How to go → PHONG NHA to SAPA? ☀️

1. Bus – Phong Nha to Sapa
2. Bus + Train to Sapa
3. Flight + Bus to Sapa
4. Bus + Taxi/Car to Sapa
🎫 Book a Tour in Sapa
🎫 Book Tickets Online

From Phong Nha to Sapa you can travel by bus or bus + train.

• • Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park lies at a considerable distance from Sapa in northern Vietnam, with a travel distance of approximately 830 km by land. To journey from Phong Nha to Sapa, travelers typically take one or two buses or minivans, first from Phong Nha to Hanoi and then from Hanoi to Sapa. Alternatively, they can opt for a train ride from Dong Hoi (45 km from Phong Nha) to Hanoi and then from Hanoi to Lao Cai (25 km from Sapa).
  • From Lao Cai to Sapa you can travel by local public bus or private car. It is also possible to travel by bus to Dong Hoi Airport, take a direct flight to Hanoi – Noi Bai Airport and from this airport you can travel by bus or private car to Sapa. Travel by bus + plane is the fastest option of getting to Sapa, but there is a bus transfer from Phong Nha to Dong Hoi Airport and from Hanoi – Noi Bai Airport to Sapa.

• BOOK TICKETS to Sapa with 12go.asia ➜

  • Booking bus or train tickets from Phong Nha-Ke Bang to Sapa is convenient and straightforward online. You can also search for tickets for individual routes, Phong Nha > Hanoi, Hanoi > Sapa, Dong Hoi > Hanoi. Notably, there are no direct flights connecting Phong Nha to Sapa as neither of these locations has an airport. Sapa ranks among the most sought-after tourist destinations in northern Vietnam, and Lao Cai town serves as a pivotal transportation hub in the region. From Sapa, travelers can easily reach Noi Bai Airport via tourist bus or private taxi, or opt to Ha Giang.

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How do I get from Phong Nha to Sapa?

1. SLEEPER BUS from Phong Nha to Sapa

The first option to travel from Phong Nha-Ke Bang to Sapa in northern Vietnam is by intercity sleeper bus. On this route, you can use some companies that start from Phong Nha and go all the way to Sapa. Some companies that go to Sapa are Sapa Discovery Travel, Duy Khanh Transport, Luxury Van Limousine or Vietnam Luxury Travel.

Other other companies also go to Hanoi first and then another bus to Sapa, so transfers with a changeover in Hanoi are also on offer. Between Phong Nha – Hanoi – Sapa there are many other different companies operating buses and from Hanoi to Sapa there are also minivans.

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The travel time by sleeper bus from Phong Nha to Sapa is about 15-17 hours, however, if you travel with a transfer in Hanoi, in 2 steps, the journey may take longer, depending on the transfer in Hanoi. However, be aware that buses in Vietnam may be late and the exact departure times may not be strictly observed.

Bus transportation from Phong Nha to Sapa by sleeper bus costs between $40-50/pp, these prices may change during the seasons. However, if you choose to change to another bus in Hanoi, the trip can be even cheaper, starting at, for example, $25-30/pp. Since it is a relatively long route, it is not a bad idea to split this trip into 2 trips and stop for a while in Hanoi and then continue to Sapa.

You can easily find and buy bus tickets from Phong Nha to Sapa online even in advance. You can also search separately for 2 travel routes, from Phong Nha-Ke Bang to Hanoi and from Hanoi to Sapa. When booking bus tickets to Sapa online, always read the transfer conditions and ticket instructions.

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2. BUS + TRAIN from Phong Nha to Sapa

If you would like to travel to Sapa by train, you can, it is possible to take a train from Dong Hoi (45 km from Phong Nha) to Lao Cai, but with a transfer in Hanoi. From Lao Cai, however, you must then take a local bus or private transfer to Sapa. The town of Sapa does not have a railway station, the nearest railway station is in the town of Lao Cai, approx. 35 km from the town of Sapa. This variant has a total of 4 steps and the transfer can take up to 23-30 hours in total, so it is good to consider whether this is the ideal way.

The first step is to take a local bus from Phong Nha to Dong Hoi, the local bus goes to Bến xe Nam Lý station, which is a short distance from the train station. Then you will continue by train from Dong Hoi to Hanoi, this transfer takes about 10-12 hours and there are regular Vietnam Railways trains and tourist sleeper trains available. In Hanoi, you will then continue by another train to Lao Cai city, this is the third step.

