Train Ride From Da Nang To Hue

On the morning of Sunday, November 24, Douglas and I checked out of the Hyatt Regency Hotel and caught a taxi to Da Nang Train Station. We were headed to the city of Hue, located in the center of Vietnam.

A couple of our friends in Hanoi had recently traveled to Da Nang and Hue. Just as we were doing, they took the train as their mode of transportation. When we asked how the ride was, they said it was nice. I also spoke with a local embassy employee and asked her about the travel to both places. She gave a similar reply saying the train ride was very nice. I never thought twice about the train afterwards since no one spoke badly about it.

When we arrived to the station, a gentleman dressed in what appeared to be the uniform for station employees grabbed our bags out of the taxi and placed them on a cart. Our tickets were previously purchased through the embassy so we went directly to the waiting area. The gentleman escorted us there and told us he would return. 

Da Nang Train Station

The train was scheduled to depart at 11:55 am. We arrived shortly after 11:00 with plenty of time to spare. The train station was very small and already seemed much nicer than the station in Algiers. While in Algiers, we rode a train to Oran on a weekend embassy trip. It was supposed to be a 4 ½ hour ride but ended up being 6 ½ hours of pure torture on my back from those awfully uncomfortable seats. That was by far the worst train experience I ever had. I had high hopes for this train ride though. After all, both people I spoke to had nothing negative to say about their experience. 

 

inside station

Just minutes before noon, the train pulled into the station. I could already see we would not be leaving on time, but that was okay. I expected the train might be a few minutes late. Everyone got up and formed some sort of line in front of the door leading to the platform. The man who packed up our bags appeared again and took control of our luggage cart. Each time I went to grab it he motioned me away, basically telling me that he had it. I was unsure how he “had it” because he was also handling two other carts besides ours. I figured he wanted to be helpful so I did not say anything.

Our train

As we walked onto the platform I scouted the train from front to back. The colors looked like those of a toy train set I once bought our godchildren for their birthdays. It sure looked as though it could use a good wash and thorough paint job. For some reason I was imagining something a lot more shiny on the outside. No big deal; I have learned not to judge a book by its cover. The man told us to wait where we were and ran off. He went to load the other two carts he had been handling. There were several vendors selling all types of items; food, souvenirs, clothes, etc. It seemed like they would make more of a profit had those vendors been inside the station since none of us were allowed on the platform until the train arrived, but who am I besides a potential customer.

 

Our luggage handler returned after a few moments. He gestured for us to show him our tickets, I assume to remind him as to which car we were assigned. The man grabbed hold of our luggage cart and took off to car number two. We were currently standing towards the back of the train so we had a little walking to do. The platform was very crowded. It seemed everyone was clustered in front of each opening to the train. People were talking loudly, which sounds more like screaming in Vietnamese. It can best be described as disorderly. We were walking fast to keep up with the man but after passing one or two cars I had lost him and our luggage. Soon we caught up with him when we got to our car. He got on first to load the bags. Douglas followed him on and I boarded behind them. The entry to climb onto the train was very narrow. I fear if my hips were as big as they used to be during my heavier days, I might not have been able to squeeze myself through the doorway!

The man with his hand up was the guy assisting us. He had to raise his hand for us to spot him.

There was a bathroom to my left as I entered the train. Every muscle in my face immediately dropped from a show of hope to a display of utter letdown. Speaking bluntly, that bathroom looked a hot mess. My mind went back to that same morning when Douglas and I were eating breakfast and he asked me why I did not finish my water. I always drink a full glass of water with every meal but I barely made it a quarter of the way through my glass that morning. I said, “You know I don’t like drinking anything on travel day.” And it is a good thing I have that rule for myself because my bladder would have been tight the whole ride if I had to pee during that trip. There were not enough sanitary wipes in the world to make that toilet acceptable for use. 

such a secure setup for the luggage...

While assessing our surroundings, I couldn’t help but think, How do I get myself into these situations? We reached our seats and saw we were directly in the middle of the car with our seats situated where we would be face to face with the people in front of us. Just great! So I will spend the next 2 ½ hours knee-knocking the man in front of me. While rolling my eyes as far back as they could go in my head, I look over to Douglas who is all smiles saying, "This is great!" Seriously, my husband has very low standards when it comes to traveling. He will sit, sleep, and use the bathroom anywhere, with a smile on his face! I sat down in the rickety seat and placed my purse and large travel bag in my lap. Even if there was space in front of me to put it down there was no way I was sitting my bag on the floor to later find some sort of organism growing inside. Douglas, of course, put his bag on the floor in the aisle beside him. He wonders why I am adamant about not allowing him to put any of his bags on our bed when he comes home. This is why! 

