Sapa to Lao Cai

Sapa to Lao Cai

Sapa
Lao Cai
Tue, Jun 30
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Sapa to Lao Cai Destination Reviews

PL
Per L
They picked me up in a pickup truck that was delivering goods at different places on the way to my destination. They prioritized the gods before getting me in time to the destination. I made it to the train station but quite frustraed.
Sapa to Lao Cai, Van Minivan 7pax, Grouptour (Công ty du lịch quốc tế Grouptour), Feb 9, 2026
RM
Rita M
I got a purposal for a more cheaper price, but the driver wasn't informed, so we had the had to negociate. That was unfriendly.
Sapa to Lao Cai, Bus Standard Car, Asian Bus Travel, Feb 7, 2026
G
Grant
On time and good communication. One improvement would be to offer hotel pick up without having to ask and also to clearly show the hotline as a WhatsApp number to help data only clients.
Sapa to Lao Cai, Bus Standard Car, Asian Bus Travel, Jan 28, 2026
HS
Hilde S
Lots of random stops, constantly on his phone.
Sapa to Lao Cai, Van Minivan 7pax, Grouptour (Công ty du lịch quốc tế Grouptour), Dec 27, 2025
TS
Tomasz S
On time pick up, clean and comfortable car, excellent driver.
Sapa to Lao Cai, Bus Standard Car, Asian Bus Travel, Nov 25, 2025
EA
Eliana A
.
Sapa to Lao Cai, Bus Standard Car, Asian Bus Travel, Nov 24, 2025
J
Julien
The bus was an old shuttle bus, not confortable. Some people don’t have a real seat and must seat on a stool… The driver was not good and drive very fast and not safetly. It was one of the worst bus experience of my life!
Sapa to Lao Cai, Bus Express, Grouptour (Công ty du lịch quốc tế Grouptour), Nov 16, 2025
LM
Long M
Comfortable and fast travel
Sapa to Lao Cai, Bus Express, Grouptour (Công ty du lịch quốc tế Grouptour), Nov 5, 2025
RC
Rebecca C
It was just me and the driver and another coworker who caught a ride with us. They were pleasant and helpful, the car was exceptionally clean and they chatted with each other and I tried not to get carsick on the windy drive to the train station. Great company to get a ride with, highly recommend.
Sapa to Lao Cai, Bus Standard Car, Asian Bus Travel, Oct 23, 2025
A
Alexander
We were picked up at 17:00 by a man in a 4x4. We then proceeded to drive around town while he was constantly using his phone. We ended up at another hotel i Sa Pa. There he and others loaded several bags of concrete. The tour around town continued with aggressive driving and honking. After making a turn and then a u-turn blocking all traffic we made a stop to pick up another person. Roughly 35 minutes after being picked up, we were now soon to leave Sa Pa for Lao Cai. The trip down the vindling mountain roads was all but safe, our driver occupied the left lane more than the right. Overtaking in sharp turns, the avoidance of an accident was an act of god. When reaching Lao Cai we stopped to offload the concrete bags before being dropped outside the station.
Sapa to Lao Cai, Van Minivan 7pax, Grouptour (Công ty du lịch quốc tế Grouptour), Aug 31, 2025
4.4
87 customer reviews
5
48%
4
10%
3
21%
2
21%
1
0%

Sapa to Lao Cai Schedule

TypeOperatorClassDeparture TimeArrival TimePriceRating
Taxi
Hanoi VIP Transfer
SUV 5pax
Any time
+2h 30m
$49.35
  5.0
Train
Vietnam Rail
4 beds cabin
04:16
05:55
$6.70
Train
Vietnam Rail
4 beds cabin lower berth
04:39
06:25
$6.99
Train
Vietnam Railways
1st Class Sleeper
05:22
06:25
$4.38
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
Standard Car
06:00
07:00
$9.53
  4.3
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
SUV Car
06:30
07:30
$10.67
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
Standard Car
07:00
08:00
$9.53
  4.3
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
SUV Car
07:30
08:30
$10.67
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
Standard Car
08:00
09:00
$9.53
  4.3
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
SUV Car
08:30
09:30
$10.67
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
Standard Car
09:00
10:00
$9.53
  4.3
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
SUV Car
09:30
10:30
$10.67
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
Standard Car
10:00
11:00
$9.53
  4.3
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
SUV Car
10:30
11:30
$10.67
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
Standard Car
11:00
12:00
$9.53
  4.3
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
SUV Car
11:30
12:30
$10.67
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
Standard Car
12:00
13:00
$9.53
  4.3
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
SUV Car
12:30
13:30
$10.67
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
Standard Car
13:00
14:00
$9.53
  4.3
Bus
Grouptour
Express
13:20
16:20
$5.34
  2.9

How to get from Sapa to Lao Cai

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

  • Bus
  • 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 Van 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 103.53. If you want to save on transportation, it’s better to take a van as a van ticket costs as low as USD 6.66.

How far is Sapa from Lao Cai?

If you’re traveling by land, it’s important to know the distance from Sapa to Lao Cai. Your trip will be a total of 73 miles (117 km). The flying distance is 73 miles (117 km).

How long does it take to get from Sapa to Lao Cai?

The travel time from Sapa to Lao Cai can vary depending on the mode of transportation you choose. All things considered, the whole journey should take from 3 to 4 hours.

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

The cost of the trip from Sapa to Lao Cai varies according to what means of transport you choose for your journey. The most affordable operator is HT Travel: travelling by van expect to pay as low as USD 6.66 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 103.53.

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

  • Bus tickets - USD 6.66 to USD 54.42;
  • Van price : USD 6.66 - USD 8.90;
  • Bus+Van price: USD 6.74. From Sapa to Lao Cai starting from 13:20 Ket Doan Travel SP until 13:20 Ket Doan Travel SP

You can order a taxi, too - an estimated cost of the ride is from USD 54.20 to USD 103.53.

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

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

  • Buses start plying the route from 06:00 - you can also take a bus as late as 16:00. There are 44 available bus trips every day.
  • Vans from Sapa to Lao Cai depart during the day - there are approximately 2 departures a day.
  • Taxis are a good option to consider for this route, too. Book a cab to take you from Sapa to Lao Cai any time of the day.

Which means of transport is the best for the route?

Buses

Taking a bus from Sapa to Lao Cai 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 Sapa to Lao Cai. 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 54.20.

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

Vans

A shared van is another means of transport for traveling from Sapa to Lao Cai. 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 Sapa to Lao Cai.

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 Sapa to Lao Cai

How to choose the most convenient way of travel from Sapa to Lao Cai? 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:

  • 82% decided to go for a bus.
  • 14% opted for a van.
  • 3% chosen Bus+Van
  • 1% Other

Transportation from Sapa to Lao Cai

Facts about the transport from Sapa to Lao Cai

Cheapest Transport$7
Fastest Transport2h 20m
Earliest Departure6:00 AM
Latest Departure4:00 PM
Departures per day50
Distance117 kilometers
Transport CompaniesAsian Bus Travel, Grouptour, Hanoi VIP Transfer, HT Travel, Mui Ne Private Car, Sapa Ethnic Travel