Train to Sapa
Types of Train from Hanoi to Sapa:
There are a lot of trains that run from Hanoi to Sapa. You may find the Express Trains or fast trains which start with SP, others are the slower trains. If you are a tourist, just take care of SP train (SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4, SP7, SP8), which takes you about 8 hours for the trip from Hanoi to Lao Cai.
Local Train: The local train offers the basic facility and you are mixed with local people. There are several options for these cases such as hard seat, soft seat, hard berth, soft berth with AC. Express train SPs depart at 19:40, 20:35, 21:30, 22:00 while the normal train LCs start going at 6:10 and 22:00.
Overnight sleeper Train: For a trip of 8 hours from Hanoi to Sapa, the hard seat or even soft seat will make you exhausted because they are only suitable for a short distance. The soft sleeper berth or hard berth is much more comfortable and when you travel overnight, it saves your time if you sleep well.
Tourist train: specially designed for tourists to help the guests have a better service and get comfort during the trip. Tourist trains are all equipped with AC, soft sleeper, reading light. The private companies rent some carriages on a train and turn them into luxury sleeping cars for tourists.
- SP1/SP2 convey a whole series of privately–run sleeping – cars for tourists, including Fansipan Express, Orient Express, and etc.
- SP3/SP4 includes Sapaly, Victoria Express train, Orient Express and you also can find King Express and the others on SP7/SP8.
Surely, it costs more money on the tourist trains but it is worth money for its services.
Train to Sapa from Hanoi schedule & price
The Express trains from Hanoi to Lao Cai daily depart twice a day (which are SP1 and SP3) and it takes you about 8 hours to go from Hanoi train station to Lao Cai train station.
| Train no | Departure time | Arrival time | Duration |
| SP1 | 21:35 | 05:30 | 7 hours and 55 minutes |
| SP3 | 22:00 | 06:05 | 8 hours and 5 minutes |
Train Hanoi to Sapa ticket fares is various among the brands because of its facilities and services. The most expensive one is Victoria Express Train.
On the tourist train, they offer the guests 2 options which are a shared berth cabin and a private 2 berth cabin. Obviously, in a 4 berth cabin, the ticket fare is per person while in a private 2 berth cabin, you have to pay for the whole cabin to stay there. In some cases, if you travel alone and would like to stay in a 2 berth cabin, it costs you a lot for this. However, for some companies, they would like to welcome more and more guests so that they only require a little extra fee + your single ticket to stay at the VIP 2 berth cabin.
| Type of cabin | 4 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin |
| Ticket fare | 30 – 83 USD per person | 130 – 225 USD per cabin |
There will be the following local train ticket from Hanoi to Sapa rates (updated 2021):
- Air-conditioned soft seats: 150,000 VND – 200,000 VND (Ticket prices vary according to seat position)
- Ticket type 6-bed air-conditioned cabin: 290,000 VND – 380,000 VND/ticket/one way (price according to different floors)
- Ticket type 4-bed cabin with wooden furniture: 415,000 VND at the beginning of the week, 500,000 VND at the weekend
- Premium 4-bed cabin tickets Dream, Chapa Train, Sapaly… have the price: 680,000 VND/bed/time
The 5 best overnight train brands from Hanoi to Sapa & reviews
Five best overnight train brands are collected and introduced here for your convenient trip. Let’s have a look at their facilities, train schedule, ticket price, and review from the customer.
1. Victoria Express Train *****
The Victoria Express Train is one of the most deluxe trains on the Hanoi – Sapa route, which can accommodate 48 passengers with 13 deluxe cabins, bar, and restaurant.
- Facilities: AC, reading light (private), luggage storage, large picture window and bathroom, and waiting room at the train station
- Train schedule: SP3 Dep. 22:00 pm, Arr. 6:10 am (Date +1)
- Price:
| Type of cabin | 4 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin (1 person) |
| Ticket fare | 83 USD | 250 USD | 225 USD |
This is the best service for the train trip from Hanoi to Sapa. And it received a lot of reviews from the guests who traveled by this. To sum up, let’s look at the pros and cons of using Victoria Express Train
| Pros | Cons |
|
It seems to be that there is nothing to complain about Victoria Express but its expensive ticket fare. However, you know, as the guests said, it is totally worth the money. |
Victoria Express train Hanoi to Sapa
2. Orient Express ****
- Facilities: All cabins are equipped with superior facilities such as AC, clean and pure bathroom, big luggage storage, and comfortable berths.
