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Hanoi city to Sapa Transfer

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Hanoi city to Sapa transfer review

4.55/5 Based on 48 reviews
Customer photos
l0ubris (Brisbane, Australia)'s Avatar
l0ubris (Brisbane, Australia)
★★★★
Comfortable overnight train to SAPA.
Deciding which private carriage to go with on your overnight trip to SAPA can be difficult. We booked and paid for our passage at the office in Hanoi, which was an easy process. Having traveled with ET -Pumpkin I can only comment on this one and other carriages on the same train. All seemed to be very similar in comfort. We paid for a VIP 2 berth soft sleeper, which I figured meant that the top bunks were folded back so that we had more room, and that the mattresses from those bunks were transferred to our bunks. The result was indeed comfortable. I think perhaps if you paid half the price for two bunks in a 4 berth you may well get virtually the same thing, but we wanted to be sure we had the cabin to ourselves. As it was, the carriage was by no means full, and the attendants locked any unused cabins. Bedding was clean and monogrammed. We had two warm blankets and pillows each. The cabin was cosy (all carriages are the same in lay-out) with wood paneling. There was A/C (good), power and lights but not much else. At the end of the carriage there is a small wash room (which unfortunately did not have soap in the dispenser) and separate small toilet. Lots of fun getting that task accomplished with the train bouncing around. Not permitted to use toilet when train stationary-guess why. There is no "dining carriage" but someone came through with snacks and drinks before we departed and I think she remained on the train. You can pass between the carriages as much as you want. It can be quite a social experience if you want that. Our carriage had at least one "attendant". They sleep in a very confined multi-purpose room at the end of the carriage, although we saw him curled up on an unused passenger bunk-would be much more comfortable. I slept very well on the way up. The train itself rocked around a lot but every carriage would have the same experience no matter how much you paid. Pumpkin will arrange for you to be picked up at Loa Cai in the early morning and taken to you hotel in Sapa (about an hour on a winding mountain road with a lot of trucks and crazy drivers). We even got free transport from out hotel at Hanoi to the train station. There is not much to see from the train at night, and in fact the trip is over before you know it. I would recommend ET-Pumpkin for a fun and comfortable overnight train experience to Lao Cai (SAPA).
TIP: Beware of locals offering transport to SAPA for huge amounts of money. Ensure that all pick-ups (from train and hotel) are confirmed and that someone will be waiting (with your name on a sign) at Lao Cai station for transport to SAPA. ET Pumpkin office at Lao Cai is to your right, once outside the Lao Cai station (inside a cafe) if you need help.
l0ubris (Brisbane, Australia) comment for
l0ubris (Brisbane, Australia) comment for
l0ubris (Brisbane, Australia) comment for
Pooja P (Auckland, New Zealand)'s Avatar
Pooja P (Auckland, New Zealand)
★★★★★
<p>Green bus Sapa provides super comfortable journey from Hanoi to Sapa and vice versa. The recliner seats are super comfy. The ticket costs nominal for a 6 h journey. The bus is very clean and they maintain them well. Shoes are to be kept in plastic bags before boarding the bus. Spare slippers provided at every stop point. Very punctual and super clear instructions and directions provided by our guide Bella.</p>
<p>Driver Mr Chin drove smoothly the whole time.</p>
Pooja P (Auckland, New Zealand) comment for
Pooja P (Auckland, New Zealand) comment for
Mickey582014 (Hamburg, German)'s Avatar
Mickey582014 (Hamburg, German)
★★★★★
Hanoi nach Sapa. Wir hatten eine wunderbare Fahrt von Hanoi nach Sapa mit dem besten Fahrer von Vietnam:Dung!!!Er hat uns pünktlich abgeholt und war sehr zuvorkommend!Pusten wurden nach Bedarf gehalten und er war sehr nett
Mickey582014 (Hamburg, German) comment for
Mickey582014 (Hamburg, German) comment for
Eileen Lim (Singapore, Singapore)'s Avatar
Eileen Lim (Singapore, Singapore)
★★★★★
Friendly driver
Mr Trung is a awesome driver . He is on time when picking us up from the hotel . The car is comfortable and he speaks mandrain too !
Eileen Lim (Singapore, Singapore) comment for
Bill H (Southampton, United Kingdom)'s Avatar
Bill H (Southampton, United Kingdom)
★★★★
Convenient and easy. The distribution of reviews on here doesn't look good - so in fairness I thought I'd update with my review because our experience was quite positive.
We took the Fansipan express from Sapa back to Hanoi on 29/9/19 leaving at 13:30, checkin was smooth(ish) - its a scruffy office on a chaotic street where you wait but this is Sapa in Vietnam after all - so expoected.
Bus is confortable enough, Im 1.73m and had plenty of legroom, the berth is private with a curtain.
Its a big bus. The road leaving Sapa is tight and twisty for th first hour down to the highway at Lao Cai, so this isnt airplane or train smoothness - however it was fine in the day. Once on the highway the driver drove at a steady 100km/hr (checked with GPS) there didnt seem to be any taumatic moments - the general standard of driving in VIetnam is pretty poor and our driver seemed to cope well - even when you come across 2 trucks stopped on the highway blocking both lanes with one reversing!!!
By the time we got into Hanoi the drivers favourite control seemed to be the horn as I think we were running 15min late.
We took this bus not because we expected a really smooth comfortable sleep and not because its cheap - its just that it IS comfortable and it leaves at a very convenient time allowing a hotel checkout at midday and then a 13:30 departure. Itys a 5.5hr drive to Hanoi - even if you take the train you have to get a bus or taxi down to Lao Cai for the first hour anyway - if you've got luggage or cases this is easier than dragging onto a train as well - as there was loads of storage space as in all long distance coaches.
Coach made 2 stops on way back - strange open sided supermarkets selling some strange stuff alongside touirist 'tat', beware you need 3k dong to pay for the toilets! Make sure you;ve got some small notes.
To be honest there isn't much alternative for getting to and from Sapa, trains are slow and go overnight only to Lao Cai, a private taxi would be expensive - and seeing the driving standards in Vietnam I'd rather be on a big bus!
Also Im sure some of the more negative views on here are for the wrong bus - this coach as in the main picture is orange and black - its called a VIP cabin bus, some of the pictures of the interior are for a different bus. We would use again because of the convenience.
Bill H (Southampton, United Kingdom) comment for
ed l (Singapore, Singapore)'s Avatar
ed l (Singapore, Singapore)
★★★★
Best way to get to Sapa from Hanoi
Booked the cabin with 4 beds. Journey was about 8 hours. Experience was pretty good, and slept quite well. The beds were reasonably clean and comfortable. Free mineral water, snacks, toothpaste and toothbrush were provided. But would suggest to try not to use the toilets if possible.
Overall good experience, train timing was punctual. Overnight train a good way to get from Hanoi to Sapa.
ed l (Singapore, Singapore) comment for
Nicole F (Niedernhausen, Germany)'s Avatar
Nicole F (Niedernhausen, Germany)
★★★★
Probably the most comfortable way from Hanoi to Sa Pa.
We booked the VIP version, two bed cabin. It was reasonably clean. We did not see any bugs or vermin. Toilettes were ok. We did get some sleep. The train was very punctual both times. The train took 7.5 hours from Hanoi to La Coi. The employees in the train sell you staff that is actually free. I paid for the tee anyway because these people are very poor and it is very little they charge.

