From "go quickly" to "go to enjoy
Instead of booking air tickets for both departure and return routes like previous trips, Mr. Thai Duc's group of friends (Hanoi) decided to choose two different means of transport in this early summer's Central region exploration trip: traveling by train and returning by plane.
According to Mr. Duc, initially the whole group was also worried because the train took longer. However, after considering, everyone agreed to spend the departure time enjoying the journey, and the return trip would be by plane to save time before returning to work.
Previously, my group only thought the means of transportation was to get to the fastest place. But this time, the whole group wanted to try the feeling of traveling by boat across Vietnam, admiring the scenery through each locality. Sitting on the boat had more time to chat, admire the sea, admire the fields and feel the change of the landscape.
In the afternoon, I choose a plane to save more time and effort because everyone has to go to work the next day," Mr. Duc shared.
Not only Mr. Duc's group, many tourists are also changing their means of transportation. Instead of prioritizing airplanes for all long journeys, many people are willing to spend more time traveling by train or driving their own car to explore destinations along the way.
For many families and groups of young people, the journey is no longer a time to wait to get there, but becomes part of a trip.
This trend is reflected in a survey by Booking.com in 2026. Accordingly, 93% of Vietnamese tourists rate road trips as attractive thanks to flexibility, improvisation and the opportunity to explore more destinations.
Up to 92% are willing to share a car on trips, 84% are willing to use the application to find a companion on the same route, and 81% said they will apply AI to find routes and stops suitable for personal preferences.
These figures show that the view on means of transportation is gradually changing. If previously, choice was mainly based on the criteria of speed and economy, now the experience factor is increasingly being put first.
For many tourists, admiring the scenery through the ship's window, actively stopping on beautiful roads or exploring localities along the route is also a part of the value of the vacation.
Travel businesses adapt to new trends
According to Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Marketing - Communication Director of Vietluxtour, this change is also clearly shown in the corporate group customer segment in the summer of 2026.
If previously, delegations often prioritized choosing vehicles to help shorten travel time to spend more time on activities at destinations, now businesses are more interested in the overall experience of the journey.
Businesses currently not only organize a resort trip but also combine gratitude, energy regeneration, building internal culture and increasing cohesion. Therefore, transportation is also considered as part of the experience, not simply a way to get there," Ms. Thu said.
According to Ms. Thu, for nearby routes, buses are still a suitable choice because they help the group proactively schedule and easily organize activities. Meanwhile, airplanes continue to promote their advantages in long journeys when time-saving is needed. Notably, trains are gradually becoming the choice of many groups of passengers, especially on routes from the North to the Central region.
Trains have the advantage of easy-to-control costs, the whole delegation has common living space and reduces the pressure of procedures compared to airlines when traveling with large delegations. More importantly, the journey on the train also brings a different experience. Many delegations said that the time traveling together helps members interact and chat more before starting the program," Ms. Thu shared.
According to Vietluxtour representatives, this trend also makes travel businesses change their way of consulting and designing products. Instead of defaulting to using one means of transport for the entire trip, units will develop plans suitable for each journey, flexibly combining cars, trains and airplanes depending on distance, time as well as customer goals.
Some groups choose to take buses with nearby routes to be proactive in their itinerary and combine visiting many spots on the road. For long journeys, passengers can fly in one direction to save time, and in the other direction take the train or choose other means of transport to enhance the experience.
We no longer advise according to the criteria of going the fastest or cheapest, but aim for the most suitable plan for the needs of each delegation," Ms. Thu said.
According to Vietluxtour, business delegations still prioritize destinations that can combine resorts, sightseeing and collective activities. Short routes from Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Tram - Vung Tau, Phan Thiet - Mui Ne, Da Lat or Can Tho and the Mekong Delta provinces continue to be chosen by many businesses thanks to convenient road travel.
Meanwhile, further destinations such as Da Nang - Hoi An, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon, Phu Quoc, Con Dao or Ha Long still maintain their appeal, with vehicles being flexibly chosen between airplanes, trains and cars depending on the schedule as well as experience needs.
The change in the choice of means of transport shows that the travel demand of Vietnamese people is shifting from "to the destination" to "enjoy the whole journey". At that time, cross-Vietnam trains, self-driving routes or combining multiple means of transport in one vacation are no longer alternatives, but have become a part of the value of each trip.