- Train schedule: SP1: Dep. Hanoi at 21:35, Arr. Lao Cai at 5:45 (Date+1)
- Price:
| Type of cabin | 4 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin (1 person) |
| Ticket fare | 31 USD per person | 130 USD per cabin | 130 USD |
Pros:
- They also have a big bathroom for the guests and received a lot of positive comments from the passengers for the comfort of using services here.
- The staff are well trained and willing to help guests in any cases.
Cons
- You have to pay the whole cabin if you would like to stay at the 2 berth cabin. There is no deduction for a single person.
- Besides, Orient Express is located at SP1, which departs at 21:35 and arrives at 5:45 (Date+1). A little earlier departure and arrival may make you rush in some cases.
Orient Express train Hanoi to Sapa
3. King Express ****
King express train has a total of 25 cabins, spreading over several carriages and accommodated by nearly 100 passengers.
- Facilities: AC, blankets, cushions, towels, and a private toilet per carriage
- Train schedule: SP3: Dep. Hanoi at 22:00, Arr. Lao Cai at 6:10 (Date +1)
- Price:
| Type of cabin | 4 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin (1 person) |
| Ticket fare | 33 USD per person | 140 USD per cabin | 140 USD |
Pros:
- As its name, this company would love to treat the guests as the Kings and the Queens, therefore, they have a very lovely staff team, who are always smiling and helpful.
- For some reviews, the people who traveled on King Express emphasized the clean and spacious cabin of this company
Cons
- There is nothing to complain about here, it is just a tiny thing that it runs overnight so that you can not see anything along the way and if you can not get used to sleeping on an operating train, you would not sleep well, however, this is also a big plus because you can save your time and money by using this kind of train.
4. Fansipan Express Train ****
It is one of the most deluxe tourist trains from Hanoi to Lao Cai, which serves 112 passengers in 4 superior sleeping carriages
- Facilities: AC, reading lights, water, snack, and napkin, also they have a tool and table to provide cold or hot water on the carriage and waiting room at train station
- Train schedule: SP1: Dep. Hanoi at 21:40, Arr. Lao Cai at 5:45 (Date +1)
- Price:
| Type of cabin | 4 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin (1 person) |
| Ticket fare | 27 USD per person | 140 USD per cabin | 140 USD |
Pros:
- Well, Fansipan Express is appreciated for its professional staff and services, and well-equipped facilities
- Fansipan Express is the company which offer one of the most reasonable prices for the guests
Cons
- The big bathroom is missing, therefore, you may feel it inconvenient to use the toilets here.
5. Sapaly Express Train ****
Sapaly Express Train runs SP3 on the way from Hanoi to Sapa, which is fully decorated with high standard soft sleepers with air conditioning wooden cabins. It provides 2 options as the customers’ favors which are 4 – soft sleeper cabins and 2 – berth Vip cabins.
- Facilities: AC, reading lights, water, snack, and napkin, also they have a tool and table to provide cold or hot water on the carriage
- Train schedule: SP3: Dep. Hanoi at 22:00, Arr. Lao Cai at 6:10 (Date +1)
- Price:
| Type of cabin | 4 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin (1 person) |
| Ticket fare | 30 USD per person | 140 USD per cabin | 140 USD |
Pros
- the decoration on each cabin makes you feel warm and the AC is strong enough in the summertime.
- Hot water is provided so it is a plus point for this company
- The staff is well trained and attentive
Sapaly train Hanoi to Sapa
6. Chapa Express *****
This is one of the newest trains in the system and it provides a luxurious and comfortable trip for its guests. The facilities are outstanding from the train system in Vietnam.
- Facilities: AC, reading lights, water, snack, and waiting room at the station
- Train schedule: SP3: Dep. Hanoi at 22:00, Arr. Lao Cai at 6:10 (Date +1)
- Price:
| Type of cabin | 4 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin | 2 berth cabin (1 person) |
| Ticket fare | 42 USD per person | 160 USD per cabin | 160 USD |
Pros
- They have the waiting room, where the guests can relax to wait for the train or change clothes and have a shower.
- The cabin is very big and the window is big too.
- They provide snacks, water and also fruits for all the guests
- Almost all the guests tell the staff they were the best ones on the route from Hanoi to Sapa.
Cons
- As the cabin is large enough, the corridors are quite narrow, however, it is not a problem because you would love to stay in your room from the first look.
Champa express train hanoi to sapa
You can book the train tickets at the from dest or email us to book in adance
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