How to Get From CatBa to Sapa
Bus · Train
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In this in-depth route guide, you'll find the best ways to travel the 370 kilometre (230 miles) distance from CatBa to Sapa. By the end of this guide, you'll know exactly how to get there — whether you want to travel on a budget, reach Sapa as fast as possible, or enjoy the ride in comfort. We base our information on verified schedules, ticket prices, and on-the-ground insights from recent travellers.
What are the 2 ways to travel from CatBa to Sapa?
There are two ways to travel the 370 km distance from CatBa to Sapa. You can choose between the bus and train.
The journey takes between 9h–12h 27m and the quickest way is by bus (9h). If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus with tickets starting at 542,000 VND ($21).
9h-12h
542,000 VND ($21)
12h 27m - 13h 07m
1,105,000 VND ($42)
CatBa to Sapa by Bus
There are seven companies offering direct buses from CatBa to Sapa: Sapa Ethnic Travel, Techbus VN JSC, Duc Duong Bus, Ket Doan, Full Moon Party, TBus and Good Morning Cat Ba.
Ket Doan offers the cheapest fares from 542,000 VND ($21), already with free hotel drop-off. Good Morning Cat Ba gets better reviews, though — you can expect friendly staff and comfortable buses.
Both day and night buses are available from CatBa to Sapa. When you take the day bus, you will lose an entire day on the journey. But if you take the night bus, you will arrive in the middle of the night in Sapa, so you will still need accommodation for that night.
Schedule-wise, taking the indirect train is more convenient because you will travel overnight. That is, if you don’t mind all the transfers.
Departure and arrival station
Good Morning Cat Ba offers free hotel pick-up and drops off passengers at Sapa Bus Station, 1 km east of Sapa Lake in the town centre.
Ket Doan departs from the Parking Lot of CatBa Night Market in the town centre. It takes you straight to your hotel’s doorstep as Long as it’s within Sapa town centre.
Bus schedules from CatBa to Sapa
CatBa to Sapa by Train
Travelling by train from CatBa to Sapa covers 3 steps and takes around 12h 27m - 13h 07m — a few hours longer than the bus.
The train offers one advantage though: the train leg from Hanoi to Lao Cai travels overnight and allows you to have a good night’s sleep as well as save a night on accommodation.
Step 1: CatBa to Hanoi
Option 1: CatBa to Hanoi by Ferry & Bus
Taking a combined bus & ferry from CatBa to Hanoi is more convenient. Your tour operator takes care of your transfers, which depart from CatBa centre and arrive at Hanoi city centre.
Ticket prices start from 289,000 VND ($11) for the combined bus & ferry journey that takes 3h - 5h 40m.
For more info, visit our page for CatBa to Hanoi.
Ready to book your bus?
Option 2: CatBa to Hanoi by DIY Ferry + Taxi + Train
This 2nd option involves several steps that you will have to do and plan on your own. While we don’t recommend this, it’s worth knowing these steps as an alternative if the combined bus & ferry tickets are sold out.
From CatBa Pier, you can get to the mainland by ferry to Pha Binh Harbour. There are six ferries available daily, but we recommend taking the last ferry that departs at 15:50. A ticket costs 140,000 VND ($5.30) and you can buy them online through Baolau.
From the pier, you can get to Hai Phong Railway Station via a 20-minute walk or a 10-minute taxi. Rates start from 50,000 VND ($1.90).
From Hai Phong, Hanoi is 2.5 hours away by train. We recommend taking the last train, which departs at 18:40.
Ready to book your train?
Step 2: Hanoi to Lao Cai by Train
Vietnam Railways operates every night from Hanoi to Lao Cai. Train SP3 departs at 22:00 and arrives in Lao Cai at 05:55 the next day. Travel time is around 7h 55m - 8h 05m.
Ticket prices for a 4-berth sleeper start from 708,000 VND ($27) when you book online. More luxurious train choices are also available on BookAway, where you can book deluxe, luxury and private cabins. Visit our Hanoi to Sapa guide for more details.Ready to book your train?
Step 3: Lao Cai to Sapa by Van or Bus
From Lao Cai Railway Station, you can reach Sapa via a van for 1 hour 02 minutes or bus for 1 hour. A ticket costs 97,000 VND ($3.70) and 30,000 VND ($1.10), respectively.
Vans are normally waiting for passengers just outside the train station. If you’re taking the bus, you can find them at the Parking area across the railway station.
Rounding it up
We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from CatBa to Sapa. If there's anything else you're wondering about, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to answer you within a few days.
PS: If you've recently travelled this route, share your experience with fellow travellers and help us improve this post. Thanks for helping out our travel community!
Frequently Asked Questions
The distance from CatBa to Sapa is 370 km.
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Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she's not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines. Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she'll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
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