When you arrive at La Coi station, there are lots of Minibuses that take you to Sa Pa for small money. This takes about one hour. The drivers already wait in front of the train. It is safe to go with them, no scam.
Nicole F (Niedernhausen, Germany) comment for
Bart H (Roermond, The Netherlands)'s Avatar
Bart H (Roermond, The Netherlands)
★★★★★
Absolute aanrader. Comfortabele slaapcabines met veel privacy. Stoel kunnen volledig plat. Gedurende reis heerlijk series op iPad gekeken. Andere bussen hebben wel mooie stoelen maar hebben niet deze privacy. Je kunt zelfs makkelijk bij elkaar gaan liggen
Bart H (Roermond, The Netherlands) comment for
Rico's Avatar
Rico
★★★★★
8 hours - Overnight Train to Sapa.
We booked directly online. Everything went smoothly. We were upgraded from superior to deluxe cabin that sleeps 4 people. So we had to share with another couple, which was fine because we all slept the whole way. There was free water or beer, bananas, chips, and free WiFi. The beds were very clean and even the bathroom were not that bad. It is an excellent way to go to Sapa and you save one nights hotel bill while traveling. If you get motion sickness be warned this train goes up and down and sways side to side, all at the same time, it is quite bumpy and noisy. Not to mention it makes a lot of stops along the way. Earplugs and Dramamine might help.
Rico comment for
임찬호's Avatar
임찬호
★★★★★
가족투어로 이용한 사파에코 리무진서비스는 최고의안락함과 편한함을 제공해주었습니다. 적은인원으로 이동함으로서 프라이빗같은 분위기... mr trung은 최고의드라이버. 체험해 보시면알것입니다 ㅎㅎ
임찬호 comment for
simpl3 (Samut Prakan, Thailand)'s Avatar
simpl3 (Samut Prakan, Thailand)
★★★★★
Booked for Green Bus via a21 and everything went smoothly.
Nothing to complain. Everything went as scheduled, no e-ticket needed. Good services and very responsive on WhatsApp.
simpl3 (Samut Prakan, Thailand) comment for
hykkkkk (Seoul, South Korea)'s Avatar
hykkkkk (Seoul, South Korea)
★★★★
Good. 개인공간도 있고 독서등도 있고 usb 충전도 가능하고 에어컨도 빵빵하고 다 좋은데 ㅋㅋ...ㅋㅋ 말이 안 통해요. 하노이에서 사파까지 예약 할 땐 6시간이라고 했는데 8시간이 걸렸고 마지막 휴게소에서는 한시간이나 서 있었는데 왜 서 있는지 말을 안해주더라구요. 그런것만 말 해줬으면 더 좋았을 것 같아요.
hykkkkk (Seoul, South Korea) comment for
Caroline R 's Avatar
Caroline R
★★★★
Hanoi/Sapa/Hanoi journey
We were 2 adults and 3 children traveling to Sapa from Hanoi and back to Hanoi last week. We booked a shared journey but had the minibus to ourselves on the way to Sapa which was a real treat. The reclining seats are very comfortable, there is reasonable wifi on board which was a benefit we hadn't realised when booking, charging ports for each seat.

