Where to buy Vietnam Railways tickets online safely

When buying Vietnam Railways tickets online, many passengers assume that receiving a valid ticket code means the transaction is safe. However, data from Vexere tells a different story.

Vexere is Vietnam's trusted multi-modal booking platform, covering coach, train, air, and bike rental services. It is also an authorized agent of Vietnam Railways, the state-owned rail operator running a nearly-3,200-kilometer network from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and beyond.

According to Vexere, roughly 20 percent of ticket transactions generate a need for an exchange or refund. This is precisely when post-purchase rights are put to the test.

Tet holiday: online train ticket demand surges, most buyers are new

Vexere transaction data for the Tet 2026 season, covering departure dates from February 9 to 25, 2026, shows a clear increase in online train ticket demand.

The Vietnam Railways ticket volume on the Vexere platform increased 33.6 percent year on year. Even more telling for the question of choosing a trusted channel, 78 percent of these buyers were first-time train ticket customers on Vexere, while 51.1 percent were entirely new to the platform.

"The Tet 2026 numbers show a clear shift toward online channels for Vietnam Railways tickets," a Vexere spokesperson said. "But because so many buyers are first-timers, they may also be more exposed to lookalike websites and unofficial resellers."

Route-level data reveals a rise in short-haul travel: Hai Phong-Hanoi tickets rose 27.7 percent, and Phu Yen-Khanh Hoa jumped 76.3 percent, while traditional long-distance Tet routes eased slightly. On average, passengers purchased 2.2 tickets per transaction, reflecting the family-and-group nature of Tet travel.

The risk of a real ticket but lost rights

According to Vexere, the difference between a safe transaction and a risky one does not necessarily lie in whether the ticket is genuine. It can also depend on who controls the transaction after purchase.

"A valid Vietnam Railways ticket is only part of the equation. Passengers should also make sure the booking is made with their own traveler information and through Vietnam Railways or an authorized channel, so they can directly manage exchanges, refunds, and post-purchase support," the spokesperson said.

When a passenger lets a third party book on their behalf and pay with that party's account, the Vietnam Railways system records the original paying account as the transaction owner. When an exchange or refund is requested, the transaction is processed under Vietnam Railways regulations and the refund is transferred back through the original payment account used for the booking. That means the intermediary's account may receive the refund rather than the passenger's own account.

With an average of 2.2 tickets per transaction during Tet 2026, a single unofficial booking can create refund or support complications for an entire family, not just one traveler.

By contrast, when booking through an authorized Vietnam Railways agent such as Vexere, passengers receive a genuine e-ticket after payment, issued with their own traveler information. Refunds are processed through the original payment account used for the booking, subject to applicable Vietnam Railways rules.

Cases involving passengers unable to recover refunds from third-party bookers are among the common complaints Vexere's customer care team receives after each peak season, the spokesperson added.

Official agents help optimize costs

Analysis by Vexere indicates that booking through an official platform helps passengers optimize costs on two fronts: service fees and promotions. Vexere currently charges one of the lowest service fees among third-party travel platforms in Vietnam for Vietnam Railways ticket bookings, keeping the total price close to the fare listed by Vietnam Railways itself.

Besides the low service fee, passengers receive full promotions from Vietnam Railways and enjoy exclusive offers from the Vexere platform and its payment partners, potentially saving up to 20 percent on each Vietnam Railways ticket. In practice, Vexere says this combination often makes the final price paid through its platform lower than booking through most other online resellers.

Vexere also noted that passengers receive end-to-end support from booking through the post-trip stage, delivered by the Vexere customer care team. The team is ready to handle Vietnam Railways exchanges, refunds, or any issues that arise.

The shift to online train ticket purchases has accelerated in Vietnam over the past three years, driven by mobile-first travelers and the expansion of digital payment. Vexere data shows that a growing share of Vietnam Railways bookings on its platform now come from mobile app users, with peak-season traffic concentrated in the two weeks before Tet and major national holidays.

Three checks before you pay

Before peak holiday and Tet seasons, Vexere recommends passengers perform three simple checks:

Check the domain name and confirm whether the website belongs to Vietnam Railways' official system or an authorized agent such as Vexere.

Verify the legal entity, support policies, and payment methods before entering any personal details.

Save the ticket code and transaction confirmation after booking, so you can proactively handle any exchange, refund, or support request.

"Passengers should treat the choice of ticket channels as part of the trip itself, not an afterthought," the spokesperson said. "The wrong channel can turn a routine refund into weeks of dispute."

Choosing a reputable seller therefore becomes an important step even before the journey begins. An authorized Vietnam Railways agent such as Vexere, offering instant genuine e-tickets, guaranteed refunds to the correct account, and savings of up to 20 percent, is a starting point worth considering.

Passengers can book Vietnam Railways tickets through Vietnam Railways' official channels, at the station, or via authorized agents such as Vexere: https://vexere.com/vn/trains.en.