Lao Cai to Hanoi by bus, van, train, taxi from VND 220k

Lao Cai to Hanoi Destination Reviews

Angela W

Snacks provided freely for cabin Suite booked. Comfortable clean, blanket provided, wall socket, slippers provided.

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP8 Suite 2x, NewLivitrans Express, Jun 16, 2025

Gracie O

Stayed with my 3 friends in a private bunk bed thing, was a good temperature and very comfy beds, I’m 175cm and slept comfortably everything was on time you got directed when we arrived very good

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP8 VIP Sleeper 4x, NewLivitrans Express, Jun 12, 2025

Khayalvili R

Superb Happy with their service! 100% recommend

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train Cabin 4x, Damitrans, Jun 10, 2025

Martinus B

We upgraded to the most expensive suite they had. The Queen Suite. The room and the bed were OK, the noise however was terrible. It looked like permanent gunfire next to your head. Only during the 4 hours in the middle of the 8 hour trip it was OK. The rest was awful. Never again for us!!

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP4 Deluxe Sleeper 4x, Chapa Express, Jun 6, 2025

Camilo

No office in Lao cai. No information to find the tickets. At the end the tickets were held by a kid in a food stand

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP4 1st Class Sleeper, Sapaly Express, May 29, 2025

Maren H

If you don’t order coffee in the morning (which we would recommend not to do because it was way too sweet) then they don’t wake you up in the morning… we almost missed our stop because the train was very loud and we didn’t hear our alarm 😂

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP4 1st Class Sleeper, Laman Express, May 24, 2025

Priska H

Clean train, confortable beds but a lot of noise if you're at one of the extremity of the train. We paid more for this train and the coffee is not included.

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP4 Deluxe Sleeper 4x, Chapa Express, May 23, 2025

Rob

Air conditioner wasn’t working properly so very hot in cabin.. food / beverage service lacking, something very mouldy and stinky in cabin bin

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP8 VIP Sleeper 4x, Charmy Express, May 22, 2025

Brian A

Had to have the back seats … were we last on the pick up? We were informed that we had “booked” the back seats which was not true at all As it turned out the trip was ok in the end but a full van an hour late and having to have the back seats was a bit much for someone who suffers claustrophobia

Lao Cai to Hanoi, Train #SP4 VIP Sleeper 4x, Charmy Express, May 20, 2025

Patrice A

Vip welccoming and escorting to the train. Nice amenities in the cabin but poor serpent due to hard mattress and noisy train

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

4.4

160 customer reviews

44%

30%

16%

Lao Cai to Hanoi Schedule

Type	Operator	Class	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Price	Rating
Bus	Asian Bus Travel	Royal Cabin	00:00	05:00	$14.54
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	00:24	04:44	$11.48
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	00:40	05:20	$11.48
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	01:00	05:50	$11.86
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	02:00	06:05	$11.86
Bus	Phuc Lam Limousine	Limousine 11	02:30	06:15	$15.31
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	03:00	07:05	$11.86
Bus	Sao Viet	Sleeper	03:30	09:25	$9.57	3.5
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	04:00	08:05	$11.86
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	04:16	08:21	$11.86
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	04:32	09:22	$11.86
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	04:48	08:53	$11.86
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	05:04	09:54	$11.86
Bus	Sao Viet	Sleeper	05:25	09:40	$9.57
Bus	Techbus VN JSC	VIP 22	05:45	11:45	$14.93	3.5
Bus	Sao Viet	VIP Cabin	06:15	11:05	$11.86
Bus	Sao Viet	Sleeper	06:37	10:40	$9.57
Bus	HK Sapa Open Tour	Lower Single Cabin	06:55	12:40	$14.16
Bus	Techbus VN JSC	VIP 22	07:15	13:00	$17.99	3.0
Bus	Sao Viet	Sleeper	07:37	11:40	$9.57

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 AM
Latest Departure	11:30 PM
Departures per day	166
Distance	196 kilometers
Transport Companies	Asian Bus Travel, Chapa Express, Charmy Express, Cuong Phat Limousine, Daily Limousine, Damitrans, Dichung, Et Pumpkin, Family Express, Fanxipan Express, Grouptour, Hanoi VIP Transfer, Inter Bus Lines, King Express Bus, King Sapa Train, Laman Express, Linh Chau Transport, NewLivitrans Express, OUROS Travel, Saigon DMC, Sao Viet, Sapa Dragon Express, Sapa Ethnic Travel, Sapaking Limousine, Taxigo vn, Vicsapa Train, Viet Technologies Travel, Vietnam Transportation Service

Popular Routes

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 Train ticket is the most expensive option - it will cost you about USD 179.10. 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 Train - a one-way Train ticket can cost as much as USD 179.10.

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 32.53;
Bus+taxi price: USD 10.05. From Lao Cai to Hanoi starting from 15:30 645 Dien Bien Phu until 15:30 645 Dien Bien Phu
Van price : USD 18.95;
Bus+Van price: USD 20.87. From Lao Cai to Hanoi starting from 08:40 Lao Cai international border gate until 08:40 Lao Cai international border gate
Train tickets - USD 26.31 to USD 179.10;

You can order a taxi, too - an estimated cost of the ride is from USD 92.58 to USD 382.70.

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 23:30. There are 140 available bus trips every day.
Trains always run on a set schedule - there are 24 trains per day.
2 by Bus+Van from Lao Cai to Hanoi starting from 08:40 Lao Cai international border gate until 08:40 Lao Cai international border gate

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 92.58.

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:

27% chosen Bus+Van
27% decided to catch a taxi.
26% decided to go for a bus.
19% users enjoyed a train ride.
1% Other

Lao Cai to Hanoi