On our return to Hanoi the bus was full and I was sat in the front with the driver and his colleague which makes for a bit more of a squashed seat but it was ok. It is good to know that when all seats are booked on a shared journey that that includes the use of a front seat as well which although do recline it does not have the arm rests and other comforts of seats in the rear.

Vouchers for drinks are given at one stop, one small bottle of water given on boarding the bus, food options are limited at the two stops particularly if you have children with you so we would recommend taking food (or at least your own choice of snacks) with you if possible.

Both journey times were 6 hours with stops.

On both journeys the drivers drove safely and calmly which we appreciated particularly on the very twisty road for the last part of the journey into Sapa.
Caroline R  comment for
Angeles R (Valencia, Spain)'s Avatar
Angeles R (Valencia, Spain)
★★★★★
Viaje Sa Pa

Excelente viaje en autobús a Sa Pa con nuestro conductor Dung.
Fanáticas instalaciones, con wifi, TV, cargadores y bebidas.
Completamente recomendable para hacer el viaje más privado con familia.

Brian M (Bunclody, Ireland)'s Avatar
Brian M (Bunclody, Ireland)
★★★★★
Very pleasant journey from SaPa to Hanoi. We travelled on the VIP service from SaPa to Hanoi and despite the largely negative views this was a very pleasant experience. I am 6ft 2 and was comfortable throughout the entire journey.

Driving did feel a bit erratic at times and travelling down from SaPa was a little unnerving but that’s par for the course once you decide to bus it instead of getting the train.

I wouldn’t hesitate to book again and cannot fault the experience. I have travelled on much worse back home and paid a lot more too.

