How to travel from Hanoi to Sapa by bus, train, or motorbike? This article will provide the answers to make your journey easier.

Sapa is an enchanting paradise nestled in the mountains of northeastern Vietnam, but reaching it can be quite a challenge for travelers.

How to get to Sapa from Hanoi?

Avoid Sapa from May to August due to the rainy season, when heavy rain, typhoons, and mudslides can cause accidents and discomfort.

Travelers can choose between a shuttle, minibus, sleeper bus, private car, a combination of train and cab, or renting a motorbike to get to Sapa from Hanoi.

I'll classify these options by planning effort, emphasizing booking ease, comfort, and expected experiences. This article will equip you to make your trip stress-free.

Option 1: Minibus/shuttle bus, express bus, sleeper bus

Ease of booking: 5/5 – anywhere, anytime

Book online with the booking box on this website. Click to book (recommend website)

Interior comfort:

2/5 for minibus and shuttle bus – bad seats, but the cheapest option.
3/5 for express bus – soft, comfortable seat.
4/5 for sleeper bus – lots of space and ability to sleep.

Expected experiences: 3/5 – non-stop ride, hard to take pictures of scenery

It is easy to book these buses and difficult to get scammed, which makes them good options. Book directly through your hotel receptionist in Hanoi for ease.

Or you can get a ticket at almost any travel agency in the Old Quarter, where you can consult experts about the ride's quality, services, and price.

Consider booking by phone and paying on the bus instead of online to avoid scams and service issues.

The price varies from 220,000 VND (10 USD) to 450,000 VND (20 USD), depending on bus amenities (wifi, outlets, water, snacks, toilet, etc.), with some buses offering an in-car tour guide.

You will have a smooth ride with AC, and the bus usually stops once at a petrol station where you can get snacks and stretch your legs.

Many websites will mislead you by saying the ride takes only 5.5 hours, but it should be from 6 to 6.5 hours due to traffic and weather.

Mindful, Minibusses and shuttle buses in Hanoi may circle for about an hour to pick up additional passengers, leading to cramped conditions.

I have gathered the departure times for express and sleeper buses daily. Hotel pick-up is widely available, and you can inquire at the front desk about booking.

Morning, 6:00 – 7:00 AM, arrives at noon in Sapa.
Midday, 12:00 – 1:00 PM, arrives at dusk or early evening in Sapa.
Night, 9:00 – 10:00 PM, arrives in the early morning (I do not recommend this choice because you will miss the beautiful scenery on the way).

Day trips should be safe and scenic. Caution: night trips may have odors, honking, erratic driving, and missed views.

I recommend Sapa Express as the top bus option, followed by Queen Cafe VIP Open Bus, Eco Sapa Limousine, and Ha Son Hai Van.

Option 2: Private car

Ease of booking: 4/5 – may require some arrangement and negotiation
Interior comfort: 3/5 – soft seat but still a long ride
Expected experiences: 4/5 – stops on demand, easy for sightseeing

If you have already booked your stay in Sapa or are staying in Hanoi, ask your accommodation if they can arrange a private car for you.

Provide your pickup location in Hanoi, and a car will arrive on time. This is the easiest option, though prices may vary.

You can also arrange a private car through any travel agency in the Old Quarter of Hanoi; always ask for the price before booking one.

For your reference, my private service of choice, Lan Ha Xanh Travel, offers single trips of 155 USD for a four-seater car and 160 USD for a seven-seater car.

Most agencies should range from 150 USD to 200 USD for a single trip, but it also depends on the quality of the car.

Here are my recommended trustworthy companies with English-speaking operators and drivers:

Book an online private car from Hanoi to Sapa with the booking box on this website. Click to book (recommend website)
Lan Ha Xanh Travel
Address: 106 Tran Nhat Duat, Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Hotline: (+84) 976951999
Booking WhatsApp: (+84) 976951999
Golden Holiday Travel:
Address: 104C17, Tan Mai, Hoang Mai, Hanoi
Hotline: (+84) 98 845 1530
Booking site: Golden Holiday Travel
Hanoi Transfer Service:
Address: 21 Ma May, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Hotline: (+84) 98 235 8282
Booking site: Hanoi Transfer Service

The private car option is as comfortable as it gets, so it will be much more expensive than the other options available.

Therefore, you can arrange with the operator and the driver if you want to visit sites along the way and have breaks on demand as well.

This will be the most comfortable option if traveling in a group or with your family!

Moreover, a private car pickup is available anytime, whereas set schedules limit other transport options.

