Lao Cai to Hanoi by train, bus, van, taxi from VND 222k

Lao Cai to Hanoi Destination Reviews

Steffen K

Good trip! We booked a private cabin - which means that the upper bunks were simply put aside. It‘s nice though and there are some complimentary snacks and beverages (incl. Beer) in the cabin. A/C cannot be adjusted. Good and clean toilet for the wagon. It‘s thin mattresses on plain wood - the bed. is VERY hard! We actually used the mattresses of the upper bunks as well and the worked quite okay. Walking by, it looked like some other luxury cabins had no upper bunks and thicker mattresses. We even saw one cabin with a double-bed.

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP4 1st Class Sleeper, Laman Express, Dec 19, 2025

Martin S

The WiFi box was just in front of our cabin, but there was no password given anywhere. Not in the email, voucher or in the train. There were less snacks (just 1 potato chips/p) as in the Levitrans train. No "fruits" at all (as mentioned in the booking). But the cabin was more clean (also under the bed). And the bath room was ok as well. Sadly, there seems always one passenger that cannot live without smoking and do so in between wagons, causing the ventilation to suck in the smoke and blow it into your cabin. The train staff does not care, even though there are signs that prohibit smoking.

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train VIP Cabin with twin beds, Damitrans, Dec 10, 2025

Younes S

If you don't value your life and you love the movie Fast and Furious, this trip is for you ! very, very dangerous driver

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Van VIP 9, Eco Sapa Limousine (Eco Sapa Limousine), Dec 8, 2025

Akash B

Overall experience was really nice. The staffs were very helpful and nice. They helped us with checking in our coach. The beds were really comfortable.

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP4 Deluxe Sleeper 4x, Chapa Express, Dec 4, 2025

Farah A

I was travelling with my 80 years old mother on walking stick and my niece, so she was the one who has to climb up the upper deck. it was challenging we had a good laugh and enjoyed our trip. both cabin & toilet were clean and comfortable

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP4 Deluxe Sleeper 4x, Chapa Express, Nov 29, 2025

Birgit

The door of the cabin was broken and it was difficult to open it. We felt a bit trapped in the small cabin. We could not find anyone on the train to complain about the door.

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP4 VIP Cabin 2x, Chapa Express, Nov 19, 2025

Aditya K

Recommended train service operator. Comfortable and punctual service, with snacks & refreshments onboard.

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP4 VIP Sleeper 4x, Laman Express, Nov 16, 2025

Stefan H

Overall okay. It was hot inside the cabins and the beds are hard. Apart from that everything was fine.

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP4 VIP Sleeper 4x, Laman Express, Nov 13, 2025

Marc B

Nice experience, great staff and comfortable journey

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP8 Deluxe Shared 4x, NewLivitrans Express, Nov 9, 2025

Long M

Very comfortable berth in the bus. Enjoyable break during the trip. Bus delayed by one hour.

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train Cabin 4x, Violette Trains, Nov 5, 2025

4.4

324 customer reviews

45%

31%

15%

Lao Cai to Hanoi Schedule

Type	Operator	Class	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Price	Rating
Bus	Asian Bus Travel	Royal Cabin	00:00	05:00	$18.99	5.0
Bus	Phong Khanh	Limousine 34	00:20	05:20	$11.39
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	00:40	05:20	$11.39
Bus	Futa Ha Son	Limousine 34	01:00	05:40	$11.01
Bus	Phuc Lam Limousine	Limousine 11	02:30	06:15	$15.19
Bus	Sao Viet	Sleeper	04:30	10:25	$9.49	3.5
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	04:55	09:55	$12.53
Bus	Futa Ha Son	Limousine 24	05:15	11:25	$15.95	2.0
Bus	Sao Viet	Sleeper	05:37	09:40	$9.49
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	05:55	10:55	$12.53
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	06:15	11:40	$12.53
Bus	Sao Viet	Sleeper	06:37	10:40	$9.49
Bus	HK Sapa Open Tour	Lower Single Cabin	06:55	12:40	$14.05
Bus	Techbus VN JSC	VIP 22	07:15	13:00	$17.85	3.0
Bus	Sao Viet	Sleeper	07:37	11:40	$9.49
Bus	April Adventure	VIP16 Express	07:55	13:25	$20.16
Bus	Sao Viet	Sleeper	08:14	12:40	$8.36
Bus	Inter Bus Lines	Sleeper 44	08:30	14:00	$6.84
Van	Phuc Lam Limousine	Van 9pax	08:50	12:35	$15.19
Bus	Techbus VN JSC	VIP 22	09:15	15:00	$17.85	3.0

How to get from Lao Cai to Hanoi

When you want to get from Lao Cai to Hanoi, you have a few options to consider. Traveling between these destinations is possible by different means of transport:

Bus
Train
Van
Taxi

If you’re looking for a quick trip, it’s recommended that you use Taxi. However, if you’d rather take your time with a slower, more affordable travel option, you can book a Train ticket.

The cost of travel will depend on the means of transport you choose for your trip. A taxi ticket is the most expensive option - it will cost you about USD 379.78. If you want to save on transportation, it’s better to take a bus as a bus ticket costs as low as USD 8.42.

How much does it cost to get from Lao Cai to Hanoi?

The cost of the trip from Lao Cai to Hanoi varies according to what means of transport you choose for your journey. The most affordable operator is King Express Bus: travelling by bus expect to pay as low as USD 8.42 for your ticket.

