Hanoi to Lao Cai (Sapa) Train

Booking Train Tickets

We used A21 for booking the King Sapa Train from Hanoi to LaoCai. The service was excellent with very good communication. I recommend A21 and would use then again any time. Thank you.

Very clean and comfortable overnight train.

The response to the booking was quick and helpful. Once the online payment is made, the tickets with QR are issued. Very impressed with the firm bed and clean linen (no smell). Highly recommended

Probably the most comfortable way from Hanoi to Sa Pa.

We booked the VIP version, two bed cabin of King Express train. It was reasonably clean. We did not see any bugs or vermin. Toilettes were ok. We did get some sleep. The train was very punctual both times. The train took 7.5 hours from Hanoi to La Coi. The employees in the train sell you staff that is actually free. I paid for the tee anyway because these people are very poor and it is very little they charge.
When you arrive at La Coi station, there are lots of Minibuses that take you to Sa Pa for small money. This takes about one hour. The drivers already wait in front of the train. It is safe to go with them, no scam.

Nice experience.

We book Private Deluxe on from Hanoi to Lao Cai and VIP from Lao Cai to Hanoi. The experience was nice. The beds were comfortable and the room was clean. We could store our luggage below the bed. Water bottles provided. We were okay with the rumbling of the train while it is making its way on the track - we slept soundly. The toilet was near and clean.
However, on our way back the tea lady asked us to pay 50,000 dong for what is supposed to be a free coffee or tea included in our VIP package. We didn't pay and she relented and gave us our coffee and tea for free. She didn't provide us with towels.

Best way to get to Sapa from Hanoi

Booked the cabin with 4 beds. Journey was about 8 hours. Experience was pretty good, and slept quite well. The beds were reasonably clean and comfortable. Free mineral water, snacks, toothpaste and toothbrush were provided. But would suggest to try not to use the toilets if possible.
Overall good experience, train timing was punctual. Overnight train a good way to get from Hanoi to Sapa.

Just ok.

We travelled in a 4 berth cabin on the King Express From Hanoi to Sapa. The rooms are very small so take as little luggage as possible. We left three bags in our hotel at Hanoi and just took what we needed in one bag on the train to save space. Mattresses are pretty hard and not very wide but we managed to get some sleep. Husband suffered motion sickness - it can get pretty rocky. Trip back to Sapa was better as we knew what to expect. A very basic journey but good if you would prefer to travel overnight.

Reliable & Good transport provider :)

A21 was very responsive to my queries & was able to communicate with me via WhatsApp promptly throughout my stay in Hanoi. We booked 4x Chapa Express train tickets (2 way) to Sapa & Private car (2 way) to Halong Bay. It was a breeze using A21 & strongly recommend using their services. Their prices are also comparable to other local rates.

An experience! We did two trips with this company, overnight to and from Sapa to Hanoi. Both times we booked the VIP 2 berth sleeper cabin. This is a more costly option (US$170) but provides privacy and a bit more comfort. The cabin was nicely set up and lovely and quiet. Complimentary water, refreshing wipes and cookies as well as a drink on departure. As expected the train is noisy and there is a lot of motion but we slept surprisingly well. Staff were friendly and helpful. Added benefits of booking directly with the company (one way we did one way we didn't). - shuttle to hotel - complimentary ear plugs - much more attentive service. over all a practical, safe and manageable way to travel.

Comfortable and safe ride. On arrival from Ninh Binh via train, we took the Chapa express to Sapa and was pleasantly surprised that it was clean, comfortable ride. Please note that to take the night train to Sapa, you’d have to walk about 10 minutes to the gate from Hanoi station. Gate is actually situated behind the main station, try google to find directions. Coming back to the cabin, the ride was a little noisy and shaky but we had a good night rest. Toilets were surprisingly clean and without smell of ammonia as some claimed. And compared to the Victoria express, which we took on our return leg to Hanoi, Chapa’s cabin was way more comfortable, bunks were a little wider and longer. To those that are undecided, I’d say choose Chapa express. You won’t regret saving that extra dollar that Victoria charges.

Shambles. The train itself was lovely, cosey and clean. But the organisation for the two women at Chapa Express was an utter shambles!!! First of all the one woman purposely waited till 9pm before she would give anyone a ticket,by which point there was a huge 'crowd'. There was no queing system in place and the two women would just wonder off mid way through speaking to you and ask another person to follow them. I witnessed one man be given four tickets, randomly, another man moan so the women took the tickets off the first guy and gave them to the second one instead. The tickets had not been pre allocated to people it seemed. And it didn't matter what your booking reference was. At 9.45 myself and another guy were finally listened to. By that point, each of us still wanting our two tickets, they said there was only two remaining tickets? The lady frantically flapped around and found two tickets with another company so no one was left behind. It just leaves a sour taste on a journey that turned out ok in the end. All of this could have been avoided if the woman was not such a jobs worth initially and if she had actually done her job in the first place and allocated each booking their tickets to just be handed over on the day.

