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Hanoi to Lao Cai and Sapa Night Train

Take a night train from Hanoi to Lao Cai: about 7.5 hours, arriving 05:20 to 06:27, then continue to Sapa by road.

Night train with sleeper  Vietnam

Take one of the night trains: they leave Hanoi between 21:45 and 22:40 and reach Lao Cai between 05:20 and 06:27, so you arrive in the morning and can reach Sapa the same day.[1] The line is 294 km long and the trains need about 7 hours 35 minutes to 7 hours 50 minutes.[1]

Sapa itself has no railway station. Trains end at Lao Cai, and the last stretch to Sapa is by road from there.

Lao Cai

Map: Natural Earth (public domain) · Lines drawn through the stations of each service

Train, Bus, Flight and Ferry tickets

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Which train to take

On the operator's timetable for 18 October 2026, three trains run from Hanoi to Lao Cai: SP15 at 21:45, SP3 at 22:00 and SP7 at 22:40.[1] In the other direction SP16 leaves Lao Cai at 21:25 and SP4 at 21:50, both arriving in Hanoi at dawn.[1] SP8 is a daytime train from Lao Cai at 12:05, arriving in Hanoi at 19:30.[1] The timetable query is for a single date, so check the day you travel, because the train mix can change with the season.

The earliest arrival is SP15 at 05:20, the latest SP7 at 06:27. SP15 does not stop at Pho Lu, while SP3 and SP7 do.[1]

Classes and berths

Vietnam Railways sells soft seats, 6-berth compartments, 4-berth compartments and 2-berth compartments on this line.[2] For a night journey most travellers pick a berth. A 4-berth compartment on SP3 costs 440,000 to 495,000 dong from Hanoi to Lao Cai depending on the berth, and a 2-berth compartment 598,000 dong, or 742,000 dong in the VIP version.[2] A 6-berth compartment costs 230,000 to 355,000 dong, and a soft seat 170,000 to 195,000 dong.[2]

Fares on the daytime SP8 are lower, for example 140,000 dong for a soft seat and 250,000 to 315,000 dong for a 4-berth compartment.[2] The listed prices include insurance and VAT.[2] Prices differ by train and date, so treat them as a guide.

How to book

The railway sells tickets online at dsvn.vn and in its mobile app, and tickets can also be bought at stations.[3] You need valid identification for the ticket holder. If you cancel, the railway's published rules charge 10 percent of the fare when you return an individual ticket 24 hours or more before departure and 20 percent between 4 and 24 hours before.[3] Exchanging an individual ticket 24 hours or more ahead costs 20,000 dong.[3] Peak periods such as Tet follow separate rules.

Use the booking box on this page to see current options, and book early for weekends and holidays, when the sleeper berths sell out first.

Stations

Long-distance trains to Lao Cai leave from Hanoi station. Some of them also stop at Gia Lam, on the east side of the Red River, about 5 km from Hanoi station.[1] Yen Bai (155 km) and Bao Ha (237 km) are the main intermediate stops and are passed during the night.[1]

Daytime option

If you prefer to travel in daylight, SP8 is the only daytime train on the timetable and runs from Lao Cai to Hanoi, so it suits the return leg rather than the way up.[1]

Timetable

Hanoi to Lao Cai

TrainDepartsArrivesDaysClass
SP15Night train SP1521:45Hanoi05:20+1 Lao Caias listed for 18 Oct 2026Soft seat (ngồi mềm), 6-berth sleeper compartment, 4-berth sleeper compartment, 2-berth sleeper compartment
SP3Night train SP322:00Hanoi05:50+1 Lao Caias listed for 18 Oct 2026Soft seat (ngồi mềm), 6-berth sleeper compartment, 4-berth sleeper compartment, 2-berth sleeper compartment
SP7Night train SP722:40Hanoi06:27+1 Lao Caias listed for 18 Oct 2026Soft seat (ngồi mềm), 6-berth sleeper compartment, 4-berth sleeper compartment, 2-berth sleeper compartment

Lao Cai to Hanoi

TrainDepartsArrivesDaysClass
SP8Day train SP812:05Lao Cai19:30 Hanoias listed for 18 Oct 2026Soft seat (ngồi mềm), 6-berth sleeper compartment, 4-berth sleeper compartment, 2-berth sleeper compartment
SP16Night train SP1621:25Lao Cai05:15+1 Hanoias listed for 18 Oct 2026Soft seat (ngồi mềm), 6-berth sleeper compartment, 4-berth sleeper compartment, 2-berth sleeper compartment
SP4Night train SP421:50Lao Cai05:40+1 Hanoias listed for 18 Oct 2026Soft seat (ngồi mềm), 6-berth sleeper compartment, 4-berth sleeper compartment, 2-berth sleeper compartment

Timetable source: Vietnam Railways timetable, Hanoi - Lao Cai[1]. Times change with timetable revisions. Check the operator's timetable before you travel.

Classes and fares

ClassTypeFare
Soft seat (ngồi mềm) Soft seat Air-conditionedVND 140,000 to VND 195,000[2] per person, Hanoi to Lao Cai; low end is the day train SP8, high end the numbered coach on SP3/SP7
6-berth sleeper compartment Couchette 6 per compartment Air-conditionedVND 170,000 to VND 355,000[2] per person, Hanoi to Lao Cai, third to first tier; low end SP8, high end SP3/SP7
4-berth sleeper compartment Four bunks per compartment.Sleeper 4 per compartment Air-conditionedVND 250,000 to VND 495,000[2] per person, Hanoi to Lao Cai, upper to lower berth; low end SP8, high end SP3/SP7
2-berth sleeper compartment Two-berth compartment, VIP version costs more.Private cabin 2 per compartment Air-conditionedVND 358,000 to VND 742,000[2] per person, Hanoi to Lao Cai; VIP variant is the highest price

Stations

Main stations in travel order. Distances from the first station, where the operator publishes them.

  1. Hanoi 0 km

    Ga Hà Nội

  2. Gia Lam 5 km

    Ga Gia Lâm

    Eastern Hanoi stop on the Red River side.

  3. Phuc Yen 39 km

    Ga Phúc Yên

  4. Yen Bai 155 km

    Ga Yên Bái

  5. Bao Ha 237 km

    Ga Bảo Hà

  6. Lao Cai 294 km

    Ga Lào Cai

    Terminus. Sapa is reached by road from here.

How to book

Train, Bus, Flight and Ferry tickets

Booking and payment are handled by 12Go, not GoAsia. We may receive a commission when you book through our links.

Sources and background

Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.

  1. [1] Vietnam Railways: Giờ tàu Hà Nội - Lào Cai (timetable, query 18 Oct 2026). Retrieved October 18, 2026.
  2. [2] Vietnam Railways: Giá vé tuyến Hà Nội - Lào Cai (fares). Retrieved October 18, 2026.
  3. [3] Vietnam Railways: Online ticket sales, app and refund and exchange rules. Retrieved October 18, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the train from Hanoi to Lao Cai?

About 7 hours 35 minutes to 7 hours 50 minutes on the night trains, 294 km.

Does the train go to Sapa?

No. Sapa has no station. Trains end at Lao Cai, and you continue to Sapa by road.

What time do the night trains leave Hanoi?

On the timetable for 18 October 2026, SP15 leaves at 21:45, SP3 at 22:00 and SP7 at 22:40.

How much does a sleeper cost?

On SP3, a 4-berth compartment costs 440,000 to 495,000 dong and a 2-berth compartment 598,000 dong, from Hanoi to Lao Cai.

Can I book tickets online?

Yes, Vietnam Railways sells tickets at dsvn.vn and in its app, and at stations.