When planning my visit to Southeast Asia there were two things that were out of my comfort zone—sleeper trains and buses. Both are time and cost effective to get from point A to point B for the traveler on a budget and are quiet popular modes of travel in Southeast Asia.

However, never having experienced either before, I was apprehensive to say the least. Thoughts of theft, dirty bathrooms, loud passengers, and unclean sheets came to mind whenever I would read the word “overnight train” or “overnight bus” on my tour’s itinerary. It was unavoidable though and something I would have to deal with since I already booked and paid for the tour. My expectations though turned out to be very, very wrong… for the most part that is.

Getting Around

For the first five nights of our trip, we got to sleep in hotels and homestays and on a lovely, traditional junk boat too. It was like they were easing us into the idea of spending an entire 13 hour journey sleeping on a train. From Ninh Binh to Hoi An in central Vietnam, I’d be staying in a sleeper cabin on a train for the first time. Vietnam is not a small country, by any means. It looks deceivingly compact on a map, but to travel from North to Central to South, train or plane is your best option, unless you want to experience an ungodly amount of time sitting awkwardly in a bus.

The Train Station in Vietnam

Our tour guide, prepped us on what to expect and then took us from our homestay in Ninh Binh to a local supermarket to buy snacks, drinks, and whatever we’d like for breakfast since the options on the train are limited/non-existent. Afterwards, we made our way to the train station where we were approached by multiple children accompanied by their parents in the distant wanting to practice their English with us. It was such a fun and cute interaction.

If I wasn’t warned before, I’d assume they would ask for money or be part of a tourist scam. Thanks for traumatizing me, Europe! These interactions though were completely innocent, with all of them only wanting to practice English with us native speakers. Most of them come every night to practice! Their dedication is impressive.

The Train Cabin

It was late at night, roughly 10pm, when the train arrived and we said goodbye to the adorable new friends we made and boarded. It’s four to a cabin, and it definitely helped me knowing I’d be sleeping with friends rather than complete strangers. If you are travelling with less than four friends, you’ll probably be sharing your cabin with a stranger. As we searched for our cabins, I noticed the train was cleaner than I had envisioned. The actual cabins were quiet spacious with storage room under the bottom bunks for luggage, a storage nook at the feet of the top bunks, and a small table and rubbish bin.

Unfortunately for us heavy packers with suitcases rather than rucksacks, we had difficulty fitting our luggage under the bunks. We ended up having to stack two under the table, while one we jammed into the nook by the doorway. Half of it was sticking out, but it was so jammed, there was no worry of it falling out in the middle of the night. It was the first of many times I realized it’s probably best in the future to travel with a rucksack in Southeast Asia instead of a full suitcase (possible, just impractical).

The train provided a comfortable pillow and thick blanket for us. There were USB outlets and traditional plugs, though I soon discovered the USB plugs charged my phone stupidly slow. I recommend using the plug, if you actually want your electronics to charge. All in all, it wasn’t too shabby of a set up.

The Train Toilet

As soon as we settled in, I was eager to see what condition the bathrooms would be. I had low expectations, so it would be easy to impress me. You can find a bathroom at the end of each train car, but ours was locked, so I went to the next one. It always feels like I’m in a movie when passing from train car to train car. The sink was in the hallway for everyone to see as you brush your teeth (not a fan, but not an issue either) and the toilet was just a step below an airplane toilet.

There was toilet paper, but we were told to bring our own since it usually runs out quickly. My first thought was, “This is completely doable for one night!” With all my fears being put to ease, I went back to my cabin to hang out with my friends and get ready for bed.

Sleeping On The Train

I found sleeping on the train to be surprisingly comfortable. I woke once or twice during the night, but the gentle rocking of the train really did help with getting back to sleep quickly. The temperature was bit cold, but I had easy access to my jacket, luckily. I recommend packing a day pack with things you might need for the night like a toothbrush, clothes for the next day, makeup, meds, jacket, etc. since your luggage will probably be difficult to get to.

The one thing I do admit is that it’s hard to sleep in on a train. As soon as day breaks, people start moving up and down the hallway and the carts of coffee start coming through making a commotion. It was more sleep than I thought I’d get on a train, so it wasn’t too bad.

We did have several more hours until our destination though. Plan accordingly with entertainment. There is no wifi, but you can prepare by downloading some shows beforehand. I used the time to go through all the photos I took until that point and delete any duplicates or blurry ones, so the time passed by quickly (I had a lot to go through haha).