8 hours - Overnight Train to Sapa. We booked directly online. Everything went smoothly. We were upgraded from superior to deluxe cabin that sleeps 4 people. So we had to share with another couple, which was fine because we all slept the whole way. There was free water or beer, bananas, chips, and free WiFi. The beds were very clean and even the bathroom were not that bad. It is an excellent way to go to Sapa and you save one nights hotel bill while traveling. If you get motion sickness be warned this train goes up and down and sways side to side, all at the same time, it is quite bumpy and noisy. Not to mention it makes a lot of stops along the way. Earplugs and Dramamine might help.

Fun and comfortable trip to Sapa! Not sure why there are so many mixed reviews on these overnight trains to Sapa, but my family had a wonderful time on Chapa Express. We were with two other families, for a total of 13 people. Each family was traveling with small children and we all had our own cabin with 4 beds in each cabin. The cabins were clean, the beds adequate, service was good, and the overall ride was not as bumpy as others have said. Would I do it again? Absolutely! It's a great way to get from Hanoi to Sapa without having to take a bus. The only benefit of taking a bus is you can go directly to your hotel in Sapa versus having to take a van from the train station. The trip from the station to our hotel took approximately 45 min. Other than that, I would highly recommend Chapa Express!

Fun trip What a great way to travel. Our taxi dropped us at the wrong train station, but Chapa were great and got us to the train. We had a 4 berth deluxe that I booked online. We got water, soft drink, chips, nuts, toothbrush, comb, face wipe and ear plugs. The top bunks had better air conditioning but it was very comfortable, there was wifi and we took portable fans that you charge which was perfect for the bottom bunks. Loved the rocking of the train, easy to fall asleep. The private Chapa lounge on the station at the end was very disappointing. I enquired before I left about a shower and breakfast and they said yes all free, when we got there nothing was opened so we ended up going straight to our hotel and paying extra to get an early check in which worked out better. Highly recommend travelling with this company. The train has many carriages all owned by different companies, we were very happy with Chapa.

We travelled from Hanoi to Lao Cai and back on Sapaly Express Train. We boarded a large train comprised of a number of carriages owned by different companies, Sapaly Express being one of these. First impressions were good with clean bedding, a duvet, complementary crackers, water and toothbrush. The beds were hard but that seems to be the case in many of the hotels in which we've stayed. I think regardless of the company you travel with you are in for a slightly bumpy, noisy ride and a very average nights sleep. (It is also worth knowing if you have a speaker in your cabin this can be turned off!). We had some trouble locating the collection desk for our tickets in Hanoi station and no one appeared at the Sapaly Express desk in Loa Cai to collect our return tickets.

what a trip. ok, so it's not luxurious, but comfortable. weird sharing a room with two French folks that didn't speak English, but they were nice. bathroom serviceable, but not too fancy. ride was bumpy, but mysterious. a genuine experience. cool to walk in the train hall way at night and look out an open window

Much better than the bus. Hanoi to Lao Cia night train . Leave at 9.20 pm , we booked a 2 berth cabin , no sharing with strangers . 2 bunk beds , pillows and blanket . Bed side table with a cold beer and coke , bananas , biscuits and nuts are a nice touch . Hot coffee and tea arrive as we depart . Great views of Hanoi as we slowly leave the city . Sleep well as we rattle and sway through the night . Shortly before we arrive in Lao Cia there is a knock on the door and coffee and breakfast bars delivered . The train was way better than the return trip by road .

Great for booking train tickets. They charge small commission
Great travel company. Used it twice for booking train tickets (through web). Swift communication, good prices. Fantastic experience

The Vicsapa train was very comfortable with tasty treats and water, tea and coffee. Air conditioning and a drinks trolley came down the carriage early in the trip and sold cold drinks, wine and snacks. The bed was made with white crisp sheets and doona. Still as it is an old train it is quite noisy but still fun and a great way to travel to the beautiful Sapa in the mountains.

I have been waiting a long time to do this trip and it was most worthwhile. Some great reviews below describe things better than I can. Online booking was easy I booked two way VIP 2 berth cabin… read the confirmation email well for connecting with the agent at the station second floor. The carriage was classic, vintage feel with wood panelling and delightful decor. Fruit beer and snacks provided. Power in the cabin. Excellent sleep , bedding good and clean. Despite many stops (single track) the journey was enjoyable. Dawn scenery of the Red River was a bonus. Wake up call and a powerful 3 in 1 Vietnamese coffee as a heart starter. Just great!

I'm so glad I read the reviews on Tripadvisor because I would have not otherwise known about Vic Sapa train. From the time booking Mrs Nguyen was impeccable, replying to emails promptly and offering all needed assistance. We chose a VIP cabin for 2 and actually had a very comfortable journey. Sure, the train swings, but you would have that with any company since it's one operator for the entire train. In fact, the swinging motion helped me fall asleep. The carriage is beautiful on the inside, our cabin was impeccably clean and so was the toilet throughout the entire journey, a huge plus. We also had free snacks and drinks in our cabin. Overall, a great experience, I only wish they would cover other train routes, we would surely book with Vic.

Exceptional service from VICSAPA Train. She goes way beyond the extra mile to make sure our whole experience with Vic sapa train is everything you wished for and more!!! I’ve never felt so pampered before in any trip I’ve taken….