Douglas went to give our luggage guy some money for his assistance after he finished "securing" our bags overhead. From our experience in Hanoi, most Vietnamese people do not accept tips or only very little at the most. Douglas offered him 20,000 dong. That man looked at Douglas, shook his head and said, "No, 50,000." I wanted to say, “First off, no one asked for your help in the beginning. Second, you got some nerve to demand a specific amount.” So much for acts of kindness without expectation. Clearly the same rule for tips does not apply in Da Nang. Lesson learned.

Our tickets cost just $7 total. Douglas had purchased them from the travel office at the embassy. I asked him, "Is there a first class? I will pay whatever the cost is!" Come to find out, our car was as first class as it was going to get. The next step up was the sleeper car for those traveling a much longer distance. Without having seen the sleeper car, it was safe to say it would not have been any better.

I sat next to the window to allow Douglas more room for his legs in the aisle. I promise you that if my husband were the same height as me, he would have been on that window. Usually I love the window seat. I find it relaxing as I enjoy the views along the way. Well, not this time. I was doing my very best to not even allow my arm to rest near the window. I made the mistake of looking down beside my thigh and saw nothing but dirt and other things I could not identify without making myself even more disturbed. There was a curtain hanging beside me and I tried to push it as far away from me as possible without giving room for the sun to shine directly into my eyes through my sunglasses. The curtain had probably been hanging there since this train was built. I could only imagine the germs floating beside my head. I attempted to keep cool but anyone could see that my nose and upper lip were turned up so far they were practically at the back of my head. Then my darling husband decides to bring light to the "upsides" of the train and say, “Look babe, the seats recline. Isn’t it cool?” As he rests his seat back, damn near into the man’s lap behind him! He said, “Go ahead and put your seat back. You’ll love it!” I decided to entertain him and looked to my right for the lever but it was not there. He said, “Oh, it’s probably on your other side by the window.” I looked to my left and said, “Babe, can you please reach over and pull my seat back. I refuse to touch this handle!” You would have thought I asked for one of his kidneys. Really, guy?! You know me by now. Why are you surprised? Then Douglas continues to say, “At least we have a table in front of us.” There was a sad, wooden block in between us and the other passengers sitting across from us with an open box of cookies on it and an orange peel that none of us had put there. Douglas placed his water bottle there and all I could do was shake my head. 

Douglas then decided to make mention of another "upside." “Honey, look. They have flat screen TVs!” I let out the biggest sigh imaginable and wondered why in the world they had these fancy televisions on this dingy a-- train. It is like visiting someone who lives in the projects and has top of the line plasma screens, furniture from Pottery Barn and kitchenware from Williams Sonoma. They just don’t go together!    

  

I checked my watch, it was almost 12:30 and we were still in the station. The original arrival time was 2:30, but I knew now that was not going to happen. I was very antsy waiting for the train to move. There was no air circulation, it was incredibly hot outside, and the train smelled terrible. Moments later the train finally started to move. I knew I would have to get it together and make the most of this. I sat tightly with the bags in my lap and legs squeezed tight, trying not to touch the wall or kick the person in front of me. Then when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, loud Vietnamese music began playing over the speakers. Douglas and I had to raise our voices just to talk to one another. I pulled out my headphones and scrolled to my gospel playlist because I needed every bit of spiritual motivation to get me through the next three hours.  

This lady had a full buffet of food on her tiny table...

Please notice the cup of I-don't-know-what on the wall...

The one picture I took when the train pulled off, which is very blurry from the window being so dirty

 

At 3:30 the train pulled into Hue Station. I had to wake Douglas up to let him know we were there. This guy slept the whole way. Once again, my husband can sleep anywhere and through anything. He doesn’t give me much hope for the day we have children and have to wake up in the middle of the night by loud cries. I can already foresee that no lungs on that baby will be loud enough to wake my husband from his sleep.

I could smack myself for even having an inkling of hope for what that train would be. Even though we just left a five-start resort, we were still in a third-world country which, for me, equals zero expectations. I surely could have words for the people I spoke with who said the train ride was very nice. Later I talked with our friend who gave a rave review of the ride. After I voiced my displeasure, he asked what had happened. We said the train happened! He replied, “What, you didn’t like the views?” Seriously?! No, I didn’t like the views! I couldn’t see them through the dirty curtain hanging over my dusty window and all the random bags people hung above their heads obstructing the little bit of a view I may have had! Lesson learned when traveling. Only seek opinions about places from people who have standards like you.

Douglas and I left the train with excitement and relief (more relief for me and excitement for him). It sure was no Amtrak, but as soon as my feet hit the ground I immediately thanked God for our arrival! 

The adventures we take together...