Vietnam›From Hanoi›Sapa
Hanoi to Sapa by train, bus or road
About 320 km. The private car is fastest at 5.5 h; the bus is cheapest, from ₹990 per person.
Fastest
Private car
Private car, per vehicle
5.5 h door to door
Cheapest
Bus
Sleeper bus or limousine via the Lao Cai expressway
from ₹990 per person
Best value
Bus
Sleeper bus or limousine via the Lao Cai expressway
cheapest at mid fares among options within 1.5× the fastest time (or 1 h more on a short ride)
Every option, compared
Door-to-door times (flights include the time at the airports). Fares are typical ranges from the cheapest seat to the premium one.
| Mode | Service | Time | Fare | Runs | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train | Overnight sleeper to Lao Cai + minivan to Sapa | 9.5 hovernight | ₹1,840–₹3,680per person | Daily | 12Go ↗ |
| Bus | Sleeper bus or limousine via the Lao Cai expressway | 6.5 h | ₹990–₹1,660per person | Daily | 12Go ↗ |
| Private car | Private car, per vehicle | 5.5 h | ₹11,780–₹18,400per car (up to 4) | Daily | 12Go ↗ |
- Train, Overnight sleeper to Lao Cai + minivan to Sapa: Trains leave Hanoi station 21:45-22:40 and reach Lao Cai about 05:20-06:40; vans wait outside for the hour up to Sapa. Several private companies run their own carriages on the same trains.
- Bus, Sleeper bus or limousine via the Lao Cai expressway: Day and night departures from the Old Quarter; night buses arrive before dawn.
Booking links open the route on the country's transport booking site for trains, buses, boats and transfers, and a flight search for flights, dated about two weeks out; change the date there.
What it costs your group, one way
Fares × people; a private car is priced per car, one car per four people.
| Option | 2 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Train · Overnight sleeper to Lao Cai + minivan to Sapa | ₹3,680–₹7,360 | ₹7,360–₹14,720 |
| Bus · Sleeper bus or limousine via the Lao Cai expressway | ₹1,980–₹3,320 | ₹3,960–₹6,640 |
| Private car · Private car, per vehicle | ₹11,780–₹18,400 | ₹11,780–₹18,400 |
Once you’re in Sapa
- Best time: March – May, September – November
- Typical stay: 3 days
- November: Good month: November is at the end of the recommended season (March – May, September – November).
Related
Plan Hanoi and Sapa
A day-by-day plan with this journey, the stays and the rest priced in.