Experience the Vietage, where luxury meets the heart of Vietnam’s culture on an unforgettable train journey from Da Nang to Quy Nhon.
There’s a quiet kind of magic that happens when luxury slows down. Not the kind you find in gilded lobbies or rooftop bars, but the kind you feel when you’re watching rice paddies roll past from the comfort of a private booth, sipping a glass of sparkling wine as Vietnam glides by. That’s The Vietage.
This isn’t just a train ride. It’s an experience stitched together from elegance, hospitality, and connection with the land, the culture, and yourself. The Vietage luxury train in Vietnam runs between Da Nang and Quy Nhon. On a warm March morning, I boarded with curiosity—and found myself departing with a deeper connection to this land.
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From Chaos to Calm
Da Nang railway station at 7:30 AM is a scene of organized chaos. Motorbikes dart past with no regard for lanes. Vendors shout, plastic stools wobble under the weight of slurping customers, and the public address system blares announcements in Vietnamese. Then, out of nowhere, a sharply dressed attendant from The Vietage appears, and everything changes.
We’re escorted to a serene private lounge, calm, quiet, and far removed from the station’s madness. Welcome drinks, cool towels, and personal service ease us into the day. Fellow guests arrive, and we’re chatting like old friends within minutes. That’s the thing about The Vietage: it creates a kind of intimacy that’s hard to manufacture.
And then, it’s time to board.
Onboarding, and we are escorted to our booth. Photo courtesy The Vietage
All Aboard the Unexpected
Unlike most train journeys, rush, push, find a seat, boarding The Vietage is like being welcomed to a private dinner party. There are only six booths, each for two guests. Ours feels like a tiny retreat: a large window, plush seats, a handwritten welcome note, and an amenities kit stocked like a business-class flight.
As we depart Da Nang, the chaos begins to recede. I look out the window to see Vietnam open up—fields of rice, conical-hatted farmers, water buffalo grazing in the morning light. A soft-spoken host arrives to point out the charging points and Wi-Fi log-in and then offers warm croissants and coffee. Already, I know this journey will be different.
Enjoying the vista fueled by barista-made coffee and warm croissants. Photo courtesy The Vietage
A Landscape That Lives and Breathes
The scenery is a living painting. In one moment, we pass a small market in a village. In another, a broad, slow river reflecting the sky. Egrets, fish, and ducks gather in ponds. Behind it all, the green of central Vietnam is relentless and beautiful.
One feature that stayed with me was the family tombs scattered across rice paddies. When I asked, one of the service staff explained how ancestral worship in rural Vietnam leads families to bury loved ones in the fields they’ve worked for generations. It’s about connection to land, legacy, and protection. That quiet reverence, juxtaposed with the lush beauty, was humbling.
Enthralled by the ever-changing Vietnam countryside from The Vietage
Wow Moment: A Spa on a Train
About halfway through, a staff member whispers, “Ready for your massage?” I laugh. On a train? But soon, I’m in a private cabin at the carriage’s end. Classical music hums. The train’s rhythm clicks below as skilled hands deliver a head-and-shoulder massage: Fifteen indulgent and glorious minutes.
WOW moment – massage on a train. Photo courtesy The Vietage
A Lunch Worth the Ride
Then comes lunch, and I don’t say this lightly, it was one of the best meals I’ve had in Vietnam.
We had pre-selected our courses when booking, and our personalized menus were placed on our table, laid with starched linens and polished cutlery. I started with a duck terrine, followed by a meltingly tender braised Wagyu neck, and finished with strawberries from Da Lat paired with coconut yoghurt and Vietnamese basil. Each bite was perfectly balanced, beautifully plated, and served with the same care and precision as fine dining.
Fine-dining lunch service – Vietage style. Photo courtesy The Vietage
The wine? Free-flowing. My sparkling brut transitioned seamlessly into a bold Chilean cabernet. And all of it, every bite and sip, framed by Vietnam outside our window.
At Journey’s End, A Gentle Return
Just before 2:30 p.m., we were told we’d soon arrive at Dieu Tri station, the gateway to the beach resort town of Quy Nhon. No announcements. No hurry. Just a quiet word and a knowing smile. Our bags reappeared, now adorned with leather Vietage-branded tags, and a final treat—train-shaped chocolate in a gift box—was handed to each of us.
The Vietage staff had already arranged transfers to our next stop. For us, it was the Anantara Quy Nhon Villas, perched quietly on the coast. Others split off, but we all left with a reverent hush like you might after a meaningful performance. New-found friends saying our goodbyes.
My journey ran north to south. A second Vietage service is now available, leaving daily from Nha Trang in the afternoon and heading north to Quy Nhon before continuing to Da Nang.
The afternoon tea offering is a feature of the new Vietage service departing Nha Trang daily. Photo courtesy The Vietage
More Than Just a Train
It’s been nearly 30 years since I first took a train through Vietnam—on my honeymoon, no less. That ride on the Reunification Express was scrappy, raw, and indelibly etched in my memory in its own right. But this? The Vietage was something else entirely.
It’s not just about luxury. It’s about doing things slowly and well. It’s about being reminded that travel can still surprise you, not just with places, but with feelings. The Vietage luxury train in Vietnam isn’t ostentatious. It’s thoughtful. And in a world that’s always rushing, that’s what makes this trip impressive.
Service on The Vietage is calm, personal, and highly professional. Photo courtesy The Vietage
Plan Your Journey
Continue your Vietage experience at one of Anantara’s two central Vietnam properties, each within easy reach of the train termini.
Join Wander With Wonder as We Experience Other Journeys by Rail
Anantara Hoi An Resort is in the UNESCO-listed Hoi An and a short drive from Da Nang. The resort offers 92 rooms, suites, and all the other amenities you expect from a 5-star resort. Anantara Quy Nhon Villas is situated on a secluded stretch of Vietnam’s central coastline, offering 25 beachfront and ocean-view luxury villas with pools. Boutique indulgence.
Getting There
Da Nang International Airport (DAD) offers direct international flights via major Asian hubs, including Seoul, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Singapore. Plus, domestic connections to Vietnam’s major cities. Nha Trang’s Cam Ranh (CXR) airport has regular domestic flights to Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi.
Embrace slow travel—and discover why The Vietage is a trip worth taking.
Explore other exciting experiences in Vietnam.
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