diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index b84076a..a279537 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# vcfppR 0.3.7
+
+* add vcfreader@samples()
+
 # vcfppR 0.3.6
 
 * add `vcfreader::line`
diff --git a/R/RcppExports.R b/R/RcppExports.R
index a543017..c1a8155 100644
--- a/R/RcppExports.R
+++ b/R/RcppExports.R
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ heterozygosity <- function(vcffile, region = "", samples = "-", pass = FALSE, qu
 #' @field hasOTHER Test if current variant has a OTHER or not
 #' @field hasOVERLAP Test if current variant has a OVERLAP or not
 #' @field nsamples Return the number of samples
+#' @field samples Return a vector of samples id
 #' @field header Return the raw string of the vcf header
 #' @field string Return the raw string of current variant including newline
 #' @field line Return the raw string of current variant without newline
diff --git a/man/vcfreader.Rd b/man/vcfreader.Rd
index f927016..aa9dd1c 100644
--- a/man/vcfreader.Rd
+++ b/man/vcfreader.Rd
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ Type the name of the class to see the details and methods
 
 \item{\code{nsamples}}{Return the number of samples}
 
+\item{\code{samples}}{Return a vector of samples id}
+
 \item{\code{header}}{Return the raw string of the vcf header}
 
 \item{\code{string}}{Return the raw string of current variant including newline}
diff --git a/src/vcf-reader.cpp b/src/vcf-reader.cpp
index f8af7c5..faabdea 100644
--- a/src/vcf-reader.cpp
+++ b/src/vcf-reader.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ using namespace std;
 //' @field hasOTHER Test if current variant has a OTHER or not
 //' @field hasOVERLAP Test if current variant has a OVERLAP or not
 //' @field nsamples Return the number of samples
+//' @field samples Return a vector of samples id
 //' @field header Return the raw string of the vcf header
 //' @field string Return the raw string of current variant including newline
 //' @field line Return the raw string of current variant without newline
@@ -245,6 +246,7 @@ class vcfreader {
         return v.size() / nsamples();
     }
     inline std::string header() const { return br.header.asString(); }
+    inline std::vector<std::string> samples() const { return br.header.getSamples(); }
     inline std::string string() const { return var.asString(); }
     inline std::string line() {
         std::string s = var.asString();
@@ -363,6 +365,7 @@ RCPP_MODULE(vcfreader) {
         .method("hasOTHER", &vcfreader::hasOTHER)
         .method("hasOVERLAP", &vcfreader::hasOVERLAP)
         .method("nsamples", &vcfreader::nsamples)
+        .method("samples", &vcfreader::samples)
         .method("header", &vcfreader::header)
         .method("string", &vcfreader::string)
         .method("line", &vcfreader::line)