Sapa Express

4.6
923 customer reviews
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  • Popular Routes
  • Stations
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About Sapa Express

Company Information

Sapa Express is one of the major bus companies directly connecting Sapa with Hanoi, a bus journey that many visitors consider a good alternative to the train, not least because you won't have to change in Lao Cai and it is faster

You can find the offices of Sapa Express at 12 Ly Thai To in Hanoi, close to Hoan Kiem Lake, and at 2 Cau May in Sapa itself.

Routes served by Sapa Express

Hanoi–Sapa

Sapa Express offers one route only – Hanoi to Sapa and vice versa. There is one bus per day heading in each direction, at 06.45 from Hanoi which will arrive in Sapa at around 12.15 and an afternoon bus from Sapa at 15.45, scheduled to arrive at 21.15. Both trips take around 5 ½ hours and will cost VND374,000.

All the buses used by Sapa Express are VIP buses with either 28 or 32 reclining seats, with air-conditioning, wifi, snacks and water included throughout the journey. Wifi can be spotty and may not be working on all vehicles. It's not the end of the world.

Pros

The seats are very comfortable and recline surprisingly far back so you won't feel as though you're cramped on the bus, instead you'll have plenty of room. There's also usually two breaks during the journey so you can purchase snacks or stretch your legs for a few minutes.

The journey itself is also much quicker by bus. Travelling by train means you'll have to get off at Lao Cai and then travel on the next leg of the journey to Sapa by bus which adds time. Using Sapa Express means you'll be dropped off right in the centre of Sapa and you won't be exhausted from your journey.

Not only is the bus journey much quicker than catching the train, it's also considerably cheaper. A Sapa Express ticket is less than half the price of a space in a four-berth carriage with many private operators and under a quarter of the cost of a two-berth compartment.

Cons

One of the downsides with opting for Sapa Express is that you have limited departure options, for example, it's only possible to leave Hanoi early in the morning which may not suit your schedule.

Similarly, if you're heading to Hanoi then you will have to travel for the majority of the afternoon, arriving after 21.00, and then have to find accommodation.

One of the bonuses of travelling via overnight train is that the cost also covers a night’s accommodation, which is not the case when choosing Sapa Express.

Keep in mind

It's possible to arrange for Sapa Express to pick you up from your hotel and take you to the bus station, this is particularly useful if you are catching the Hanoi – Sapa bus at 06.45 as it may be difficult for you to arrive in time if your hotel is located away from the city centre.

Sometimes, there is also an English-speaking guide aboard these buses who will be able to assist you if you have any issues during your trip. Please note that we say 'sometimes'.

Travellers reviews

Travellers who choose Sapa Express are always surprised by how comfortable the buses are, you can just recline your seat and relax for the whole journey. Visitors are also pleased with the cost of the bus tickets and many locals and travellers alike will only consider buses for a journey of this length.

One advantage of train travel is the views when you're close to Lao Cai. For most of the train journey it will be too dark to see anything but the final hour or so of the trip rewards you with stunning views. Unfortunately, the scenery for much of the bus ride is fairly dull by comparison, but you'll reach Sapa earlier so you can make up for it by exploring the countryside when you arrive!

Often the overnight buses arrive very early in Hanoi. Sometimes you will be able to sleep on the bus for a couple more hours and sometimes you will not. If you can't please embrace the chance to experience Hanoi as it is just waking up. It is a unique side to the nation's capitol and there's no need to be afraid of the dark!

Read more

Sapa Express Popular Routes

Hanoi - Sapa
Bus VIP 28
07:00
Bus VIP 15
15:00
Bus VIP 18 Express
15:00
Bus VIP Cabin lower berth
22:00
Bus VIP Cabin upper berth
22:00
Sapa - Hanoi
Bus VIP 18 Express
07:30
Bus VIP Cabin upper berth
14:00
Bus VIP Cabin lower berth
14:00
Bus VIP 28
15:00
Hanoi - Quang Ninh
08:00, 08:30
Quang Ninh - Hanoi
11:30, 12:00
NaN Passengers

Sapa Express Stations

Hanoi SapaExpressSa Pa SapaExpressTuan Chau HarbourSun Harbour13 Hang Thung Hanoi

