1. Bus – Ha Long to Sapa
2. Bus + Train to Sapa
3. Private Car/Taxi to Sapa
🎫 Book a Tour in Sapa
🎫 Book Tickets to Sapa
From Halong Bay to Sapa you can travel by bus, taxi/car or bus + train.
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- Embark on a picturesque journey spanning approximately 460 km from Ha Long to Sapa, traversing through Hanoi and Lao Cai town by bus, train, or car. Discover three convenient travel options to reach Sapa from Ha Long: a transfer via tourist sleeper bus/van, a combination of bus + train through Hanoi and Lao Cai, or the flexibility of booking a private car/taxi. Opting for a tourist bus or van stands out as the most popular and cost-effective choice, offering a journey lasting 9-10 hours with ticket prices ranging from $16 to $32 per person.
- While there is no direct train route from Ha Long to Sapa, travelers can embark on a bus + train journey via Hanoi and Lao Cai. Commence your journey with a bus ride to Hanoi, followed by a scenic train ride to Lao Cai, offering seat or tourist sleeper options. Traveling by bus + train from Ha Long to Sapa (via Hanoi and Lao Cai) requires approximately 14-16 hours and incurs a total cost ranging from $15 to $120 per person. For those seeking comfort and convenience, booking a private taxi/car emerges as the most favorable option, albeit at a higher cost.
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- Sapa nestles as a charming mountain town situated in the northwest region of Vietnam, bordering China. Renowned for its captivating natural landscapes, rich ethnic cultures, and refreshing climate, Sapa entices travelers seeking respite from the tropical heat. The town boasts stunning rice terraces meticulously crafted by local ethnic communities over centuries, offering breathtaking vistas of rolling hills and verdant valleys.
- Sapa serves as a cultural melting pot, home to diverse ethnic minority groups such as the Hmong, Dao, and Tay people, each with their own unique traditions and languages. Visitors can immerse themselves in the local culture by exploring villages and partaking in cultural festivities. Beyond its cultural richness, Sapa offers thrilling adventure opportunities like mountain trekking, cave exploration, and waterfall visits. From Sapa, travelers can embark on journeys by tourist bus to Ha Giang province or Ninh Binh, adding more layers to their Vietnam exploration. Ensure a seamless journey from Ha Long to Sapa by easily booking tickets or private transportation online.
| Transfer Mode – Ha Long to Sapa | Travel Time | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Bus + Train (via Lao Cai) | 14-16 hours | $15-120/pp |
| Bus / Van | 9-10 hours | $16-32/pp |
| Private Car / Taxi | 7-8 hours | $145-300 (vehicle) |
How do I get from Ha Long to Sapa?
1. SLEEPER BUS from Ha Long to Sapa
One of the low-cost options for transferring from Ha Long to the city of Sapa is a trip by sleeper bus or possibly a minivan or minibus. Sleeper intercity buses, or smaller minivans and minibuses are a used option, mainly between the more difficult-to-reach places in northern Vietnam.
And they also go between the cities of Ha Long and Sapa and there are a relatively large number of them, the bus schedule is long and you will definitely choose your suitable route. Companies operating bus routes from Ha Long to Sapa are New Way Travel, Ha Long Bus Travel, Luxury Van Limousine, Grouptour, Phuc Xuyen, Techbus VN, Sapa Ethnic Travel, Full Moon Party.
Most of these companies offer sleeper buses, or some routes have a transfer to, for example, a minivan or a minibus. Bus/minivan travel time from Ha Long to Sapa is approximately 9-10 hours and tickets will cost you between $16-32/pp. The intercity sleeper bus is thus the cheapest option for transportation to Sapa.
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Buses depart from various places in Ha Long, e.g. from Tuan Chau, Bai Chay, Hon Gai or even Cat Ba Island, and in Sapa they usually arrive in the city center, at the Sapa market or at specific hotels. It is advisable to arrive at the departure point in Ha Long at least 30 minutes before the bus departure.
It is also necessary to take into account that buses usually make other stops before arriving in Sapa. You can search and book bus tickets from Ha Long to Sapa easily online and in advance.
Always read all information and instructions for tickets and transfers to Sapa carefully to avoid any complications. It is also possible to travel by tourist bus/van via Hanoi, there are also various buses from Hanoi to Sapa
2. BUS + TRAIN from Ha Long to Sapa (via Hanoi)
Another option, and also a low-budget one, from Ha Long to Sapa is a combination of bus and train via Hanoi and Lao Cai city. However, this option takes more time than traveling by bus and has a total of 3 steps. The first step is a bus/minivan ride from Ha Long to Hanoi, then a train ride from Hanoi to Lao Cai, and the last step is a bus/taxi ride from Lao Cai to Sapa.