However, if you’re after more upscale travel . The most expensive variant is to opt for a taxi - a one-way taxi ticket can cost as much as USD 379.78.

Here is a chart of the average ticket prices and transportation options available from Lao Cai to Hanoi:

Bus tickets - USD 8.42 to USD 154.52;
Bus+taxi price: USD 9.97. From Lao Cai to Hanoi starting from 15:30 645 Dien Bien Phu until 15:30 645 Dien Bien Phu
Train tickets - USD 11.92 to USD 145.42;
Van price : USD 14.62 - USD 19.75;
Bus+Van price: USD 27.90. From Lao Cai to Hanoi starting from 07:50 494 Dien Bien Phu until 07:50 494 Dien Bien Phu

You can order a taxi, too - an estimated cost of the ride is from USD 90.86 to USD 379.78.

How many trips per day are there between Lao Cai and Hanoi?

Depending on your choice of transportation, the number of daily trips varies.

Buses start plying the route from 00:00 - you can also take a bus as late as 23:45. There are 766 available bus trips every day.
Vans from Lao Cai to Hanoi depart during the day - there are approximately 64 departures a day.
14 by Bus+Van from Lao Cai to Hanoi starting from 07:50 494 Dien Bien Phu until 07:50 494 Dien Bien Phu
Taxis are a good option to consider for this route, too. Book a cab to take you from Lao Cai to Hanoi any time of the day.

Which means of transport is the best for the route?

Buses

Taking a bus from Lao Cai to Hanoi is cheaper than flying. Quite often, a long-distance bus is the cheapest transportation option. Buses normally make bathroom and/or lunch stops along the way.

Things to remember before opting for a bus ride:

If possible, make sure to choose higher-class buses for a more comfortable travel experience. Such buses often have an air conditioning system, soft reclining seats, Wi-Fi, bathrooms, etc.
As with plane tickets, buses are better booked in advance so that you can secure a good seat.
While booking a bus, keep in mind that delays are possible. Yet it still pays to get to the bus station at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure.

Taxi

Catching a cab is the easiest way to get from Lao Cai to Hanoi. It allows you to tailor-make your trip, plan all the detours and see all the places you want. You can choose the type and the size of your car as well to be as comfortable as you'd like to.

Depending on the route, it might cost as much as USD 90.86.

Things to remember: It's a good idea to follow the route on Google Maps or any other GPS navigator.

Trains

Things to remember while choosing a train ticket:
Consider everything carefully while choosing the class of your train travel. In most cases, the second class is comfortable enough – it features 2 or 4 berths in each compartment and is often air-conditioned.

If you’re in for a premium experience, consider getting a first class ticket. The price of first class tickets may include Wifi, and a choice of snacks and drinks.

Vans

A shared van is another means of transport for traveling from Lao Cai to Hanoi. As far as travel time is concerned, it’s basically equal to a taxi ride, while price-wise it’s way more affordable. The majority of tourists book a van online in advance.

Sometimes, when trains or buses aren’t available, a van is your only way to get from Lao Cai to Hanoi.

Things to remember: while traveling by van, you might not have as much space for luggage as you would on a train or a plane. It’s a good idea to pack only the most useful things for a van trip and put them in a backpack that will be easy to carry around..

The most popular transport from Lao Cai to Hanoi

How to choose the most convenient way of travel from Lao Cai to Hanoi? In order to make your choice of transportation easier, we asked 1000 users to range their preferences for this route. Here are the results of the poll:

91% users enjoyed a train ride.
5% decided to go for a bus.
3% opted for a van.
1% Other

Transportation from Lao Cai to Hanoi

Facts about the transport from Lao Cai to Hanoi

Cheapest Transport	$9
Fastest Transport	3h 55m
Earliest Departure	12:00 午前
Latest Departure	11:45 午後
Departures per day	893
Distance	196 kilometers
Transport Companies	April Adventure, Arirang Travel, Asian Bus Travel, Cat Ba Panorama, Chapa Express, Charmy Express, Cuong Phat Limousine, Daiichi Travel, Daily Limousine, Damitrans, Dichung, Duc Duong, Eco Sapa Limousine, Family Express, Fanxipan Express, Full Moon Travel Asia, Futa Ha Son, G8 Sapa Open Tour, Green Sapa Bus, GreenLion Bus, Group Bus, Ha Son Ha Tinh Sapa, Halong Transportation, Hanoi VIP Transfer, HK Buslines, Inter Bus Lines, King Express Bus, King Sapa Train, Laman Express, Linh Chau Transport, Luxury Van Limousine, Mui Ne Private Car, NewLivitrans Express, Newstar Transport, Ninh Binh Interbus, OUROS Travel, Phong Khanh, Phuc Lam Limousine, President Limousine by HK Buslines, Saigon DMC, Sao Vang, Sao Viet, Sapa Discovery Travel, Sapa Dragon Express, Sapa Ethnic Travel, Sapa Explore, Sapa Express, Sapaking Limousine, Taxigo vn, Tbus, Thang Long Ha Noi Limousine, Tiim Group, Truly Hagiang, Vicsapa Train, Viet Technologies Travel, Vietnam Luxury Travel, Vietnam Rail, Vietnam Transportation Service, VietNam Travel Bus, Violette Trains

Popular Routes

Lao Cai to Hanoi