Sapa Express Company Reviews

T
It was a great ride. English speaking conductor, very comfortable seats, water was provided. There were bathroom and lunch breaks announced clearly and we got to Sapa without any hassle. Perfect!
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Dec 3, 2023
M H
A very good service. Pickup points were very good. Also a very good driver and Gladly again. Thanks.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Nov 11, 2023
J W
Very comfortable bus. Excellent driver and fluent English speaking guide Max.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Oct 12, 2023
G
Good AC, good timing, good sleeping. Always check cabin measures before book
Bus VIP Cabin lower berth, Sapa Express, Oct 4, 2023
M
clean bus, friendly staff, they will stop every 2 hour, so you can go to rest room or buy food , but a little bit smelly. you will get a bottle of water and blanket, best sleeper bus i ever tried
Bus VIP Cabin lower berth, Sapa Express, Sep 23, 2023
L H
All in all very good, toilet break every 2 hours and sufficient communication skills.
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Bus VIP Cabin lower berth, Sapa Express, Sep 15, 2023
A S
The bus was on time and the driver and co-driver were both very nice, although you need to work on the behaviour and manners of the person who manages the phone calls to customers. They get very irritating. Rest all was fabulous. Strongly recommend it to all travellers.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Jul 17, 2023
S A
Bus was very comfortable, staff was exceptionally helpful
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Jul 14, 2023
A
Spacious cabin, with water. The air was a bit loud. The movement of the bus due to the road makes it difficult to sleep if you are a light sleeper, but it is comfortable compared to others.
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Bus VIP Cabin upper berth, Sapa Express, Jul 11, 2023
M H
Good, clean bus, good service. Comfortable, reclining seats with plenty of space. Would definitely book Sapa Express again next time. Had to travel with another company on the return journey because Sapa Express was fully booked. This provider was significantly worse than Sapa Express.
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Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Jul 4, 2023
A R
We left on time, even 10 or 15 minutes before the scheduled time. The seats were very comfortable with the option to recline and charge the cell phone. We were given a bottle of water and made two stops of 30 and 15 minutes respectively. There were only 5 people on the bus. Prudent and correct driving.
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Bus VIP 15, Sapa Express, Jun 26, 2023
A H
These guys are running a different service to everyone else. The coach was super comfy, with 3 seats in a row, and a tour guide with fluent English explained all the stops to us and helped with any issues. Can't recommend enough.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Jun 22, 2023
M C
We took the Sa Pa Express in both directions from/to Hanoi. Both guides and drivers were excellent. The bus was spacious and comfy. Definitely the best bus experience of our Vietnam trip. On the return trip we hit a heavy storm with lots of car drivers pulling over due to the conditions. Our driver continued safely and got us back on schedule despite the chaos on the roads.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Jun 8, 2023
T G
The driver was courteous and drove us to our hotel.
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Bus VIP 21, Sapa Express, Jun 6, 2023
J Ø
Good seats with a lot of legroom. The staff was very informative, and helped us with the transport from saps to our hotel. We also got a bottle of water on the bus. We had to stops were we could buy food, and go to the toilet.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, May 17, 2023
S S
Feels like the operator is rushing everyone to do everything quickly.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, May 4, 2023
D G
All was good. Clean, comfortable, on time.
Bus VIP Cabin upper berth, Sapa Express, Mar 11, 2023
O P
Sometimes problematic rescheduling
Bus VIP 15, Sapa Express, Feb 23, 2023
K L
Excellent trip, almost arrived on time, very comfortable and clean. Booked a different company (way worse) on the return trip and can just recommend booking with sapa express.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Feb 1, 2023
J B
Sa Pa Express was just the best bus company ever. Everything was perfectly organized, bus attendant spoke perfect english and cared for the guests on the bus. He made sure that everyone on the bus has an accomodation and got a taxi to theirs. I enjoyed the ride and felt safe and informed all the time.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Jan 2, 2023
D B
Great service, everything in time. We could sleep till 6am in the bus.
Bus VIP Cabin upper berth, Sapa Express, Dec 14, 2022
M V
Good support from the company in case of questions. Very reactive. Good services. Seats confortable. The driver had a nice driving.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Nov 27, 2022
A F
They picked us up at our hotel, the bus was comfortable, we had two stops on our six hour trip and arrived on time. Absolutely nothing to complain about.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Nov 4, 2022
L Q
comfortable ride and helpful guide
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Oct 30, 2022
W P
