Bus, train, or fly?
Vietnam is long, and the right way between two places is rarely obvious — a flight that costs the same as the train, or a scenic rail leg worth taking the slow way for. Pick your route for the honest options and a straight recommendation.
Popular routes
Hanoi → Sapa
≈ 315 kmOur pick
Take a daytime limousine van — fastest, comfortable, and you keep the scenery.
Limousine van5–6h$13–20
Direct expressway van, the standard choice. Day or night departures.
Sleeper bus6h$11–16
Overnight option; saves a hotel night but you arrive very early.
Train8h + 1h$25–45
Overnight train to Lao Cai, then an hour by road up to Sapa. Romantic but slower.
Prices are per person, USD, mid-2026 — a planning guide, not a live quote. Book flights and trains a week or two ahead for the lower end.