In the first step, on the way from Ha Long to Hanoi, you can use a number of buses or minivans from different companies. Some of these companies that offer bus transfer to Hanoi are Arirang Travel, To Vietnam Travel, Phuc Xuyen, Kumho Viet Thanh, Grouptour, Daichi Travel, Cat Ba Express, Techbus VN, Duc Duong, Duy Khanh, Ha Long Bus Travel, April Adventure, Halong Travel Limousine and others.
The journey by bus or minivan to Hanoi from Ha Long takes approximately 2.5-4 hours, it depends on where you leave from and where you are going, but you should expect around 3 hours. Bus or a more comfortable minivan is the most popular mode of transportation between Ha Long and Hanoi, and tickets cost an average of $5-23/pp. Classic larger buses with seats are usually cheaper than comfortable private minivans. You can take the bus from various places such as Tuan Chau, Hon Gai, Bai Chay, but also from Cat Ba Island.
The second step is to travel by train from Hanoi to Lao Cai, here you can use regular trains of Vietnam Railways, which also include tourist and more comfortable sleeper trains of several companies. Tourist trains to Lao Cai are operated by Violette Train, Lotus Express, Laman Express, Damitrans Train, Livitrans Express, Fanxipan Express, King Express or Chapa Express.
Regular trains are cheaper and tourist sleeper trains are a more expensive option, but they will offer you better comfort, privacy and better service. Most foreign tourists reserve a sleeping berth in tourist trains. However, ordinary Vietnam Railways trains also have sleeping beds, in cabins for 4-6 passengers, and they are also a cheaper option.
Tourist sleeper trains to Lao Cai will mostly offer you cabins for 4, rarely even for 2 passengers. Train travel from Hanoi to Lao Cai Railway Station costs around $12-17/pp (regular train, sleeper) and tourist trains start at around $28-45/pp (4-passenger sleeper cabin).
The journey time by train from Hanoi to Lao Cai is approximately 8 hours, and from Lao Cai you will continue by local bus or taxi to Sapa. It is advisable to search for and book train tickets to Lao Cai online and well in advance.
BOOK TRAIN TICKETS to Lao Cai ➜
The last step for you will be a trip by local public bus or private car from the city of Lao Cai to Sapa. Local buses, as well as some private transfers, minivans or minibuses leave either from the train station or from the city center. Bus travel time from Lao Cai to Sapa is approximately 1-1.5 hours and the tickets are cheap costing about $1.50-2.00/pp max.
A private car or taxi from Lao Cai can cost you from $30-60/car, depending on the type of car and the number of people being transported, it is also possible to reserve an entire minivan for a group of people, a minivan is the most expensive option. Again, you can search for and book tickets from Lao Cai to Sapa or a private car online in advance.
3. PRIVATE TAXI / CAR from Ha Long to Sapa
The most convenient, fastest, but at the same time the most expensive way to get to Sapa from Ha Long is by private car/taxi with a driver. There is nothing better than getting into the car where you want and then getting off in Sapa, i.e. without delays like on a bus. However, if you are traveling in Vietnam in a low-cost style, then this option is probably not the right one for you.
Between Ha Long and Sapa, you can use several private taxi services from Taxi with VTS, Saigon DMC, Ouros Travel, Halong Transportation. Most of these private companies are also well rated among other tourists. These companies will offer you modern and comfortable cars, SUVs, Jeeps or minivans and minibuses for groups of passengers.
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Therefore, if you are traveling in a group of passengers, it may be advantageous to choose the entire minivan, then calculate the fare for each passenger. Private cars with a driver is the fastest option of transportation to Sapa from Ha Long, the journey time is approximately 6-7.5 hours, it depends on the company and also where you are going from and where exactly you are going. You can also travel by private car via Hanoi.
Smaller cars are usually cheaper than larger minivans, but prices for a private transfer from Ha Long to Sapa range from $145-300/car. You can search and book your private car/taxi from Ha Long or even from Cat Ba Island online even in advance. Due to the higher price, a private transfer will not be a very popular option, but it will be used, for example, by travelers who are not dealing with a financial budget or who are looking for privacy during transport.