Comfortable vehicle, at pick-up point has an office. There are good information officers who can communicate in English. When we reach our destination at 4.00 A.M., it's still dark and we can sleep in the car until morning and continue our journey. This trip was impressive.
Bus VIP Cabin lower berth, Sapa Express, Oct 22, 2022
R R
Very comfortable
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Oct 21, 2022
N A
It was smooth process, went to the office to get tickets printed, board the bus and reached sapa at 4am and were allowed to stay on board till 6am.
Bus VIP Cabin upper berth, Sapa Express, Oct 17, 2022
V T
Clean, comfortable and great service.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Oct 10, 2022
C
Der Bus war komfortbel und pünktlich.Wir kamen mit nur 30 min Verspätung in Sapa an.Da es erst 4:30 Uhr war und noch dunkel, durften wir sogar noch nach Ankunft im Bus weiter schlafen.Nue das W-Lan funktionierte leider nicht. Es ist sehr zu empfehlen und war auch recht günstig im Vergleich zu den einfachen Sleeper Bussen.Wenn möglich entscheide ich mich wieder für die ,,Luxusvariante".
Bus VIP Cabin upper berth, Sapa Express, Oct 2, 2022
T F
On time and the bus stop is where it said it would be. The guide helped people get a taxi at the destination.
Bus VIP Cabin lower berth, Sapa Express, Sep 30, 2022
J K
Netjes gereden. 2 stops onderweg.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Sep 29, 2022
A S
The trip was comfortable and we had a tour guide who spoke very good English. The pick-up at the hotel worked very well and we felt sufficiently informed. There were two stops on the trip where you could go to the toilet or buy something to eat and drink. The journey took about 6 hours.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Sep 26, 2022
M
Seats were very comfortable and the Driver even dropped us off at our hotel in Ha Long!
Bus VIP 15, Sapa Express, Sep 21, 2022
N F
The buses are very confortable, there are several stops on the way to pick more people up, the lights turn on and there is a little bit more noisy.
Bus VIP Cabin, Sapa Express, Aug 23, 2022
P G
Very confortable
Bus VIP Cabin lower berth, Sapa Express, Aug 23, 2022
J P
They are wonderful! We left on time and arrived a bit earlier. The driver was super cautious and drove safely. The attendant spoke English fluently.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Aug 14, 2022
M I
Nice experience! All was good
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Aug 13, 2022
T E
The ride was smooth. The assistant on the bus is professional & helpful.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Aug 13, 2022
D P
Easy trip, the bus was on time, very confortable, the staff very nice, I recommend 100%
Bus VIP 15, Sapa Express, Aug 9, 2022
T S
If you are at all doubtful which bus to choose, choose sapa express. This is in a league separate from the rest. Took three 22 seat vip. Bus was spotless and nice. Ride was on time, extremely comfortable. Free water bottle. A person who helped with information. Overall was impressed. The office is in old quarter in Hanoi and can be easily accessed. Pickup from near the hotel.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Aug 6, 2022
C P
On time. Comfy.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Aug 2, 2022
C M
Bus is clean an comfortable. The team is very friendly. And everything was very punctual. We can recommend that bus. The only point: it would be nice if you could tell all the guests in the beginning to wear masks. One lady next to us seemed sick and was coughing all the time. Hopefully we are not sick now because we both feel a scratching in the throat wince today.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Jul 26, 2022
K M
Our first save Bus drive in Vietnam. Highly recommended
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Jul 21, 2022
R B
Fantastic Just a pity there was no toilet on the bus.
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Jul 21, 2022
S S
The staff at the Sapa office were nice. The seats were ok but not as nice as the sleeping bus versions. The worst part was the driver - he thought he was playing a game of grand theft auto. We felt like we were going to crash at any moment. He also did multiple pickups on the side of the road on the way to Hanoi
Bus VIP 28, Sapa Express, Jun 23, 2022
A M
Great trip, comfortable and well organized, on-time arrival
Bus VIP-Class, Sapa Express, Jun 6, 2022
A M
Well organized, provided with clear instructions on where to be and when, good communication, very comfortable bus, and arrived on time.
Bus VIP 20, Sapa Express, Jun 2, 2022
J T
Everything was nice, from the service to the vehicle. A bottle of water and a Croissant was provided, rest stops are spaced out nicely. The vehicle was clean and comfortable. The driver even stopped outside of the hotel for us. However, the biggest gripe that I have was that during the entire trip from Sapa to Hanoi (5hrs~), there were 5-6 mosquitoes in the vehicle. It was so annoying during the entire trip getting bitten everywhere. Unfortunately the mosquito issue really killed the experience for me, other than that, actually pretty good!
Bus VIP-Class, Sapa Express, May 14, 2022
A B
Was a very peaceful ride and because we were the only people on the bus the driver dropped us off at our hotel. Definitely recommend!
Bus VIP 20, Sapa Express, May 11, 2022
J H
I can’t tell anything because we didn’t go because everything was closed in Sapa because of Corona . We payed for a trip and had nothing.
Bus VIP 20, Sapa Express, Mar 19, 2020
4.6
923 customer reviews
5
67%
4
25%
3
6%
2
2%
1
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98.4% of 923 travelers were presumably happy with Sapa Express as they left good or no review