During our cycling trip through Vietnam in 2025, we found ourselves running out of time as our visas were about to expire. On top of that, we had heard some negative stories about cycling in the Hanoi region. To save time, we decided to take the night train from Đồng Hới to Hanoi and ship our bicycles separately, since bikes aren’t allowed as regular luggage on passenger trains. Instead, they have to be sent via the cargo train service, which is how many locals transport their motorbikes.
Unfortunately, there’s no official website with schedules or details, and sometimes the cargo offices aren’t even marked on maps. The best resource we found was this motorbike shipping guide, which also applies to bicycles:
How to Send Your Motorbike on the Train – Vietnam Coracle
You can also find useful info in Southeast Asia cycling WhatsApp groups, where other travellers share their experiences. One thing we were worried about was how long shipping would take—many reports mentioned two to five days, which would have been a problem for us. Luckily, our bikes arrived in just one day.
Dropping Off the Bicycles in Đồng Hới
We arrived at Đồng Hới train station in the late afternoon and found the cargo office right next to the main station building. There were already a few motorbikes being prepped for transport, so we knew we were in the right place.
Unfortunately, the only employee working at the time wasn’t very helpful. She was not motivated to use translation apps and would make only vague answers. Instead, she told us to come back the next morning with our bicycles. According to her, shipping would take three days.
With that in mind, we booked a night train for the next day and a hotel in Hanoi.
Shipping Process & Costs
The next morning, things went much smoother. A different employee was working—she was friendly, helpful, and actually explained the process. She told us the bikes would be shipped the same day and would arrive in Hanoi by the next morning.
The process itself was simple. We filled out a basic shipping form and paid 330,000 VND in cash for two bicycles. The only preparation needed was removing my handlebar mirror. The cargo company took care of wrapping the bikes in cardboard for protection. Unfortunately, they refused to ship our luggage, so we had to carry it ourselves with the night train.
Train Ride & Picking Up the Bikes in Hanoi
The night train was okay—not super comfortable, but it did the job. We arrived in Hanoi at 6:00 AM, and the next challenge was finding the cargo pickup location.
Unlike in Đồng Hới, the cargo office in Hanoi is harder to find. It’s located at the south end of the station, inside the Vietnam Railway Authority building. The official entrance is on the main street, past the motorbike parking and rental area. Opening hours are supposedly from 8:00 AM.
While looking for the right place, we accidentally wandered into the storage area through the loading entrance inside the station—and there were our bicycles, already waiting! At first, the workers unpacking the motorbikes tried to send us away, but after showing them our shipping receipt and pointing to our bicycles, they gave in. We signed some paperwork, paid a small extra fee, and that was it.
The bikes were completely undamaged, and we were good to go.
Final Thoughts
Despite the lack of official info and some minor communication struggles, the process worked really well. We also heard good experiences from other cyclists. If you need to skip a section of Vietnam quickly, shipping your bike by train is a cheap and easy option
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