HANOI to KUNMING → Train, Flight, Bus? ☀️

1. Train – Hanoi to Kunming
2. Flight – Hanoi to Kunming
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From Hanoi to Kunming in China you can travel by train or plane.

• • Traveling from Hanoi to Kunming in China covers approximately 530 km by plane or around 720 km by train via Lao Cai. Opting for a flight offers the fastest and most comfortable journey. While direct flights are available, schedules may be limited, with some flights requiring a stopover in another city within China. A direct flight from Hanoi Noi Bai Airport to Kunming Changshui International Airport typically takes about 1.5 hours.
  • Alternatively, you can choose to travel by train via Lao Cai. Commence your train journey from Hanoi to Lao Cai via Vietnam Railway, cross the border at Lao Cai to Hekou, and proceed to Hekou North, where you can board another train operated by China Railways bound for Kunming. Train options include seat+sleeper trains to Lao Cai and seat trains to Kunming. Travel time by train to Kunming (via Lao Cai + Hekou) typically ranges from 14 to 22 hours. Easily search and book train tickets or flights from Hanoi to Kunming in China online.

Kunming in the Yunnan province is very attractive destination in China.

• • Kunming (Kūnmíng, 昆明), the capital of Yunnan province in southwestern China, boasts a population of approximately 9 million inhabitants within the city prefecture. Situated in a picturesque mountainous region, Kunming serves as the principal political and economic center of Yunnan. The city, nestled on a plain at an altitude of 1890 meters, enjoys a mild climate, characterized by short, dry, and cold winters, and long, warm summers, offering respite from the scorching heat typical of the Chinese lowlands.
  • With its strategic location, Kunming serves as a vital transportation hub linking Southeast Asia and China, facilitating seamless travel to numerous popular destinations. Boasting more than 100 bus lines traversing various areas, Kunming ensures convenient intra-city travel. Travelers from Hanoi have two primary options for reaching Kunming – by plane or train via Lao Cai in Vietnam and Hekou in China, operated by Vietnam Railway + China Railways. Opting for a plane journey saves significant travel time. Additionally, from Hanoi, travelers can explore other destinations by plane or train, such as Guangzhou or Shanghai.

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1. Train from Hanoi to Kunming (via Lao Cai)

A) Train from Hanoi to Lao Cai (border town)

The first step of the train journey from Hanoi to Kunming in China is to travel by train from Hanoi to Lao Cai. Lao Cai is a border town in the north of Vietnam, about 2 km from China, and from there you can get to the city of Hekou, from where other Chinese trains leave for Kunming. From Hanoi to Lao Cai, you can use Vietnam Railways trains, which also include tourist sleeper trains.

Regular trains also have sleeping beds and seats, tourist only sleeping beds. Regular trains of Vietnam Railways are a cheaper option compared to tourist sleeper trains. Tickets from Hanoi to Lao Cai for ordinary trains cost about $10-17/pp (seats or beds), sleeping tourist trains cost on average $27-66/pp (depending on the type of train and the number of passengers in the cabin).

Tourist trains that go to Lao Cai are Livitrans Express, Violette Train, Laman Express, King Express, Sapaly Express, Fanxipan Express, VicSapa Train, Chapa Express and Damitrans Train. Most of them are well rated, offer quality services, good service and good comfort in the form of sleeping beds, mostly in cabins for 4 passengers. SP1 and SP3 trains, including tourist sleeper trains, depart at night and arrive in Lao Cai early in the morning.

Tourist sleeper trains are also referred to as trains to Sapa, although they do not go directly to Sapa town, there is no railway to Sapa town. The closest railway station to Sapa is in Lao Cai City. The train journey time from Hanoi to Lao Cai is approximately 8 hours and usually the departure and arrival times are respected. It is advisable to search and book train tickets to Lao Cai online in advance, due to the increased traffic and popularity of this route. Always read the instructions for tickets and transfers to Lao Cai carefully when booking.

