Sapa is a town in the northwest of Vietnam which attracts many tourists with its beautiful landscape and unique ethnic culture. There are several ways to travel from Hanoi to Sapa but many people choose to travel by bus because it is more affordable. We’ve chosen Sapa Dragon Express Bus to travel from Hanoi to Sapa. Find our Sapa bus review below.
Our experience with this Hanoi to Sapa bus from booking tickets to arriving in Sapa is detailly described in this Sapa Dragon Express bus review.
Booking Sapa Dragon Express Bus Ticket
We booked Sapa Dragon Express bus ticket from Hanoi to Sapa online here: Bus from Hanoi to Sapa.
Details of the bus and the pick-up/drop-off points were also provided so you it was easy to check everything before booking.
Another affordable Hanoi to Sapa bus we were considering was Inter Bus Lines Bus but Sapa Dragon Express schedule was more suitable for our plans so we opted for it.
Sapa Dragon Express Bus Ticket Price
Sapa Dragon Express bus ticket price starts at 386,000 VND per person but we booked it online so it was cheaper than that. The same company is now offering much cheaper bus tickets for some departures [as low as 167,000 VND] but it's not the type of the bus we were taking so the experience on them might be different.
Things that were included in our Sapa Dragon Express bus ticket price:
- Bus ticket from Hanoi to Sapa [One way]
- 1 bottle of mineral water
- Blanket
- Free pick-up service from the hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter
Sapa Dragon Express Bus Schedule
The schedule of our chosen bus was the following:
- Departure time - 06:45
- Arrival time - 13:15
The same company also has a sleeping bus departing from Hanoi to Sapa in the evening.
More departure times for this route can be found here: Bus from Hanoi to Sapa or by using this search form.
Sapa Dragon Express bus from Hanoi to Sapa
Our itinerary of traveling from Hanoi to Sapa by Sapa Dragon Express was as follows.
6:20 Waiting for the bus
We booked a bus that departs from Hanoi to Sapa in the morning with the scheduled departure from Hanoi at 06:45.
As the bus company provides pick-up service from the hotels in Hanoi Old Quarter, after completing the booking they contacted us via email to confirm the pick-up location and time. We were asked to wait at the hotel 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time so we checked out from our hotel at around 6:20 and waited for the pick-up at the lobby.
6:40 Pick-up from the hotel
After waiting for 20 minutes, the small bus came to pick us up from the hotel. Sapa Dragon Express staff came to the hotel to check our names and invited us to board the bus. Overall, the guy picking up us was helpful and spoke good enough English.
The bus that arrived at the hotel was air-conditioned but quite small with limited legroom. However, this bus was used just for picking up people and dropped us off at the meeting point by the company’s office.
7:15 Taking the bus to Sapa
All passengers needed to get off the small bus and transfer to the larger bus. The new bus had spacious seats and more legroom than any other bus we used while traveling in Vietnam. The bus looked newer and more modern. Free Wi-Fi was also available on the bus.
About half hour later than scheduled the bus departed.
8:50 Rest Stop [1st time]
After driving for about 1 hour 40 minutes, the bus made first break and stopped at the place where passengers could take a rest and eat. The first rest stop took about 20-30 minutes. There were plenty of places to grab some food, coffee and other refreshments.
11:30 Rest Stop [2nd time]
The bus stopped one more time before driving up the hill to Sapa. There were shops and variety of restaurants to stock up before the final part of the trip. We got a couple of sandwiches that were quite good and reasonably priced. It is advisable to find something to eat here, as it still takes lots of time to get from this stop to Sapa.
13:27 Arriving at Sapa
The final part of the journey by bus is an uphill road so the bus was driving slowly and it took almost 2 hours to reach the final destination in Sapa. The bus dropped off us at the parking lot of Thanh Binh Hotel. From there you can take a taxi or motorbike to your hotel in Sapa. Our hotel was within a walking distance, so we just walked there.
Duration of travel
The journey by bus from Hanoi to Sapa took around 7 hours, including the time we had to spend waiting for the pick-up at the hotel in Hanoi and the time spent at the rest stops.
Our Experience
Overall, traveling by bus from Hanoi to Sapa was convenient. The bus we took was Sapa Dragon Express as they have good reviews and their schedule was suitable for our plans. Sapa Dragon Express is a bus company offering transfer services on Hanoi-Sapa route that is not as famous as other companies.
Actually, we didn't have a specific bus company in mind when choosing the bus from Hanoi to Sapa. From our experience in Vietnam, the famous bus companies quite often use older buses as they rely more on their fame than on quality of their services. However, Sapa Dragon Express bus was new and had a lot of space. We got comfortable seats and the driver was driving carefully without any worries.
Trip Back from Sapa to Hanoi
Returning from Sapa to Hanoi by bus can be a bit different experience. Our review of the trip back to Hanoi by the same bus company is detailed here: Sapa Dragon Express Bus Review from Sapa to Hanoi.
Other Hanoi to Sapa Buses
Our complete guide covering everything you need to know about travelling from Hanoi to Sapa by bus can be found here: Hanoi to Sapa Bus.
How long does it take from Hanoi to Sapa bus?
Depending on the bus operator and weather and traffic conditions, it takes anywhere between 6 and 10 hours to reach Sapa from Hanoi.
Is there a bus from Hanoi Airport to Sapa?
Near Noi Bai International Airport, you will find sleeper buses operating day and night to Sapa. Choose a suitable bus based on your travel needs. Most Hanoi airport to Sapa sleeper bus companies offer 20 - 25 daily trips from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm, with an average ticket price of around USD 11.
How to go from Hanoi to Sapa?
By car, it takes between 4-5.5 hours on average to travel from Hanoi to Sapa via highway CT05. By bus, the trip from Hanoi to Sapa takes approximately 5.5-6 hours. By train, the journey from Hanoi to Lao Cai [the nearest railway station 35 kilometres or 22 miles from Sapa] takes 8 hours.
How can visitors get to Sapa?
To travel to Sapa by train, you will need to take an overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai, which is the closest major town to Sapa. The train journey typically takes around 8–9 hours. From Lao Cai, you can then take a bus or taxi to Sapa, which is about an hour's drive away.