check your government's travel advice for Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam shortly before you go, as border situations can change.
Sources: AirAsia, Bangkok to Hanoi, AirAsia, Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, AirAsia, Bangkok to Da Nang, Thai Airways, Bangkok to Hanoi, Thai Airways, Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam e-visa portal, GOV.UK, Vietnam entry requirements, GOV.UK, Laos entry requirements, GOV.UK, Thailand travel advice, State Railway of Thailand, travel by train guides (archived February 20, 2026). Checked September 26, 2026.
About 1 hour 40 minutes to Ho Chi Minh City, 1 hour 45 minutes to Hanoi and 1 hour 35 minutes to Da Nang nonstop, according to AirAsia.
No. The nearest rail link is the State Railway of Thailand's Express Diesel 75 from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Nong Khai on the Lao border, which SRT timetabled in early 2026 to leave at 8:45 a.m. and arrive at 5:30 p.m., with fares from 251 to 494 baht. From there you continue through Laos by road or air.
Not at present. The UK government's Thailand travel advice, updated September 18, 2026, says land borders and crossings between Thailand and Cambodia remain suspended.
Both. AirAsia's nonstop flights to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang leave from Don Mueang. Check your ticket for the departure airport.
It depends on your nationality. British visitors, for example, can stay up to 45 days visa-free or get a 90-day multiple-entry e-visa, according to the UK government. Apply only through the official portal, evisa.gov.vn.
No. According to the UK government, an e-visa restricts you to the entry and exit points you choose when you apply.