That night on the train really surprised me. I came in expecting the worst and it wasn’t bad at all. I’d even take it again in the future and all my friends agree as well. Now, I can only speak for our experience on the sleeper train in Vietnam. Different countries might have different levels of overnight trains. Always be vigilant and aware on any mode of public transportation and keep your belongings close and safe, especially if you are traveling solo.

The Sleeper Bus

Flash forward eleven days and we find ourselves getting ready for our “hotel on wheels”, as our tour guide put it, otherwise known as an overnight bus. Having had a more than decent experience on the train, none of us were as nervous to take the overnight bus. It was a different experience though with different pros and cons.

Over our time in Vietnam and Cambodia, I noticed a lot of sleeper buses on the roads. Back in states, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an sleeper bus. I’m talking about the ones with completely flat beds. It would make sense as an affordable mode of transportation, yet I’ve only seen normal greyhound buses in the night back home. From what I saw peering through the windows of these buses, the options really do vary in terms of comfort and amenities, so you never truly know what you’re going to get.

The Bus Station in Cambodia

We awaited our overnight bus in Cambodia at the bus company’s office. They tagged our larger bags that would go underneath. Make sure that you keep the other half of the luggage ticket as they will check it at the end so you can collect your bag. I found it to be a huge relief, since I was concerned with theft. The bus stops in other cities along the way to pick up and drop off passengers, so having a strict luggage tag system is necessary.

The Spaceship, Errr I Mean Bus

We were informed that the bus we’d be spending the night on was brand new, and boy did it look like it! The inside resembled a spaceship, reminiscent of the Star Tours ride in Disneyland. The lighting was fun and there were futuristic, single bed compartments on one side and double bed compartments stacked on the other side. We were provided pillows and blankets just like on the train too. Upon entering, we were required to remove our shoes and they were placed in a little bag for us. There were multiple light switches, a control button for the AC, and USB and USB-C plugs at the foot of each bed.

The only issue, which didn’t affect me as much as others, is that the compartment and beds were small and cramped. If you are over 5’10”, you are not going to have a good time. If you have a wider body build, you are not going to have a good time. With my small bag shoved by my feet, I was able to fit like a glove with not a centimeter to spare.

Since they ran out of single beds, I actually had a double bed that I had to share with my roommate. Oh the joy of being the two smallest people in the group. It wasn’t bad though. It felt like a high school sleepover and we made the best of it.

The (Nightmare-Inducing) Bus Toilet

The one thing that was on everyone’s mind though, was the bathroom situation. Some overnight buses don’t have bathrooms onboard, and just have planned bathroom stops. I don’t know whether to say luckily or not, but ours did have a bathroom. It was tiny. I’m talking the most cramped bathroom I’ve ever been in.

That wasn’t an issue so much as the water, or other liquid substance that was everywhere. It seemed like a compilation of men missing, and women being shook by the bus’s sudden stops and turns while trying to hover over the seat. And the smell. Oh the smell. I don’t want to talk about the smell. After using the toilet once, I decided to stop drinking any liquids for the rest of the night.

Sleeping on The Overnight Bus

Back in our compartment, I tried to fall asleep as fast as possible since we had early morning plans the minute we arrive in Siem Reap. However, unlike the train’s gentle and predictable rocking, you could feel every stop and turn the bus took. It took me a few hours of tossing and turning to finally stay asleep for a few hours. There were a few occasions when the bus would brake suddenly and I’d wake up as I felt my body sliding towards the foot of the bed. Despite the cool, futuristic aesthetic of the overnight bus, I much preferred the overnight train, and so did everyone else in my group.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there are better overnight trains in Southeast Asia. A couple of my friends took a luxury overnight bus from Hanoi to Sapa with adjustable beds and TVs in each sleeping compartment. Now that sounds a lot more comfortable to me.

I am very glad I had the experience of traveling by both sleeper train and overnight bus during my trip. It was something I don’t think I would have been comfortable with before, and I was proud that I was able to go out of my comfort zone and discover it wasn’t that bad at all.

I hope to take many sleeper trains in my life, and I’d be okay taking the overnight bus again too now that I know what to expect. The bathroom situation was not the best, but the sleep quality on the bus could easily be fixed with melatonin. Would it ever be my first choice? Probably not, but I loved that both options were affordable and didn’t take up our precious daytime.