Information was translated into English too regarding stops and arrival in Hanoi which was helpful. Toilet on board was clean, which was impressive considering a lot of people struggle to keep a toilet clean even when they don’t have a moving bus to contend with.
Praveen Shetty 's Avatar
Praveen Shetty
★★★★★
Luxury sleeper bus. If you are travelling to Sapa, look no further to book this sleeper bus. My children thoroughly enjoyed the experience, had a good sleep during the journey. Each bed is having sufficient privacy and is very comfortable.
An Ng 's Avatar
An Ng
★★★★★
INTERESTING EXPERIENCE. I have travelled with sleeping bus many times but Fansipan Express cabin sleeping bus is completely different from all sleeping buses i used to use. With other sleeping bus , there are 3 rows , Fansipan Expres cabin bus has only 2 rows. each cabin is a private cabin and quite large. To be honest, i really scare of foot odor. i think i made a best choice for me. I slept so well.
roeyhatzvi (Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, Israel)'s Avatar
roeyhatzvi (Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, Israel)
★★★★★
Just took a sleeper from Hanoi to Sapa. The bus was clean with nice environment. The driver assistant was the best guy ever! Made a lot of jokes and made my experience better.
Also, I lost personal stuff in the bus and Sunny helped me 3 times to search for it.
Finally we found it and he made my day
Wesley H (Oakland, California)'s Avatar
Wesley H (Oakland, California)
★★★★
Transport to and from Sapa from Hanoi
Eco Sapa was easy to book and provided a safe comfortable ride between Hanoi and Sapa.

You get a few stop on the way and they provide water and a bare bones breakfast, but what more do you need. As a plus, the van had usb ports and wifi, which was unexpected, but great.

The communication for our return trip was a bit of a miss on the confirmation on time, but overall I would recommend.
Matthias Hamsch (Erftstadt, Germany)'s Avatar
Matthias Hamsch (Erftstadt, Germany)
★★★★
Depending on the car and the driver.
We used the bus to go from Hanoi to Sapa and back.

It's great that you are picked up at your hotel and get dropped off at your next hotel. Very convenient.

The car on the first trip was quite new and the seats very spacious. Always try to book the VIP seats! The driver was great and drove relaxed. A very good trip.

On the way back we had an older car. Also VIP seats, but space is limited. We had the fastest driver of the fleet. No other car was faster than us. In the mountains that was quite adventurous. This was a more rough tour.

So, experience really depends on the car/driver. I can understand good and bad reviews now.

In total I would use them again, it's quite convenient and the service is good.
Megan Sophia (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)'s Avatar
Megan Sophia (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
★★★★★
Great service!

My boyfriend and I had a wonderful experience with eco sapa. I contacted them on Facebook about a transfer from Hanoi to Sapa. They were very responsive and helpful and we stopped by their office in Hanoi to purchase our tickets for the following day.

Very clean, very comfortable and a safe driver. The only downside was that the schedule changed slightly the day before so we could go and pick up other passengers from around Hanoi- this took a long while to drive around Hanoi and collect them and meant the transfer for us was longer as we were the first to be picked up. This was communicated to us beforehand though directly from the bus operators and they arranged an earlier pick up time for us to try and accommodate this.

To be aware of: The driver didn’t speak English but the tour operators did so we had everything we needed to know before we set off from them, and any problems you can contact them directly on Facebook. Make sure you ask any questions you need from them.

We made 2 stops for toilet and and food and made it to sapa in around 6 1/2 hours (again this was longer for us than usual). Would recommend Ecosapa for good communication and comfortable safe transfer. Thank you!
Sandra F (Brazil)'s Avatar
Sandra F (Brazil)
★★★★
We travelled to and from Sapa on the Victoria Express Train. We stayed in a 2-berth deluxe cabin. Although the fact that the cabins are very small, they are confortable. We asked for more two pillows and they brought to us. The train has two differents bathrooms in each carriage, both very clean. The problem was the terrible noise during all night long... Attention: book the whole cabin if you don't want to share it with strangers.
Geoff H (Sydney)'s Avatar
Geoff H (Sydney)
★★★★
We recently travelled to Sapa on the Victoria Express Train. We stayed in a 2-berth deluxe cabin both ways and enjoyed supper in the dining car on the return journey. This is the premium service to Sapa and requires that you also stay in the Victoria Sapa Resort (see separate review).

I was pleased we booked the double cabin, as the 4-berths looked pretty cramped if fully loaded. Of course, you can take the risk of booking the 4-berth and having the cabin to yourself, and in late-April this would have been a reasonable gamble.

