1. Bus / Van to Sapa
2. Bus + Train to Sapa
3. Taxi / Car to Sapa
🎫 Book a Tour Online
🎫 Book Ticket Online
From Mai Chau to Sapa by bus / van, train + bus or private taxi.
-
- The travel distance from Mai Chau to Sapa in Lao Cai spans approximately 500 km by land route through Hanoi. A convenient option to journey from Mai Chau to Sapa is via tourist bus through Hanoi, involving two steps – a bus to Hanoi and another bus from Hanoi to Sapa. This bus journey typically takes about 9-12 hours, with ticket prices ranging from $15 to $36 per person (for both bus legs). Multiple bus companies operate between Hanoi and Sapa, providing travelers with flexibility.
- Alternatively, travelers can opt for a bus + train combination, with trains departing from Hanoi to Lao Cai. As there are no direct trains to Sapa from Mai Chau due to the absence of train stations in both locations, travelers must board a train from Hanoi. The bus+train route via Hanoi and Lao Cai takes approximately 16 hours. Upon arrival in Lao Cai, travelers can take a local bus or taxi to Sapa, which is about 35 km away. Private transportation options, such as minivans or cars, can also be booked through Hanoi. There are no direct flights between Mai Chau and Sapa. Secure your bus/train tickets or private taxi/car from Mai Chau to Sapa online.
-
- Sapa in Lao Cai Province stands as a charming small town nestled at an altitude of 1,500 m. Historically, Sapa served as a spa town frequented by the French during the 19th century, leaving behind colonial buildings like the local church. Today, Sapa ranks as the most sought-after destination in northern Vietnam, boasting numerous indigenous villages inhabited by ethnic groups. Among them, the Black Hmong are prominent, recognized for their distinctive hemp clothes dyed with indigo.
- Sapa also serves as a gateway to Vietnam’s highest mountain, Phansipan, and offers opportunities for immersive homestays in the Muong Hoa Valley. Travelers have three popular routes from Mai Chau to Sapa – Lao Cai, with the fastest option being via Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. As weather conditions in Sapa can be unpredictable, it’s advisable to prepare accordingly by referring to our article on Weather in Sapa.
| Transfer Mode – Mai Chau to Sapa: | Travel Time | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Bus / Minivan | 9-12 hours | $15-40 |
| Bus + Train (via Hanoi, Lao Cai) | 16 hours | $20-160+ |
| Private Car / Taxi | 9-12 hours | $160-250 (vehicle) |
How do I get from Mai Chau to Sapa (Lao Cai)?
1. BUS from Mai Chau to Sapa (via Hanoi)
A) Bus / Minivan from Mai Chau to Hanoi
If you want to travel from Mai Chau to Sapa by bus or minibus, you must first take one route to Hanoi and from there take another bus to Sapa. The first step is to travel by bus or minivan from Mai Chau to Hanoi, which takes approximately 3-4.5 hours. This route is mostly driven by smaller, modern and comfortable minivans or minibuses, and tickets cost approximately $4-15/pp. The cheapest are older classic Vietnamese buses with seats.
From Mai Chau to Hanoi, you can use various private transport companies such as Anh Dung Limousine, Huong Kien, Daiichi Travel, Viet Nam Travel Bus, Nhat Anh Limousine, Grouptour, Truly Ha Giang. Buses and minivans arrive at various locations and stations in Hanoi, you will always see this when ordering tickets online. So you can search for tickets to Hanoi online even in advance, always carefully read all instructions related to the transfer.
B) Bus / Minivan from Hanoi to Sapa
The second step is to travel by bus or minibus from Hanoi to Sapa. This is one of the most used bus routes in the north of Vietnam, sought after mainly by foreign tourists. Between Hanoi and Sapa there are many buses with seats or sleeping beds or comfortable fast minivans of many private companies. Some of the companies that you can use for bus services to Sapa are Hason Haivan, InterBus Lines, Eco Sapa, Grouptour, Sapa Express, GoodMorning Sapa, Dragon Express, Truly Ha Giang, GreenLion Bus, Sao Viet, Ket Doan Travel, Sapa Ethnic Travel, Techbus VN or Duc Duong.