❓ FAQ + TIPS – Travel from Halong Bay to Sapa:
1. How to book and buy tickets or taxi/car from Ha Long to Sapa?
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- You can book tickets or car from Ha Long to Sapa online on Baolau ➜ or 12go.asia ➜
- You can also search another routes and tickets, e.g. Cat Ba to Hanoi, Hanoi to Sapa…
2. What is the travel time from Ha Long to Sapa?
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- Transfer by tourist bus/minivan or van from Ha Long to Sapa (via Hanoi) takes about 9-10 hours.
- Transfer by bus + train from Ha Long to Sapa (via Hanoi, Lao Cai) takes about 14-16 hours.
- Transfer by taxi/private car from Ha Long to Sapa (via Hanoi) takes about 6-8 hours.
3. How much does it cost to get from Ha Long to Sapa (Lao Cai)?
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- Travel by tourist sleeper bus or minivan or van from Ha Long to Sapa (via Hanoi) costs about $16-32/pp.
- Travel by bus + train from Ha Long to Sapa (via Hanoi, Lao Cai) costs about $15-120/pp (depends on the type of train).
- Travel by taxi/private car from Ha Long to Sapa (via Hanoi) costs about $145-300 (vehicle, car).
4. What is the travel distance from Ha Long to Sapa?
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- Travel distance from Ha Long to Sapa (via Hanoi + Lao Cai) is about 460 km by tourist bus, car or bus + train.
5. How you can get from Lao Cai town to Sapa town?
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- There are 2 way how you can travel to Sapa town from Lao Cai. There are public local buses from Lao Cai Railway Station to Sapa, or you can book a private car or taxi. Read this article: How to get to Sapa from Lao Cai?
6. What is the best and fastest way of transfer from Ha Long to Sapa?
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- The best and fastest way how to reach Sapa from Ha Long is to book a private car/taxi. But this way is not a cheap, so another option is to travel by tourist bus from Ha Long town or Tuan Chau.
7. What is the most cheapest option of transfer from Ha Long to Sapa?
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- The most cheapest way of transfer to Sapa from Hai Phong is to travel by bus + train via Hanoi and Lao Cai. The most cheapest option should cost about $15-20/pp (bus + seat train).
8. How to book a private tour / activity to Sapa?
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- You can book private tours + tickets in Sapa on KLOOK ➜. There is a wide range of various trips and sightseeing tours or trekking tours, you can also rent a motorbike in Sapa town. You can also buy tickets for Fansipan Cable Car.
9. How to search and rent a motorbike in Vietnam?
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- There are various options how to book your motorbike in Vietnam. But you can do it easily online, try to search your bike at Bikesbooking ➜. There is a wide range of motorcycle rentals in Vietnam, e.g. in Hanoi, Da Nang, Nha Trang.
10. Is there a flight from Ha Long to Sapa?
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- No, there is no flight from Ha Long, Tuan Chau or Hai Phong to Sapa, travel by plane is not possible, Sapa has no airport.
11. Is there a direct train from Ha Long to Sapa?
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- No, there is no direct train from Ha Long to Sapa. But you can travel by train from Hai Phong to Hanoi and from Ha Long town to Hanoi (via Kep) and from Hanoi you can take another train to Lao Cai town.
12. Where you can travel from Sapa?
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- From Sapa town you can travel to Mu Cang Chai, Ha Giang or you can also travel back to Hanoi or Noi Bai Airport. There is no railway between Mu Cang Chai – Sapa and Ha Giang.
13. Where to accommodate in Sapa?
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- Sapa has already a wide range of various accommodation facilities. There are cheap and luxury hotels in Sapa town or you can use various local homestays nearby.
14. How to go from Sapa to Fansipan Mountain?
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- From Sapa town to Fansipan you can travel by mountain train + cable car or you can book a private trekking tour. The most comfortable and fast option of getting to Fansipan is to travel by modern cable car.