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From Hanoi to Lao Cai, you can use regular trains or tourist sleeper trains, which are very popular among tourists. Trains to Lao Cai from Hanoi run at night, so it is advisable to first research the timetables of the trains from Dong Hoi and Hanoi so that you can connect reasonably. The train journey from Hanoi to Lao Cai takes approximately 8 hours and again like from Dong Hoi, you should use the sleepers.

From Lao Cai, you can then continue to Sapa by local public bus or private car. This public bus or a slightly more expensive private minivan is fully sufficient. The journey by bus or car from Lao Cai to Sapa takes about 1-1.5 hours. Train and local bus tickets between Dong Hoi – Hanoi – Lao Cai – Sapa can be easily searched and purchased online in advance.

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3. FLIGHT + BUS from Phong Nha to Sapa

Another and faster, more convenient way to get from Phong Nha to Sapa is by bus and flight via Dong Hoi and Hanoi. This transfer option has a total of 3 steps, but in the end, if you plan it well, it can be the fastest option. Sapa city itself does not have an airport, so you can only use direct flights from Dong Hoi to Hanoi, and from Noi Bai airport, you can then take a bus, minivan or private car to Sapa.

The first step is to travel from Phong Nha to Dong Hoi Airport. There should be a local bus between these places, or go to the city and from the city you can easily take a private taxi to the airport. Inquire about this airport transfer option at your hotel in Phong Nha. Dong Hoi Airport is approximately 40 km from Phong Nha.

The second step is a direct air connection from Dong Hoi to Hanoi – Noi Bai Airport, which takes about 1 hour and these flights are operated by Vietnam Airlines. However, it is good to know that the flight schedule of these direct flights to Hanoi is very limited, and you must first get an overview of these flights.

Flights are therefore operated from Dong Hoi Airport to Noi Bai Airport (check the Vietnam Airport Map) and range in price from $50-100/pp depending on the flight class. It is advisable to arrive at Dong Hoi Airport at least 2.5 hours before departure. The advantage of these direct flights is that at Noi Bai airport near Hanoi you can directly use a bus transfer to Sapa city, there are also private cars/taxi with a driver in operation.

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The third step is to travel by bus from Noi Bai Airport to Sapa. The bus is the cheapest transfer option between these places, private taxis are of course the most expensive. The bus transfer from Noi Bai Airport to Sapa takes about 5-7 hours and tickets cost between $8-18/pp.

These bus services to Sapa from the airport are operated by Sapa Ethnic Travel, Daiichi Travel, Techbus VN, Inter Bus Lines, Grouptour, and Luxury Van Limousine, there may be others. Buses usually leave from the stop that is next to the parking area reserved for buses, you will see this information when searching for tickets. So check everything carefully and follow the directions and instructions of the transport companies.

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4. BUS + TAXI / CAR from Phong Nha to Sapa

If you would like to use a private transfer to Sapa, you can, but only from Hanoi. This means you have to take a sleeper bus from Phong Nha to Hanoi first and then use a private car with a driver to Sapa. It is of course the most expensive transport option and probably not suitable for ordinary solo low-cost travelers.

So the first step is a bus transfer from Phong Nha to Hanoi, which takes approximately 8-12 hours. On this route, you can use a variety of modern sleeper buses from companies such as TP Booking, Techbus VN, Sapa Discovery Travel, To Vietnam Travel, Green Trips, Queen Cafe, Luxury Van Limousine, Duc Duong, Hung Long, Grouptour and others.

These companies operate several connections per day and you will surely choose your suitable connection. Bus tickets to Hanoi from Phong Nha range from $13-30/pp, newer more modern buses are usually more expensive. Buses in Hanoi arrive at various locations or stations, you will see this information when searching for tickets on online platforms.

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The second step is to travel by private car with a driver from Hanoi to Sapa. On this route you can again use a number of private companies such as Saigon DMC, Tiim Group, Dichung Taxi, Grouptour, Ouros Travel, PacknGo and Booking Car. These companies will offer you modern smaller classic cars, SUVs and or minivans for groups of travelers.

Smaller cars are usually cheaper than minivans, a transfer from Hanoi to Sapa by private car costs between $90-300/car. You can easily search and book your private car with driver from Hanoi to Sapa online in advance. Multi-passenger minivans can also be beneficial for people traveling together in a group.

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❓FAQ + TIPS – Transport from Phong Nha to Sapa:

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Sapa to Ha Giang ➔