The bus schedule from Hanoi to Sapa is very long and runs every day, overnight and even on holidays. The bus ride to Sapa from Hanoi takes approximately 5.5-6 hours, depending on the type of bus and company, and the ticket costs approximately $6-22/pp. You can also use various sleeper buses directly from Noi Bai Airport to Sapa or from many different places in the center of Hanoi.
The offer includes older, but also very new and modern sleeper buses, smaller modern minibuses and or minivans for groups of travelers, the offer is really very wide and everyone can choose the desired connection.
2. BUS + TRAIN from Mai Chau to Sapa (via Hanoi)
A) Bus / Van from Mai Chau to Hanoi
As mentioned above, you can use many private minivans, minibuses or smaller buses from Mai Chau to Hanoi. The bus ride to Hanoi from Mai Chau will take you approximately 3-4.5 hours and the fare ranges from $4-15/pp. There is no railway from Mai Chau to Hanoi, so a minivan or bus is the most used ground transfer option for solo travelers.
B) Train from Hanoi to Lao Cai
The second step is to travel by train from Hanoi to the city of Lao Cai, which is approximately 2 km from the Chinese border. Lao Cai is the nearest train station to Sapa city, there is no direct train to Sapa city. Regular Vietnam Railways trains run on this route, including more comfortable tourist sleeper trains such as New Livitrans Express, Violette Trains, King Express, Fanxipan Express, Chapa Express, Sapaly Express, Laman Express, Damitrans or VicSapa Train.
Regular trains offer seats or sleeping berths, these trains are cheaper than tourist sleeper trains, but tourists still use the more comfortable tourist trains for traveling to Sapa. Train tickets from Hanoi to Lao Cai start at around $10-18/pp for regular trains and tourist trains range from $29-70/pp.
It depends on the type of train you choose and how many passengers are in the cabin, some tourist trains have cabins for 2-4 passengers, regular trains are mostly with sleeping beds in cabins for 6 passengers. The train journey to Lao Cai from Hanoi takes approximately 8 hours and you will arrive in the city in the morning, from there you can continue by bus or private transfer to the city of Sapa.
BOOK TRAIN TICKETS to Lao Cai ➜
C) Bus / Taxi from Lao Cai City to Sapa town
The last step is the transfer from Lao Cai city to Sapa city. In this step, you must use a public bus service or possibly another private transfer by car/taxi. The cheapest option of transportation from Lao Cai to Sapa is a public bus, tickets range from $1.60-2.00/pp. This bus departs from the train station and arrives in Sapa city center.
Other options are private minivans or minibuses, tickets for these multi-person minivans cost about $4.00-7.00/pp. Private car/taxi is also a transportation option to Sapa, it is the most expensive option and you can book your car online. A private taxi/car from Lao Cai to Sapa costs on average 30-60/car, depending on the type of car you choose, you can also book a whole minivan for more people.
-
- You can book tickets or taxi/car from Lao Cai to Sapa online on Baolau ➜ or 12go.asia ➜
Driving time by public local bus or private car/taxi from Lao Cai to Sapa takes about 1-1.5 hours. Bus tickets or a private taxi/car from Lao Cai to Sapa can again be easily searched and booked online. Again, read all instructions for transportation by bus and private car to Sapa. A bus transfer from Lao Cai to Sapa will be a sufficient and cheap mode of transport for most solo travellers visiting northern Vietnam.
3. PRIVATE CAR / TAXI to Sapa (with stop in Hanoi)
A) Private Taxi / Car from Mai Chau to Hanoi
If you want to travel from Mai Chau to Sapa by private car/taxi, you can also use this option, because it is available. However, you must first go by car or taxi to Hanoi and from there use another private transfer to Sapa. So this option has 2 steps and you can visit and explore the capital city of Hanoi on this occasion. From Mai Chau to Hanoi, the journey by private car takes approximately 3-4 hours and you can use the companies Saigon DMC, Taxi with VTS, Ouros Travel, which will offer you modern and comfortable cars or minivans for more people.
These companies that offer private cars are also well rated by other travelers, they are verified and reliable companies with a good reviews. A private taxi/car transfer from Mai Chau to Hanoi costs around $70-140/car, depending on the type of car you book and choose. Private cars or taxi from Mai Chau to Hanoi can be searched and booked online well in advance or during your trip in Vietnam.
