Delhi to Da Nang: flight, train and road combinations that actually make sense

The short answer first

Delhi to Da Nang is a one-stop journey now. There is no direct flight on the route - VietJet's nonstop service ended in March 2023 and has not returned. Every sensible itinerary is a single connection through Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok or (less obviously) Yangon, taking roughly 8.5 to 12 hours door to door in the air-plus-layover sense. Trains and roads do not enter the picture until you are inside Vietnam - and even there, flying the domestic leg usually wins.

What happened to the direct flight

VietJet used to fly Delhi-Da Nang nonstop (flight VJ830/831), about 4 hours 55 minutes. The route ended in 2023 - the last scheduled direct was in March of that year - and schedule databases show zero airlines on the nonstop city pair today. Da Nang is well connected to Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and within Vietnam, but not nonstop to India. Anyone selling you a "direct Delhi-Da Nang" ticket is describing a one-stop with a single flight number or a code-share.

The one-stop combinations that make sense

• Via Hanoi (HAN) - the default. Vietnam Airlines runs the through connection about twice daily with a total journey around 8 hours 40 minutes; VietJet's Hanoi connection is about 9 hours 30 minutes daily. Delhi-Hanoi is a short 4-hour hop, the domestic Hanoi-Da Nang leg is 1 hour 20 minutes and runs about 13 times a day on VietJet alone, so the layover is easy to keep to 2-4 hours.
• Via Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) - fine if the fare is notably cheaper, but it backtracks south: totals run about 10-11 hours on Vietnam Airlines or VietJet. The SGN-Da Nang leg is also 1 hour 20 minutes with around 10 daily flights.
• Via Bangkok (BKK) - Thai Airways shows the shortest pure flying time (about 7 hours 55 minutes in the air) but check the layover; useful mainly if you are combining Thailand and Vietnam on one trip.
• Via Yangon (RGN) - Myanmar Airways International shows the shortest scheduled air time of all (about 6 hours 35 minutes, Monday/Wednesday/Friday), but it is a niche two-ticket-style routing; only take it with a long buffer and full awareness of the risks of separate tickets and Myanmar transit.

What it costs

Vietnam Airlines' own site lists Delhi-Da Nang round trips from about INR 27,845 (roughly Rs 28,000) on off-peak dates; expect Rs 30,000-45,000 for typical dates and more around Diwali, Christmas and Tet. One-stop fares on VietJet through Hanoi or Saigon frequently undercut the full-service option, but add bags and seats before comparing - VietJet's base Eco fare includes neither checked baggage nor meals.

Train and road: the honest verdict

There is no railway or sane road route between India and Vietnam. The overland lines on the map fail at borders, not distance: the India-Myanmar crossing at Moreh-Tamu involves special permits and regions under travel advisories, and continuing across Myanmar and Thailand to Vietnam is a week of buses - an expedition, not a transfer. Once you are inside Vietnam the picture changes: the Reunification Express train runs Hanoi-Da Nang in about 16 hours through genuinely beautiful coastline, and it is a lovely choice if you are visiting Hanoi anyway. But as a way to reach Da Nang from Delhi, fly the domestic leg: 1 hour 20 minutes, 13-plus flights a day, and usually Rs 2,000-4,000 if booked with the international ticket.

Da Nang airport: the easy part

Da Nang (DAD) is Vietnam's third-busiest airport, compact and close to everything: the international terminal is about 10-15 minutes by taxi from My Khe Beach (roughly VND 60,000-100,000) and about 30-45 minutes from Hoi An. Arriving here instead of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City is precisely why the one-stop fare is worth it.

Booking friction: what actually decides the fare

• Visa: Indians need a Vietnam e-visa - USD 25 single entry or USD 50 multiple entry, valid up to 90 days, applied for only at the official portal (evisa.gov.vn); the fee is non-refundable even if refused. Ignore third-party sites charging more.
• Departure terminal: all international flights leave Delhi from Terminal 3.
• Tickets: book the through ticket on one PNR where possible; a self-transfer on separate VietJet or AirAsia tickets leaves you re-checking bags and unprotected if the first leg is late.
• Time zone: Vietnam is 1.5 hours ahead of India - mild, but it eats an hour and a half of arrival day.

Bottom line

Fly one-stop via Hanoi on Vietnam Airlines or VietJet: about 8.5-9.5 hours total, round trips from roughly Rs 28,000, and you land 15 minutes from the beach. Take the Saigon connection only for a clearly better fare, treat Bangkok and Yangon as special cases, and leave trains and roads for inside Vietnam - where the Hanoi-Da Nang train is a scenic bonus, never a shortcut.