Option 3: Train from Hanoi to Lao Cai, then transit to Sapa

Ease of booking: 3/5 – needs to be booked beforehand, and beware of bus scams from Lao Cai to Sapa.

Interior comfort:

5/5 – luxury car gives you a lot of space
3/5 – normal/mid-range cabins have soft seats
Book online: Click to book (recommend website)

Exterior experiences: 1/5 – Night trip, there is almost nothing to see apart from flickering lights and stations.

For transit from Lao Cai to Sapa, the experience may vary from 3/5 (non-stop ride) to 4/5 (stop on demand), depending on your transit choice.

Traveling by train in Vietnam is essential. From Hanoi to Sapa, stop at Lao Cai train station, then transfer to reach your destination.

It takes around eight hours on the express train and another 1.5 hours by bus/car to get to Sapa.

Vietnam Railways runs two daily express trains from Hanoi to Lao Cai: SP1 (9:35 PM from Hanoi to 5:30 AM at Lao Cai) and SP3 (10:00 PM to 6:05 AM).

The train stops only at major stations, ensuring a smooth trip. Additional trains like SP5 and SP7 operate during peak season and holidays to accommodate demand.

The train has standard cars operated by Vietnam Railways (VNR) and customized cars operated by private railway companies.

VNR has various classes: soft seat, six-berth, and four-berth sleepers, priced from 155,000 VND to 400,000 VND (6 USD – 17 USD), all featuring AC, decent toilets, and hot/cold water.

Cars operated by private railway companies are generally four-berth or two-berth sleepers that range from 500,000 VND up to 3,500,000 VND (20 USD – 150 USD), depending on quality and standards.

Please be aware that some scamming companies sell normal VR berths for higher prices and bluff about quality.

Always plan and book return tickets to return to Hanoi by train to avoid fully booked situations.

For standard VNR seats, the best way to check availability and reserve online is through the official website – dsvn.vn or 12go.asia. The English button is located top right, and the site is easy to navigate.

Payment is processed safely online, and you can receive an electronic ticket or choose to pay later and collect the physical ticket at the station.

In addition, there is also a transit bus service option from Lao Cai to Sapa available for an extra of 45,000 VND (2 USD) that comes with the ticket.

The train has a dining cabin with affordable food (1-2 USD) and on-board vendors, but it's smart to bring your own snacks.

Pro tip: people have smelly feet, so try to book an upper berth.

For a better experience, consider private cars ranging from refurbished standard cabins to luxurious five-star colonial Indochina-style options.

Here is a list of four trusted companies with good services:

Book online with the booking box on this website. Click to book (recommend website)
King Express
Price: 22 USD for a berth in a deluxe four-berth cabin to 97 USD for a VIP two-berth private cabin.
Hotline: (+84) 94 725 0025 – Mrs. Linh.
Booking site: King Express.
Features: Good money for value, free transit to Sapa, and free pick-up from the Old Quarter for two or more.

Orient Express
Price: 35 USD for a berth in a deluxe four-berth cabin to 70 USD for a berth in a VIP two-berth cabin.
Hotline: +84 43 929 0999 / +84 43 929 0597
Booking site: Orient Express
Features: Most beautiful interior for the cheapest price, but no extra transportation included..

ET-Pumpkin Express
Price: 42 USD for a berth in a deluxe four-berth cabin.
Hotline: (+84) 43 829 5571.
Booking site: Et Pumpkin Express.
Features: Well-decorated cabin, free transfer from the office at 7:45 PM to the station with a one-way ticket, and additional transit to Sapa from Lao Cai with a roundtrip ticket.

Victoria Express
Price: 79 USD for a berth in a deluxe four-berth cabin to 135 USD for a berth in a superior two-berth cabin.
Hotline: (+84) 214 387 1522.
Website: Victoria Express.
Features: Experience luxury on an elegant colonial Indochina-style train with a snack cabin, large windows, individual amenity kits, and a lounge for pre-departure relaxation.

At Lao Cai Railway Station, you can find transport to Sapa, typically costing about 100,000 VND (5 USD) for buses and 500,000 VND (25 USD) for private cars.

However, some aggressive scammers initially quote 100,000 VND (5 USD) and charge up to 200,000 - 300,000 VND once they have your luggage in the trunk.

It is difficult to pick these scammers out of the crowd, but they are often pushy and will try to pull you over to their bus. You can try bargaining also.

If the bus is not full on departure, drivers will sometimes stroll around the city to fill up empty spaces.

Therefore, it is best to have your hotel arrange a pickup for you that guarantees a fixed rate.