Our cabin was understandably compact but comfortable and intimate. The beds were firm and a good night’s sleep will elude most travellers. It’s important to note that while the carriages are allocated to the Victoria, they are still part of the same train that pulls the cheaper options, and it can be a bumpy ride at times.

There are two bathrooms in each carriage – one slightly larger than the other. Both are well maintained and equipped – much better than I expected.

Staff were excellent and the Victoria does look after you. In Hanoi we were guided (our guide) to a comfortable lounge across the road from the station where drinks and snacks were available. When the train was ready to leave we were ushered to the correct carriages. Our luggage was taken care of by staff. Make sure you use this service if you travel with the Victoria. Don’t go directly to the station.

Supper in the dining carriage was great fun. There’s a compact but very pleasant range of hot and cold nibbles, with local beers, spirits, and good wine. You can opt for a pre-arranged dinner which we did not - the train departs quite late in the evening and we decided to eat beforehand. Some other guests obviously took up the option, but they looked far less relaxed than us!

The Victoria Express train is the expensive option if travelling by train to Sapa, but is a great experience and a worthwhile indulgence.
Jasio Ł (Poland)'s Avatar
Jasio Ł (Poland)
★★★★★
Great trip and a great guide - Hung. Bus very clean and comfortable. Must use on this route.5h to Sapa is beautiful.
sclam2010 (Malaysia)'s Avatar
sclam2010 (Malaysia)
★★★★★
Pleasant and interesting experience.
Bed, pillow and blanket are comfortable. Snack,drink and banana are given. The toilet is surprisingly clean. We are a team of six and we took two cabins. The young ones enjoyed the double deckers. We old folks enjoy the two bed cabin though its more pricey.
Asingle-Room's Avatar
Asingle-Room
★★★★★
Nice trip.
We booked the VIP 2 berth cabin and the trip was nice. It is nicer than we thought or read from the other reviews. The cabin was clean and we had some freebies to enjoy during the trip. Staff are friendly and in good mood. We were warned not to take the morning coffee from the lady but we did and paid for it since it is just a small amount and she is quite polite and friendly. Highly recommend this train to everyone!
SunseekerUK (Cambridge, United Kingdom)'s Avatar
SunseekerUK (Cambridge, United Kingdom)
★★★★
A nice way to travel to Sapa.
We travelled from Hanoi to Lao Cai railway station on the Victoria Express. You then get transporting Sapa via mini buses about an hour away
Check was pretty painless, they have a lounge at the station and you luggage is taken for you to the lounge.
You get tea and a seat. There is a mini supermarket in the station downstairs to buy anything you need for the journey, prices in the lounge itself are high
You get help to take you luggage to the train, they seen to call you in small groups to board
You take all you luggage to your cabin. So can be a squeeze if it doesn’t fit under your bed.
We had a 4 berth cabin for the two of us, it was okay. We use the spare duvets to lay on and the bed although a bit narrow was fine
There is no restaurant car, there are two toilets which are clean and have hot & cold waterstaff onboard are friendly & helpful
There is a power socket in the cabin to charge phones etc. & the WiFi worked well although did struggle with FaceTime
You get two bottles of water, some people got fruit.
The train departs at 22:00 and does shake about and is noisy but I slept on & off okay.
They wake you at 05:30 with coffee or tea and a small croissant and you arrive at 06:00
Disembarking in easy & orderly
I enjoyed the journey
Avid_Traveler_Ram (Hyderabad, India)'s Avatar
Avid_Traveler_Ram (Hyderabad, India)
★★★★★
We availed the transfer service from Hanoi to Sapa on October 30, 2019, and from Sapa to Hanoi on November 4, 2019.
Overall, we had a good experience.
We e-mailed the company directly in July 2019 to make our reservations. The interactions were smooth and timely. We specifically requested for the VIP seats (seats in the middle of the van) at the time of booking.
Everything happened on our transfers as per the description. We were picked up slightly ahead of schedule from our hotel at Hanoi (in the Old Quarter). The scheduled rest stops were made, and we received the complimentary coupon at one of them. We were dropped off at our hotel in Sapa.
The van was driven safely at all times. Air conditioning and wi-fi worked as expected.
On the return journey, the pick up was delayed slightly due to traffic jams, but, from the time we were picked up from our hotel in Sapa, the rest of the journey was uneventful and went as per the expectations. We were dropped off at our hotel in Hanoi.
Overall, we were happy with the service, and would choose the service again in the future if we have a need.
Keep up the good work, team!
andrea a 's Avatar
andrea a
★★★★★
Best Travel Service ever!
A21 Tour provided the best travel service we have ever had abroad; easy, reactive and secure solution that allowed us to have a flexible trip. We travelled 2 weeks across Vietnam booking our transfers (approx every 2 days) always the day before; A21 guys always found an excellent solution in less than 10 minutes. Awsome is the way they work using WhatsApp chats to communitate, pay (with CC/PayPal) and eventually solve problems/misunderstandings with not english speaking drivers.