B) Private Taxi / Car from Hanoi to Sapa
The second step is a transfer by private car or taxi from Hanoi to Sapa. Many private companies operate on this route and they will again offer you new and modern cars, SUVs or minivans for more people. The offer is very wide and companies that offer cars are e.g. Ouros Travel, Taxi with VTS, Tiim Group, Booking Car, Saigon DMC, PacknGo, Dichung.
Prices for private transfers also vary depending on the type of car, a private car from Hanoi to Sapa costs between $85-300/car, again it depends on the type of car you choose for your transport. Minivans or SUVs are usually more expensive options than smaller classic cars. Transport by private car from Hanoi to Sapa is the fastest transfer option and takes approximately 4-5 hours, according to the company.
The transfer from Noi Bai Airport is faster than from Hanoi city center. The advantage of a private transfer is that you can choose your departure and arrival points in Sapa, so you save some time for other intermediate transfers. Again, you can find and book a private taxi/car to Sapa from Hanoi online.
❓ FAQ + TIPS – Travel from Mai Chau to Sapa / Lao Cai:
1. How to book and buy tickets from Mai Chau to Sapa?
2. What is the transfer time from Mai Chau to Sapa?
-
- Travel by bus/minivan from Mai Chau to Sapa (via Hanoi) takes about 9-12 hours.
- Travel by bus+train from Mai Chau to Sapa (via Hanoi, Lao Cai) takes about 16 hours.
- Travel by private car/taxi Mai Chau to Sapa (via Hanoi) takes about 9-12 hours.
3. Are there some tourist sleeper trains to Lai Cai from Hanoi?
-
- Yes, there are night sleeper tourist trains to Lai Cai from Hanoi, regular sleeper train of VR and private tourist trains. Travel by sleeper train from Hanoi to Lao Cai takes about 8 hours. Book train tickets for these trains online in advance. More informations about these trains > 10 Luxury Trains to Lao Cai.
4. What is the price of transfer from Mai Chau to Sapa?
-
- Travel by bus/minivan from Mai Chau to Sapa (via Hanoi) costs about $15-40.
Travel by bus+train from Mai Chau to Sapa (via Hanoi, Lao Cai) costs about $20-160+. - Travel by private car/taxi Mai Chau to Sapa (via Hanoi) costs about $270-350 (vehicle).
- Travel by bus/minivan from Mai Chau to Sapa (via Hanoi) costs about $15-40.
5. What is the travel distance from Mai Chau to Sapa?
-
- Travel distance from Mai Chau to Sapa (via Hanoi) is about 500 km by bus, train via Hanoi.
6. What is the fastest way of transport from Mai Chau to Sapa?
-
- The fastest way of transport from Mai Chau to Sapa is to travel by private car/taxi or minivan via Hanoi.
7. Is there a direct train from Mai Chau to Sapa?
-
- There is no direct train from Mai Chau to Sapa. Mai Chau and Sapa have no railway stations. If you want to travel by train you have to go to Hanoi and from Hanoi you can travel by train to Lao Cai. Lao Cai is about 35 km from Sapa town.
8. Is there a flight from Mai Chau to Sapa?
-
- There is no flight, Mai Chau and Sapa have no airports, it is not possible to travel by plane.
9. Where you can travel by bus from Sapa?
-
- You can travel and visit the most beautiful rice terraces in northern Vietnam – Mu Cang Chai (it takes about 4 hours). You can also travel by bus to Ha Giang and visit Dong Van Karst Global Geopark, Lung Cu Flag Tower or Ma Pi Leng Pass. Ha Giang province is one of the most fascinating provinces in the north, mountain passes, valleys and amazing nature. You can also go back to Hanoi.
10. Is there also another travel route how to reach Sapa from Mai Chau?
-
- Teoretically you can also travel via Moc Chau and Son La towns in the northwest of Vietnam. There are some local buses from Mai Chau to Moc Chau – Son La and Sapa. But this option takes a lot of time and bus schedules of these local buses between these towns are very limited. It is better and fast to travel via Hanoi.
11. How to travel solo in Vietnam?
-
- Discover the wonders of solo travel in Vietnam as you explore ancient temples, cruise through scenic landscapes or karst sceneries, hike various national parks and ethnic villages and connect with the warm-hearted locals, creating a personalized journey of cultural immersion and breathtaking experiences.
