How to go → CAT BA to SAPA? ☀️

1. Bus – Cat Ba to Sapa
2. Bus + Train to Sapa
3. Bus + Taxi to Sapa
🎫 Book a Tour in Sapa
🎫 Book Ticket to Sapa

Sapa – ethnic people, lots of tourists, homestay and nature.

• • Sapa in Lao Cai province belongs in the recent time to the most visited places in northern Vietnam. It is a home of the Black Hmong ethnic people and they offer their services for foreign tourists, eg. homestay, trekking, walking, travel quide…In Sapa you can try homestay of ethnic minority people or you can visit the highest mountain of Vietnam – Fansipan (by train + cable car). Sapa has no airport, so the only way how to travel is to travel by land – by combination of ferry, bus and train. The closest railway station to Sapa is in Lao Cai city, about 2 km from the border with China. From Hanoi to Lao Cai you can use private luxury sleeper trains of various companies or regular train by Vietnam Railways. From Sapa you can also travel back to Hanoi or Ninh Binh.

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From Cat Ba Island to Sapa by combination of bus, train, taxi/car + ferry.

• • Travel distance from Cat Ba Island to Sapa is totally about 480 km by land via Hanoi. There are 3 popular ways of transport from Cat Ba to Sapa: transfer by bus + ferry, train + ferrry or private car + ferry. The most popular option is to travel by bus + ferry via Hanoi. From Cat Ba Island to Sapa you can travel by combination of bus and train: 1.step – From Cat Ba Island to Hanoi (bus+ferry), 2.step – From Hanoi to Sapa/Lao Cai you can travel by train (over Lao Cai) or direct bus/minivan to Sapa, bus tickets to Sapa are cheap. There is also a bus from Cat Ba Island to Sapa, travel time by bus is about 10-12 hous and bus ticket costs about $25-32/pp. You can also travel by train from Hai Phong to Hanoi and from Hanoi you can take another train to Lao Cai (about 35 km from Sapa). From Lao Cai to Sapa you can travel by local public bus or taxi. The most expensive and comfortable way is to book a private taxi from Cat Ba to Sapa via Hanoi. Recommended – Book and buy your e-tickets from Cat Ba Island to Sapa online.

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How do I get from Cat Ba Island to Sapa?

1. BUS from Cat Ba Island to Sapa

• • yes, there is also a bus from Cat Ba Island to Sapa
  • travel by sleeper bus from Cat Ba Island to Sapa takes about 10-12 hours
  • bus ticket from Cat Ba to Sapa costs about $25-32/pp
  • bus companies from Cat Ba to Sapa> Good Morning Cat Ba, Cuong Lan Sapa, Grouptour, Full Moon Party, Ket Doan
  • there is a short boat/ferry transfer from Cat Ba Island to Hai Phong
  • book bus e-tickets from Cat Ba Island to Sapa online on 12go.asia ➜ or Baolau ➜

2. BUS + TRAIN from Cat Ba Island to Sapa

1.step – Ferry+Bus from Cat Ba Island to Hanoi

• • yes, there are direct buses from Cat Ba Island to Hanoi
  • travel by bus from Cat Ba Island to Hanoi takes about 4-5 hours
  • bus ticket price is about $8-15/pp
  • bus companies from Cat Ba to Hanoi – Cat Ba Express, Grouptour, Good Morning Cat Ba, Hoang Long…
  • there is a short boat/ferry transfer from Cat Ba to Hai Phong
  • book and buy bus e-tickets from Cat Ba Island to Hanoi online on 12go.asia ➜ or Baolau ➜

2.step – TRAIN from Hanoi to Lao Cai (Sapa)

➜ The most fastest way is to use a day or night direct bus from Hanoi to Sapa. Travel by bus from Hanoi to Sapa takes about 6 hours. Bus stations in Hanoi you will find in the map, see article about Hanoi. Buses depart from Hanoi to Sapa from My Dinh bus station, another private bus companies depart from various places. Bus ticket price is about $15-18 from Hanoi to Sapa. You can book and buy bus e-tickets of Hason Hai Van, Dragon Express, Hung Thanh, SapaExpress, EcoSapa or TheSinhTourist.

➜ Lots of travelers go to Sapa with a night train. All the trains go to Lao Cai town (340 km north of Hanoi), it is the end station (25 km from Sapa). Trains of Vietnam Railways with less comfort (ofic.vietnamese railways) or there are also tourist trains (also 2-bed cabin), but also more expensive (Chapa, Fansipan Express, Orient Express, King Express, Sapaly, Livitrans…). You can book and buy train tickets online. Seat selection available on Baolau or 12go. Vietnam Railways may change the orientation of the carriage at the departure station anytime at their convenience.