Thank you very much!
Andrea & Ginevra
Marcin S (Jasin, Poland)'s Avatar
Marcin S (Jasin, Poland)
★★★★★
All was perfect and always on time.
I booked 6 transfers around Nord Vietnam. Service supe and always on time, they exceeded my expectations every time. Thank you again!!!
BecAndyB (Brisbane, Australia)'s Avatar
BecAndyB (Brisbane, Australia)
★★★★★
Just ok.
We travelled in a 4 berth cabin on the King Express From Hanoi to Sapa. The rooms are very small so take as little luggage as possible. We left three bags in our hotel at Hanoi and just took what we needed in one bag on the train to save space. Mattresses are pretty hard and not very wide but we managed to get some sleep. Husband suffered motion sickness - it can get pretty rocky. Trip back to Sapa was better as we knew what to expect. A very basic journey but good if you would prefer to travel overnight.
Nosipho (Jeonju, South Korea)'s Avatar
Nosipho (Jeonju, South Korea)
★★★★★
I highly recommend this service. The ride from Hanoi to Sapa was smooth and on time. The driver and conductor were very kind and helpful.
Nick squiggly mouse 123 (Perth, Australia)'s Avatar
Nick squiggly mouse 123 (Perth, Australia)
★★★★★
Great service comfortable bus.
Very happy with our experience, the bus was so comfortable we were able to sleep almost the entire way to Sapa. The bus guide was very friendly, informative and was wearing the most jolly Christmas sweater ever :). Snacks and water were provided. The only downside was an annoying customer who’s phone kept going off very loudly.
Iotusei (Indonesia)'s Avatar
Iotusei (Indonesia)
★★★★★
The services they arr provided are very satisfying. The ordering process is easy, the operator, Miss Moon very friendly and always give quick respond. She is very helpful to answer a number of things. The bus is clean.Passengers are prohibited from wearing shoes and carrying food to maintain cleanliness. Instead, the bus stops at two stops to go to the toilet and eat.But the time allotted for eating is too fast, so I have to leave the foods. Certainly quite unfortunate. But beyond that, Green Bus provides very good service :)
Partylori's Avatar
Partylori
★★★★★
We went from Hanoi to Sapa in a sleeping bus. Everything was good, it took us 6 hours. At Sapa we could choose to stay in the bus until 6 AM or leave at 3 AM. The bus is very clean. But if u are taller than 1,75m u will get a bit trouble finding a good sleeping position. If u are 1,90+m take a place in the back!
Kim C's Avatar
Kim C
★★★★
Green Bus is comfy - clear & good arrangement