BOOK a TOUR / ACTIVITY in Sapa ➜
🚍 Bus Schedule / Timetable – Halong Bay to Sapa + Bus Tickets:
FULL UPDATED BUS SCHEDULE – CLICK HERE
Bus Schedule - Ha Long Bay to Sapa | Departs in Ha Long | Arrival in Sapa | Bus ticket - Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Phuc Xuyen | 07:30 | 15:40 | From $17.00 |
Phuc Xuyen | 11:00 | 19:10 | From $17.00 |
Phuc Xuyen | 19:45 | 03:55 | From $17.00 |
Grouptour | 03:45 | 12:40 | From $32.00 |
Grouptour | 05:50 | 14:50 | From $32.00 |
Grouptour | 06:45 | 16:45 | From $19.00 |
Grouptour | 08:00 | 16:55 | From $33.00 |
Grouptour | 09:00 | 17:55 | From $33.00 |
Grouptour | 10:00 | 18:55 | From $33.00 |
Grouptour | 11:00 | 21:00 | From $33.00 |
Grouptour | 14:00 | 22:55 | From $33.00 |
Grouptour | 18:30 | 03:25 | From $33.00 |
Techbus VN | 03:30 | 13:30 | From $31.00 |
Techbus VN | 03:30 | 13:30 | From $31.00 |
Techbus VN | 05:30 | 15:30 | From $31.00 |
Techbus VN | 06:45 | 16:45 | From $31.00 |
Techbus VN | 07:45 | 17:45 | From $31.00 |
Techbus VN | 08:45 | 18:45 | From $31.00 |
Techbus VN | 09:45 | 19:45 | From $31.00 |
Techbus VN | 10:45 | 20:45 | From $31.00 |
Techbus VN | 11:45 | 21:45 | From $31.00 |
Techbus VN | 12:45 | 22:45 | From $31.00 |
Techbus VN | 13:45 | 23:45 | From $31.00 |
Techbus VN | 14:45 | 00:45 | From $31.00 |
Techbus VN | 17:50 | 03:50 | From $31.00 |
Daiichi Travel | 06:00 | 16:00 | From $29.00 |
Daiichi Travel | 07:00 | 17:00 | From $29.00 |
Daiichi Travel | 08:00 | 18:00 | From $29.00 |
Daiichi Travel | 09:00 | 19:00 | From $29.00 |
Daiichi Travel | 10:00 | 20:00 | From $29.00 |
Daiichi Travel | 11:00 | 21:00 | From $29.00 |
Daiichi Travel | 12:00 | 22:00 | From $29.00 |
Daiichi Travel | 13:00 | 23:00 | From $29.00 |
Daiichi Travel | 14:00 | 00:00 | From $29.00 |
Daiichi Travel | 15:00 | 01:00 | From $29.00 |
Sapa Ethnic | 06:50 | 16:00 | From $18.00 |
Sapa Ethnic | 11:20 | 20:30 | From $18.00 |
Sapa Ethnic | 18:30 | 03:40 | From $18.00 |
Sapa Ethnic | 19:30 | 04:40 | From $18.00 |
Sapa Ethnic | 21:00 | 06:10 | From $32.00 |
Ha Long Bus Travel | 07:00 | 16:00 | From $20.00 |
Ha Long Bus Travel | 11:30 | 20:30 | From $20.00 |
Ha Long Bus Travel | 18:30 | 04:00 | From $20.00 |
Ha Long Bus Travel | 19:20 | 04:50 | From $16.00 |
Ha Long Bus Travel | 21:00 | 06:00 | From $16.00 |
Ha Long Bus Travel | 22:00 | 07:00 | From $16.00 |
New Way Travel | 07:30 | 17:30 | From $28.00 |
New Way Travel | 12:00 | 22:00 | From $28.00 |
New Way Travel | 17:30 | 03:30 | From $28.00 |
New Way Travel | 19:45 | 05:45 | From $28.00 |
New Way Travel | 22:00 | 08:00 | From $28.00 |
Full Moon Party | 18:50 | 04:10 | From $32.00 |
🚕 Taxi Schedule / Timetable – Halong Bay to Sapa + Fares:
Taxi Schedule - Ha Long Bay to Sapa | Departs in Ha Long | Travel Time | Price (Car) |
|---|---|---|---|
Saigon DMC | Any Time | 07:00 | From $158.00 |
Saigon DMC | Any Time | 07:00 | From $167.00 |
Saigon DMC | Any Time | 07:00 | From $284.00 |
Ouros Travel | Any Time | 07:00 | From $145.00 |
Ouros Travel | Any Time | 07:00 | From $154.00 |
Ouros Travel | Any Time | 07:00 | From $273.00 |
Ouros Travel | Any Time | 07:00 | From $293.00 |
Halong Trans. | Any Time | 07:30 | From $259.00 |
Halong Trans. | Any Time | 07:30 | From $306.00 |
Halong Trans. | Any Time | 07:30 | From $386.00 |
Taxi with VTS | Any Time | 06:00 | From $162.00 |
Taxi with VTS | Any Time | 06:00 | From $166.00 |
Taxi with VTS | Any Time | 06:00 | From $278.00 |
🎫 Book and buy your bus/train tickets, taxi from Ha Long to Sapa:
(you can change your departure and arrival, eg. Ha Long to Hanoi, Hanoi to Sapa…)