• • Book and buy train e-tickets from Hanoi to Lao Cai on Baolau ➜ or 12go.asia ➜

Vietnam Railways trains – SP1, SP3:

• • 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) – price for one-way ticket from 270 000 – 400 000 Viet.dongs / 1 person
  • SP = new trains, LC3 = old train, carry-on baggage – 20 kg
  • seat selection available with online platforms

Tourist sleeper private trains (added to SP1 + SP3):

• • Livitrans Express, Violette Train, Laman Express, King Express, Sapaly Express, Fanxipan Express, VicSapa Train, Chapa Express, Damitrans Train
  • price from 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 train – VicSapa Train (price for ticket from 2 000 000 – 3 500 000 Viet.dongs)

B) From Hekou (China) to Kunming by train (400 km)

The next step of the journey is a transfer by Chinese train from Hekou North Railway Station. Hekou North Railway Station is approximately 5 km from the border with Vietnam at the town of Lao Cai. So after crossing the border from Lao Cai town to Hekou, it is best to take a private transfer/taxi to this station. From Hekou North, China Railway trains marked as C or K depart for Kunming, Kunming South and/or Kunming Railway Station.

There are approximately 4-5 trains between Hekou and Kunming every day that offer hard seats, 2nd class seats, 1st class seats and or standing on the trains. For most travelers, 2nd class seats will be fully sufficient, the route does not take too long if you use the faster C train. All these trains are air-conditioned and there is a toilet.

• • Book train e-tickets from Hekou North to Kunming on Baolau ➜ or 12go.asia ➜

The train travel time from Hekou to Kunming may vary, depending on which train you choose, but it is approximately 3.5-7 hours. Trains marked with the letter C are faster. Train tickets from Hekou to Kunming can also vary, depending on the class and type of train, but approximately costs around $14-30/pp. The most expensive option is seats in 1st class trains, the cheapest hard seats in 2nd class trains.

The journey by China Railway train to Kunming is mostly trouble-free, sometimes it can happen that the time of departure or arrival may be slightly different, there may be a delay. You can search and book train tickets from Hekou North to Kunming easily online and in advance, but read the instructions after you book your tickets online.

Please arrive at Hekou North station well in advance, at least 30-60 minutes before the train departs. Traveling by train in China is also a good choice if you want to see this country even in remote areas or in the countryside, most trains are modern and comfortable and also fast.

2. FLIGHT from Hanoi to Kunming

The fastest, most comfortable, but at the same time the most expensive way to get to Kunming from Hanoi is by air. However, the flight schedule of direct flights may be limited, so it is necessary to use flights with a transfer in another city, for example in Shenzhen. However, it is good to consider whether to choose a flight with a transfer at all, because it depends on how the flights connect to each other and whether you save any time at all.

Some airlines that operate direct flights and connecting flights from Hanoi to Kunming are Shenzhen Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and or China Eastern. The direct flight time from Hanoi to Kunming in China is approximately 1.5 hours, connecting flights can take much longer, e.g. 15-20 hours. These international flights are operated from Noi Bai International Airport to Kunming Changshui International Airport.

BOOK FLIGHT to Kunming here ➜

Flight prices from Hanoi to Kunming range from $120-200/pp, so it’s a more expensive option than the train transfer via Lao Cai and Hekou. When searching for direct flights, it is a good idea to choose different dates, or try to search for a flight on a different date, the flight schedule may be more limited.

From Kunming Changshui International Airport, Kunming city center can be reached by shuttle buses, private cars/taxi or subway. Travel distance from the airport to the city center is about 40 km. Flights from Hanoi to Kunming, China are easy to find online, always read carefully all instructions related to the transfer.

❓ FAQ + TIPS – Travel route from Hanoi to Kunming:

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(You can change your departure or arrival place, eg. Hanoi > Kunming (for direct flights)…)

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