My friend and I took green bus from Sapa to Hanoi, the bus was comfy. There’s a girl as the bus assistant, who speak very good english and would repeat the pre-recorded broadcasts so to make sure everyone aware of the notices.
<br>
We booked the other bus company from Hanoi to Sapa, it was also comfy but the arrangement is not better. Also they don’t have clear instruction about when is the next stop. No notice at all, the bus assistant was just sleeping. And only one toilet time which is not quite enough for a 6 hours trip.
<br>
One thing i think green bus can improve is to pay more attention to the guests during the trip. As some of them were eating oranges in the bus which the bus is not allow eating. and some of them watching drama without an earphone, that was ignoring. I asked that person to volume down by myself. If the bus assistant can help for such then it would be even better.
<br>
Overall, green bus is good and I will book again if I come to Sapa again.
<br><br>
舒適及安排很好。<br>
我們乘Green Bus由Sapa到河內。<br>
巴士助理很有禮貌,英語亦很好。相比起由河內到Sapa的旅程(別的巴士公司),Green Bus的安排比較好。停站的次數也多一次。
triShwong (Kuching, Malaysia)'s Avatar
triShwong (Kuching, Malaysia)
★★★★
Better Than Expected.
Prior to my trip, i had read many negative reviews about this Train service so, it's an understatement to say i was really nervous. To my surprise, my cabin shared with 3 other strangers was pretty pleasant - the cabin was pretty clean and we saw no roaches. However, the cleanliness of the sheets is questionable as mine had a smell (travel with a sleeping bag liner) The AC was directly above our heads on the top bunk so, being frozen the entire night was very unpleasant. The public toilet was smelly but, if you're an Asian living in Asia like myself, it isn't anything too terrible, lol. The train left and arrived on good time. Hot drinks are available first thing in the morning, if you are ready to pay (20k per cup). Overall, the entire experience was much, much better than anticipated. I was lucky.
ashrafazrol (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)'s Avatar
ashrafazrol (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
★★★★
Nice experience.
We book Private Deluxe on from Hanoi to Lao Cai and VIP from Lao Cai to Hanoi. The experience was nice. The beds were comfortable and the room was clean. We could store our luggage below the bed. Water bottles provided. We were okay with the rumbling of the train while it is making its way on the track - we slept soundly. The toilet was near and clean.

However, on our way back the tea lady asked us to pay 50,000 dong for what is supposed to be a free coffee or tea included in our VIP package. We didn't pay and she relented and gave us our coffee and tea for free. She didn't provide us with towels.
Nadia W 's Avatar
Nadia W
★★★★
An experience!
We did two trips with this company, overnight to and from Sapa to Hanoi.
Both times we booked the VIP 2 berth sleeper cabin. This is a more costly option (US$170) but provides privacy and a bit more comfort.
The cabin was nicely set up and lovely and quiet.
Complimentary water, refreshing wipes and cookies as well as a drink on departure.
As expected the train is noisy and there is a lot of motion but we slept surprisingly well.

Staff were friendly and helpful.

Added benefits of booking directly with the company (one way we did one way we didn't).
- shuttle to hotel
- complimentary ear plugs
- much more attentive service.

over all a practical, safe and manageable way to travel.
Vytautė B (Vilnius, Lithuania)'s Avatar
Vytautė B (Vilnius, Lithuania)
★★★★★
We took 28 seat limousine bus to Sapa and it was most comfortable bus we rode during entire month trip in Vietnam. Very spacious, comfortable seats, lots of leg room. Nice English speaking tour guide Aurora.
adrian0714 (Singapore, Singapore)'s Avatar
adrian0714 (Singapore, Singapore)
★★★★★
Comfortable and safe ride.
On arrival from Ninh Binh via train, we took the Chapa express to Sapa and was pleasantly surprised that it was clean, comfortable ride.
Please note that to take the night train to Sapa, you’d have to walk about 10 minutes to the gate from Hanoi station. Gate is actually situated behind the main station, try google to find directions.
Coming back to the cabin, the ride was a little noisy and shaky but we had a good night rest. Toilets were surprisingly clean and without smell of ammonia as some claimed. And compared to the Victoria express, which we took on our return leg to Hanoi, Chapa’s cabin was way more comfortable, bunks were a little wider and longer. To those that are undecided, I’d say choose Chapa express. You won’t regret saving that extra dollar that Victoria charges.
hannahj688's Avatar
hannahj688
★★★★★
Shambles.
The train itself was lovely, cosey and clean. But the organisation for the two women at Chapa Express was an utter shambles!!!

First of all the one woman purposely waited till 9pm before she would give anyone a ticket,by which point there was a huge 'crowd'. There was no queing system in place and the two women would just wonder off mid way through speaking to you and ask another person to follow them. I witnessed one man be given four tickets, randomly, another man moan so the women took the tickets off the first guy and gave them to the second one instead. The tickets had not been pre allocated to people it seemed. And it didn't matter what your booking reference was.

