PH
Peter HMixed feelings about this experience.
My bus from Ha Giang to Ninh Binh was scheduled to depart at 8:30 PM, and I was instructed to arrive at the departure point 30 minutes before departure. I arrived more than 30 minutes early, but after speaking with one of the staff members, I was shocked to find out that the bus had already left.
I contacted the manager using the phone number on my ticket, and he confirmed that the bus was already far away and would not come back for me. This was honestly unbelievable to me, especially since I had arrived on time and had a valid ticket.
They offered me several options: stay in Ha Giang and travel the following day, or find another connection. I chose the latter. Unfortunately, there was no longer a direct bus to Ninh Binh, so I had to travel via Hanoi. I arrived in Hanoi after 3 AM and then had to wait another two hours for a minibus to Ninh Binh.
I initially had to pay for the replacement bus myself, while the agency covered the minibus from Hanoi. Once I arrived in Ninh Binh, the agency reimbursed me for the replacement bus, so in the end I did not lose any money.
I have to give credit to the manager, though. Communication with him was excellent. He clearly felt sorry about the situation, apologised on behalf of the driver, and genuinely tried to find the best possible solution.
Still, honestly, something like this has never happened to me before. Being left behind by a bus when you are already at the departure point more than 30 minutes before the scheduled departure is simply unacceptable.
So while I appreciate how the manager handled the situation afterwards, the fact that the bus left early despite me being there on time was a very disappointing experience.
Ha Giang to Ninh Binh, Bus Sleeper 38, Ninh Binh Footprint, Aug 16, 2026
AK
Anna KBooking said direct bus from ha giang to ninh binh, we ended up taking 4 different buses instead. We weren’t informed about the fact that we had to transfer to another bus instead Hanoi at 5am until after the booking. In Hanoi someone first had to take us to the other bus station before we could get on the bus to Ninh binh. We arrived on time but the failed communication about the fact that we had to transfer several times was unfortunate.
Ha Giang to Ninh Binh, Bus Single Cabin + VIP 11, G8 Sapa Open Tour (G8 Sapa Open Tour), Jul 13, 2026
JS
Jessica SSuper nice! Buses were perfect, the company rearranged my journey to go from Ha giang to Tam coc, even if my first bus was so late!
Ha Giang to Ninh Binh, Bus Single Cabin + VIP 11, G8 Sapa Open Tour (G8 Sapa Open Tour), Jul 12, 2026
LS
Lauren SWe took the overnight Single Cabin VIP bus from Ha Giang to Ninh Binh. The sleeper bus from Ha Giang to Hanoi was very comfortable. However, at 4 AM when we arrived to Hanoi, we were sent to a shuttle bus which drove around Hanoi for 1 hour dropping people off until we were dropped at a bus station for a different limousine bus from Hanoi to Ninh Binh. There was no information included in the booking about needing to transfer buses in the middle of the night, nor other communication made with us prior to the ride. I understand that there was a language barrier, but there was very little effort put in during the ride to inform us what was happening, so we spent multiple hours very confused about what was going on. We were mostly disappointed because we paid more than other options for a bus we thought we could sleep on for the whole night, yet we only got a couple hours of sleep.
Ha Giang to Ninh Binh, Bus Single Cabin + VIP 11, G8 Sapa Open Tour (G8 Sapa Open Tour), Jun 29, 2026
VF
Vicki FI booked a bus from ha Giang to tam coc and needed to transfer to the second bus in Hanoi. When I arrived, they told me the second bus had left me and I'd need to wait for the next one, one hour later. Window blinds were also shared with the cabin Infront and behind, which made the trip uncomfortable, as the other people wanted the blinds fully shut the whole trip.
Ha Giang to Ninh Binh, Bus VIP Cabin + Van Limousine, Tbus, Jun 11, 2026
KN
Klaus Ngood as always
Ha Giang to Ninh Binh, Bus Single Cabin + VIP 11, G8 Sapa Open Tour (G8 Sapa Open Tour), May 4, 2026
LH
Lara HWe could easily arrange pick up near our homestay. Even an employee showed up to check if everything worked well. Sleeping bus is not for tall people but comfortable and comfortable to travel.
Ha Giang to Ninh Binh, Bus Single Royal Cabin, Bang Phan, Apr 6, 2026
GG
Gabriel GIt was super uncomfortable. We had the last cabins and they were small and it did not work properly to flat the seat.
On the other hand, we forgot a bag at the pick up and they managed to get it before leaving ha Giang. If it was not for that it would be 1 star only.
It also stop A LOT in the middle of the road with no reason.
Ha Giang to Ninh Binh, Bus VIP Cabin, Ninh Binh Interbus, Mar 29, 2026
AA
Alycia AAggressive operators, got out every 15 minutes to smoke. Got to the destination 1h30 later than we were supposed to. Did not even drop us at the right place at 4h30 am.
Ha Giang to Ninh Binh, Bus Sleeper 38, Ninh Binh Footprint, Mar 19, 2026
FC
Fiona CThis bus service felt extremely misleading and poorly organized.
Despite providing the exact coordinates for the meeting point, the bus was not there when we arrived. This caused a lot of unnecessary stress as we tried to locate it while worrying about missing the departure time. The only positive aspect was that the WhatsApp support responded fairly quickly.
The bigger issue, however, was the booking itself. I originally booked a private cabin sleeper bus, which was confirmed on 12go. Shortly after booking, we were told the bus was actually fully booked. If that’s the case, why is it still being advertised and sold on the platform?
Instead of the bus we paid for, the organizer moved us to a different sleeper bus. I assumed this would be similar, just without the private cabin. Unfortunately, that was not the case at all. Me and my partner were placed in the back of the bus on a single mattress shared with three other people, five people total sleeping on roughly a 5m² space.
If I had knowingly booked this type of arrangement, I wouldn’t complain. But being downgraded from a private cabin to a shared mattress without any prior notice or refund is unacceptable.
To make matters worse, the overall experience felt very impersonal. Passengers were rushed onto the bus and directed where to sit or sleep with little explanation, which made the experience feel chaotic and uncomfortable.
@12go.asia: you should not advertise buses that are no longer available, and if customers are downgraded to a lower standard service, they should receive a refund or at least be informed beforehand.
Ha Giang to Ninh Binh, Bus VIP 34, Asian Bus Travel, Mar 11, 2026