Hanoi to Sapa Overnight Train, Chapa Express | Few Days Halong

Transport / Hanoi to Sapa Overnight Train, Chapa Express

North Vietnam · Overnight sleeper

Hanoi to Sapa Overnight Train, Chapa Express

Private suites, twin cabins and shared berths on the night train towards the northern mountains.

About 8 hours overnight · Private cabins or berths · Via Lao Cai

Hanoi to Sapa Overnight Train, Chapa Express photo 1
Hanoi to Sapa Overnight Train, Chapa Express photo 2

The Journey

Leave Hanoi after dinner, wake up at the foot of the mountains.

The overnight train is the classic way to reach Sapa, and it does something a car cannot: it turns the travelling into a night’s sleep and gives you the whole of the next day in the mountains. You board in Hanoi in the evening, spend time in the lounge before departure, then settle into your cabin as the train heads north.

Chapa Express runs a range of cabins, from a private queen-bed suite through twin cabins to individual berths in a shared four-person compartment, so you can pitch it to your budget and your group. The journey takes just under eight hours. The one thing to know is that the train finishes at Lao Cai, and Sapa is about 35 km further on by road, a transfer we arrange so a driver is waiting as you step off.

Journey Highlights

The moments that make it.

The Route

How the day unfolds.

Evening
Board in Hanoi
Spend some time in the lounge before boarding, then find your cabin as the train prepares to leave. Departures run late evening.
Overnight
Settle in for the night
Make up your bed and let the train do the work. The run north takes a little under eight hours.
Early morning
Arrive at Lao Cai
The train finishes at Lao Cai Railway Station in the early morning, around sunrise depending on the service.
35 km on
Transfer up to Sapa
Sapa sits about 35 km away in the hills. Your driver meets you at the station for the climb up, arranged as part of your booking.

What's Included

Everything handled for you.

Included

  • Your booked cabin or berth aboard the overnight train
  • Lounge access before boarding
  • Bedding in your cabin
  • Confirmed service and cabin category on your ticket

Not included

  • The road transfer between Lao Cai and Sapa, unless added to your booking
  • Transfers to the departure station in Hanoi
  • Meals and drinks

Cabin options

  • Suite Queen Cabin: a private 6 m² cabin with one queen-size bed, for two adults
  • Suite Twin Cabin: private, 4 m², with two single beds
  • Premium Cabin or Berth: a four-berth compartment, booked as a single berth or taken privately
  • VIP and Deluxe categories are also offered, subject to the service and date

Other ways to travel

More ways to spend a day around Hoi An and Da Nang.

Sapa Tours
Sapa Tours
Sapa · Tours
Where the train is taking you: valleys, villages and Fansipan.
View ›
Hanoi to Ha Long by Train
Hanoi to Ha Long by Train
North Vietnam · Rail and road
The other northern rail run, out towards the bay.
View ›
Hanoi Tours
Hanoi Tours
Hanoi · Tours
Fill the day before your evening departure.
View ›

Hanoi to Sapa Overnight Train, Chapa Express common questions

Good to know before you go.

How long is the overnight train from Hanoi to Sapa?

Just under eight hours. Evening departures from Hanoi arrive at Lao Cai early the following morning, and there are both overnight and daytime services on the way back.

Does the train go to Sapa itself?

No. It finishes at Lao Cai Railway Station, and Sapa is roughly 35 km further on by road, around an hour in the hills. The transfer is not included unless you add it, and we normally arrange it so a driver meets the train.

What cabins are available?

A private Suite Queen cabin with a queen-size bed, a Suite Twin with two single beds, and a four-berth Premium compartment you can book by the berth or take privately. VIP and Deluxe categories also appear depending on the service and date.

Is the overnight train better than a private car to Sapa?

They suit different trips. The train saves you a hotel night and gives you a full day on arrival, while a private car is door to door and lets you leave when you like. Many travellers take the train up and drive back.

Can families use the sleeper train?

Yes. A Suite Queen takes two adults plus one child aged five or under subject to the child policy, and a four-berth compartment taken privately works well for a family of four. See our Vietnam with kids guide for the wider picture.

Is every cabin available on every departure?

No, cabin categories vary by service and date, and the better suites sell out first. Schedules and availability are reconfirmed for your travel date when we book, so it is worth deciding early.

Make it part of your trip

We’ll build the Chapa Express sleeper into a complete, private itinerary, with the Lao Cai transfer timed to meet the train and your Sapa days planned around it.

Get your free personalised itinerary ›
Contact UsWhatsApp