At 9.45 myself and another guy were finally listened to. By that point, each of us still wanting our two tickets, they said there was only two remaining tickets?

The lady frantically flapped around and found two tickets with another company so no one was left behind.

It just leaves a sour taste on a journey that turned out ok in the end. All of this could have been avoided if the woman was not such a jobs worth initially and if she had actually done her job in the first place and allocated each booking their tickets to just be handed over on the day.
Charles K (Bangkok, Thailand)'s Avatar
Charles K (Bangkok, Thailand)
★★★★★
Fun and comfortable trip to Sapa!
Not sure why there are so many mixed reviews on these overnight trains to Sapa, but my family had a wonderful time on Chapa Express. We were with two other families, for a total of 13 people. Each family was traveling with small children and we all had our own cabin with 4 beds in each cabin. The cabins were clean, the beds adequate, service was good, and the overall ride was not as bumpy as others have said.

Would I do it again? Absolutely! It's a great way to get from Hanoi to Sapa without having to take a bus. The only benefit of taking a bus is you can go directly to your hotel in Sapa versus having to take a van from the train station. The trip from the station to our hotel took approximately 45 min. Other than that, I would highly recommend Chapa Express!
Louwig (Sydney, Australia)'s Avatar
Louwig (Sydney, Australia)
★★★★★
Fun trip
What a great way to travel. Our taxi dropped us at the wrong train station, but Chapa were great and got us to the train. We had a 4 berth deluxe that I booked online. We got water, soft drink, chips, nuts, toothbrush, comb, face wipe and ear plugs. The top bunks had better air conditioning but it was very comfortable, there was wifi and we took portable fans that you charge which was perfect for the bottom bunks. Loved the rocking of the train, easy to fall asleep.
The private Chapa lounge on the station at the end was very disappointing. I enquired before I left about a shower and breakfast and they said yes all free, when we got there nothing was opened so we ended up going straight to our hotel and paying extra to get an early check in which worked out better.
Highly recommend travelling with this company. The train has many carriages all owned by different companies, we were very happy with Chapa.
DunedinCat's Avatar
DunedinCat
★★★★
We travelled from Hanoi to Lao Cai and back on Sapaly Express Train. We boarded a large train comprised of a number of carriages owned by different companies, Sapaly Express being one of these. First impressions were good with clean bedding, a duvet, complementary crackers, water and toothbrush. The beds were hard but that seems to be the case in many of the hotels in which we've stayed. I think regardless of the company you travel with you are in for a slightly bumpy, noisy ride and a very average nights sleep. (It is also worth knowing if you have a speaker in your cabin this can be turned off!). We had some trouble locating the collection desk for our tickets in Hanoi station and no one appeared at the Sapaly Express desk in Loa Cai to collect our return tickets.
Nadège B (Annecy, France)'s Avatar
Nadège B (Annecy, France)
★★★★★
Nous avons obtenu une grande aide grâce à la réactivité et l’accessibilité de cette agence via WhatsApp.
Des transferts adéquates à nos demandes et à des prix courants.
Merci!
Gabor B 's Avatar
Gabor B
★★★★★
Reliable, moderate proced, accurate, clean service.
We had like 8 trips booked with A21. All of them were booked and negotiated via Whatsapp where their response was inmediate, straight to the point, fairly priced. And they delivered a very reliable service accordingly. Some of the trops were long and the drivers were prepared, kind and proactive on planning stops for rests/toilets etc. We used door-to-door service and everytine they showed up 5-10 minues before departure with a comfortable, clean vehicle which was exactly in line we agreed. I also checked prices against other service providers and they were more than fair, so I am not even thinking of getting around with any other transfer service provider. Keep up the good service
thechristmasbabe (South Milwaukee, Wisconsin)'s Avatar
thechristmasbabe (South Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
★★★★
Great experience.
We were treated like special guests throughout our trips. We were a group of four adults and the room was small but comfortable. The ride was as smooth as a train ride can be. The bunks were comfortable and the room was air conditioned so even the top bunks were cool. The bathroom was clean and very nice. We were greeted with refreshments in the morning before leaving the train. Would recommend to take a ride.