12. What are the most interesting things or facts about Vietnam?
-
- Vietnam, a country with a captivating allure, is celebrated for its breathtaking landscapes, including the mesmerizing limestone karsts of Halong Bay, the terraced rice fields of Sapa, and the bustling waterways of the Mekong Delta. Its rich history unfolds through ancient temples in Hanoi, the imperial city of Hue, and the Cu Chi Tunnels, providing a glimpse into Vietnam’s resilience during wartime. The country’s vibrant culture, delicious cuisine, and warm hospitality further enhance the allure of this Southeast Asian gem. Read this: 15 Interesting Things of Vietnam.
13. What to expect from Vietnam Culture?
-
- Expect a vibrant cultural tapestry in Vietnam, characterized by traditional values, a strong sense of community, and a deep-rooted respect for family. You’ll encounter a fusion of French, Chinese, and indigenous influences in art, architecture, and cuisine. Traditional water puppetry, folk music, and dance performances showcase the country’s artistic flair. The importance of rituals and festivals in daily life adds a colorful dimension, while the warmth and friendliness of the Vietnamese people make for a welcoming and enriching cultural experience.
14. What is the weather in Vietnam and what to expect?
-
- Weather in Vietnam varies with a tropical climate featuring distinct wet and dry seasons. In the north, the dry season (October to April) brings cooler temperatures, while the wet season (May to September) is marked by higher humidity and heavy rainfall. Central Vietnam experiences a dry period (January to August) with lower humidity and a wet season (September to December) characterized by increased rainfall. In southern Vietnam, the dry season (December to April) offers warm temperatures, while the wet season (May to November) brings higher humidity and occasional heavy rainfall. For accurate information, check local forecasts.
BOOK a TOUR / ACTIVITY in Sapa ➜
3 Ways of Transfer from Mai Chau to Sapa:
| 1. BUS from Mai Chau to Sapa (via Hanoi) | |
|---|---|
| A) Bus / Minivan from Mai Chau to Hanoi | |
| Travel Time | About 3-4.5 hours |
| Bus Ticket Cost | About $12-14/pp |
| Bus Companies | Grouptour, Truly Ha Giang |
| B) Bus / Minivan from Hanoi to Sapa | |
| Travel Time | About 5.5-6 hours |
| Bus Ticket Cost | About $9-22/pp |
| Bus Companies | InterBus Lines, Hason Haivan, Sapa Express, Sao Viet, Hung Thanh, Eco Sapa… |
| 2. BUS + TRAIN from Mai Chau to Sapa (via Hanoi, Lao Cai) | |
| A) Bus from Mai Chau to Hanoi | |
| Travel Time | About 3-4.5 hours |
| Bus Ticket Cost | About $12-14/pp |
| Bus Companies | Grouptour, Truly Ha Giang… |
| B) Train from Hanoi to Lao Cai | |
| Travel Time | About 8 hours |
| Train Ticket Cost | About $7-18/pp for Vietnam Railways trains, $32-147/pp for tourist trains |
| Train Companies | Oriental Express, Fansipan Express, Violette Train, Livitrans… |
| C) Bus / Taxi from Lao Cai City to Sapa town | |
| Travel Time | About 1-1.5 hours |
| Bus Ticket Cost | About $1.30/pp |
| Transport Options | Local public bus or taxi |
| 3. PRIVATE CAR / TAXI to Sapa (with stop in Hanoi) | |
| Transport Options | Private car / taxi with stopover in Hanoi |
| Taxi Companies | Ouros Travel, Dichung Taxi, Grouptour, VTS Taxi, Tiim Group, Booking Car… |
| Private Car / Taxi Cost | About $160-250/pp (vehicle, car) |
🎫 Book your bus/train tickets from Mai Chau to Sapa + Schedule:
(You can change your travel route, eg. Hanoi to Sapa/Lao Cai, Sapa to Mu Cang Chai…)
Ha Long > Phong Nha｜Danang > Hanoi｜Mai Chau > NinhBinh｜Hanoi > Moc Chau｜HaiPhong > Danang｜Tuy Hoa > Saigon｜Hanoi > Quy Nhon