Buses to Sapa depart often from 5:20 AM and cost around 30,000 VND (1.5 USD), with the stop located across from the train station.

The public buses are red and yellow and parked in the bus station, so avoid anyone trying to get you on their “bus” in the train station.

The hour-long ride to Sapa reveals breathtaking views of clear skies, vibrant terraced fields, and expansive green mountains.

The road traverses a mountainous area, so you should expect continuous curves. Take motion sickness medication if needed.

Option 4: On your own motorbike – for hardcore riders only!

This is considered the most challenging trip with 0/5 comfort, yet it is the most rewarding 5/5 experience. Avoid riding during the night for your safety.

The trip will take up to 10 hours. This, of course, depends on how many times you want to stop for rest and photos.

Book Sapa motorbike tour: Mr. Hien - WhatsApp (+84) 976951999.

Route from Hanoi to Sapa

Sapa's rural areas and poor data coverage make navigation tech unreliable. I suggest using a compass and a printed map from Hanoi to Sapa.

Do not depend on Google Maps, since it only displays the route to Sapa via Express Highway, which bikes cannot enter.

Motorcycling to Sapa can be fun, but watch for mountain curves, note key landmarks, and take breaks. There are two main routes from Hanoi to Sapa.

Route 1

Travel northwest along the Red River to Lao Cai, then to Sapa. It’s a 334 km route, the fastest but most difficult. Note road names in Vietnamese for local help.
From Hanoi, find your way to QL32 (National Road 32).
Stick to the road until you reach the first landmark – Tam Nong Garden Park in Phu Tho province: “Vuon Hoa Tam Nong, quan Tam Nong, tinh Phu Tho”. You have made it 25% of the way.
Take the route on the left of this triangular park. Turn left again at the end of it to continue on QL32.
There will be an intersection where QL32 turns left and continues straight onto QL32C.
Follow QL32C; the Red River should always be on your right until you reach the second landmark: “Cau Yen Bai, Hong Ha, tp. Yen Bai” – the Yen Bai bridge of Yen Bai city. You are 45% of the way there.
Cross the bridge, circle the roundabout, and follow the route on the left – “Duong Nguyen Phuc – DT163” and continue straight, keeping the Red River in your sight to the left. You should see the railway also.
Once you reach “Ga Trai Hut, An Binh, Van Yen, Yen Bai” – Trai Hut Railway station, the road (DT163) turns left. Keep straight, with the river to your left.
The next landmark will be “Lang Khay, Lam Giang, Van Yen, Yen Bai.” Just keep going straight once you pass it, and again, you should be riding with the river on your left until you reach Lao Cai province.
Continue straight until you reach “Thai Van, Bao Ha, Bao Yen, Lao Cai.” The route stops following the river here, and it turns right. Follow the big road and do not bother with any routes to the right until you reach a three-way intersection. Turn left at the intersection. If unsure where you are, ask a local about “Song Hong” – the Red River. It should be west of your position. You are now 80% of the way there.
Continue on the road again. “Pho Lu, quan Bao Thang, Lao Cai” town is the next landmark. Once there, ask for QL4E road, which crosses the river out of town.
Follow QL4E until you reach “Thanh pho Lao Cai” – the Lao Cai city.
Drive to “Cho Kim Tan, thanh pho Lao Cai” – Kim Tan market of Lao Cai city and turn onto QL4D – your road to Sapa!
For your reference, this is the link to the route on Google Maps.

Route 2

Take QL32 via Mu Cang Chai in Yen Bai, a breathtaking landmark in Vietnam. This 440-kilometer route leads through two famous mountain passes to Sapa, offering excellent sightseeing.
From Hanoi, take QL32 (National Road 32).
Stay on QL32 until you reach QL4D, and turn right to get to Sapa. That’s it!
I recommend writing these important words down to show them to the locals in the following order: “QL32”, “Mu Cang Chai”, “QL4D”, and “Sapa” – cross them out as you go. The route diverges in every direction, so the compass is useless. Use the map and these words to reach your destination.

The first route is faster but has many turns. It follows the river, offering a peaceful ride through lovely towns.

If the first guide seems too complicated and you prefer sightseeing and conquering passes, consider the second option, which is 100 kilometers longer.

Keep your moto maintained and refueled. Along the way, enjoy the stunning views of Mu Cang Chai and explore ethnic villages and hidden waterfalls.

Sapa enchants travelers. Book your flight and get ready for adventure! Contact us now to get the best price for your getaway!

Hotline: +84 976951999 (Mr. Hien)

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How to get to Sapa from Hanoi