➜ book and buy train and bus e-tickets from Hanoi to Lao Cai or Sapa on Baolau ➜ or 12go.asia ➜
– this is a top travel route from Hanoi to Lao Cai/Sapa – recommended – book your train or bus tickets online!

Vietnam Railways trains – SP1, SP3, SP7, LC3:

• • hard or soft seat – price for one-way ticket from 120 000 – 160 000 Viet.dongs / 1 person
  • hard bed (6-bed cabin) or soft bed (4-bed cabin) – ticket price is about 270 000 – 400 000 Viet.dongs / 1 person
  • SP = new trains, LC3 = old train, carry-on baggage – 20 kg
  • seat selection available on Baolau and 12go.asia
    

Tourist and private train operators (added to SP1 + SP3):

• • Fansipan Express, Victoria Express, PV2, Livitrans, Violette Train, Oriental Express, King Express, Sapaly
  • train ticket price is about 700 000 – 1 800 000 Viet.dongs / 1 person – soft bed (depend on the type of cabin)
  • better quality and service, 2 or 4-bed cabins, carry-on baggage – 20 kg
  • the most deluxe/luxury train – Victoria Express Train (price for ticket from 2 500 000 – 3 500 000 Viet.dongs)
  • read this article: 10 Luxury Trains from Hanoi to Lao Cai / Sapa

➜ For bookings with Royal Railway and private railway companies Victoria Express, Fanxipan Express, King Express, Orient Express, Sapaly Express, Chapa Express and Saigon Golden Train, you will be required to complete the payment before submitting your order. Your reservation will be processed and you will receive a voucher by email to collect the physical ticket at the station before boarding the train.

For bookings with Vietnam Railways and private railway companies Livitrans Express and Violette Train, you will be required to complete the payment before submitting your order. Your reservation will be processed and you will receive your e-ticket by email, ready to print or carry in your mobile phone or tablet and present when boarding the train.

➜ If you book and buy bus tickets on Baolau or 12go.asia, you will receive your e-ticket by email, ready to print or carry in your mobile phone or tablet and present at the ticket counter of the station before boarding the bus

3.step – Bus/Taxi from Lao Cai town to Sapa:

• • If you’re traveling from Hanoi to Sapa with a train >>> All the trains (Vietnam Railway and tourist trains) ends in Lao Cai town, 10 km from the Chinese border in northern Vietnam. Trains run throughout the day and many travellers and tourist travel in the night (20.30 – 22.00 pm). The nigth train arrives to Lao Cai town about 6.00 – 7.00 am. You have to take a public bus or taxi from Lao Cai town to Sapa (25 km), lots of tourist buses are waiting outside the railway station in Lao Cai. Be careful they are overprized.
  • The public bus station is in the center of town of Lao Cai, 300 meters from the railway station, see the map. I recommend to go with a public bus in Lao Cai town >>> Book your bus tickets from Lao Cai to Sapa. In the near future, about 2020, there is a plan to build a new international airport in Lao Cai (Cam Con commune).

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3. BUS + TAXI / CAR from Cat Ba Island to Sapa

1.step – Ferry + Bus from Cat Ba Island to Hanoi

• • from Cat Ba to Hanoi by ferry + bus, you can check schedule: Cat Ba Island to Hanoi
  • transfer by bus from Cat Ba Island to Hanoi takes about 4-5 hours
  • bus transfer from Cat Ba to Hanoi costs about $10-17/pp
  • bus companies from Cat Ba to Hanoi: Cat Ba Express, Grouptour, Daichi Travel, Good Morning Cat Ba, Hoang Long…
  • there is a short boat/ferry transfer from Cat Ba to Hai Phong

2.step – Private Taxi / Car from Hanoi to Sapa

• • the most expensive way of transfer to Sapa from Hanoi (or Noi Bai Airport)
  • transport by private car or taxi from Hanoi to Sapa takes about 4.5-5 hours
  • transfer by private taxi/car to Sapa from Hanoi costs about $140-270/vehicle
  • private taxi companies to Sapa: Saigon DMC, Tiim Group, Dichung Taxi, Grouptour, Ouros Travel, Booking Car…

❓ FAQ + TIPS – Travel from Cat Ba Island to Sapa/Lao Cai:

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BOOK a TOUR / ACTIVITY in Sapa ➜

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3 Ways of Transfer from Cat Ba to Sapa:

BOOK your HOTEL / STAY in Sapa ➜

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Vietnam Bus Schedule ➔