Hanoi

I went to Hanoi on July 25th. After finding the guide, I was led to the fast-track customs area in less than a minute (both sides were packed with people using the regular passage). I waited for the person in front of me (about 2 minutes), and then it took me about 5 minutes (I don't know why mine took longer; maybe they were waiting for me to bribe them). I suggest everyone proactively hand their paper visa along with their passport to customs. Then I went to the baggage claim area and waited 35-40 minutes for my luggage, haha. Conclusions: 1. Fast-track customs is great, but the long queues at immigration are annoying. However, the wait for my luggage is extremely long. 2. The staff in charge of the baggage carousel are completely inactive. As long as the carousel is full, new luggage can't get in. And the staff don't even bother to unload the luggage and arrange it in a line, completely wasting the emotional value of my fast-track experience. However, at least I sat down early to wait for my luggage, avoiding the leg pain of standing until my legs ached and then having to go down to the baggage area again after clearing customs.

I was a bit worried because most blog reviews described trains as uncomfortable and only romantic, but it wasn't uncomfortable at all; in fact, it was more comfortable than a sleeping bus. Those sensitive to noise might find it a bit uncomfortable, but perhaps because we were so exhausted, we slept practically like we passed out haha. We waited in the VIP waiting room after having our tickets checked, and when it was time, a staff member carried all our luggage to the carriage. It was also fun waving and greeting people as we passed the tracks. It's worth trying at least once. I recommend it 👍👍

I was honestly a little worried, but after exiting the gate and walking a short distance, I was able to meet smoothly. Then, I was directed to a separate entrance nearby, where some rather intimidating-looking airport police officers were keeping a watchful eye, and I was able to join a short immigration queue. It was a satisfactory service. However, even then, I waited for about 30 minutes (which felt like about half the time of the regular lane), so if you're really pressed for time for your connecting flight and in a hurry, I recommend the premium plan. That lane was almost always empty, so it should be stress-free. However, even with that, a 2-hour layover in Ho Chi Minh City seems quite tight. We had a 2-hour layover and arrived almost on time, but we were inexplicably made to wait 30 minutes before disembarking, and then had to take a bus. Even with the truck service, considering that you pass through immigration around the time of your domestic flight boarding, then pick up your baggage, and move to another terminal, even with a smooth disembarkation and the premium plan, it feels like it would be a very tight squeeze. This time, more than 20 people, including ourselves, went through the transfer procedure! However, with Vietnam Airlines, flights to places like Da Nang are frequent, so the rebooking process was smooth! So, the fast track service worked as expected and there were no problems, but it was still disappointing that I missed my original flight and it was all for nothing!

No need to buy the audio guide for the show.

The merging was smooth, and the driving was careful. He made a great effort to communicate with me using the little Japanese he spoke. He was a quiet person, but his conversation conveyed sincerity. Thank you very much.