Kunming to Sapa by train
Travel from Kunming (China) to Sapa (Vietnam) by train (323km): schedule and information to the train connection. Compare fares and buy your ticket.
Kunming - Sapa @ 2025-01-26
To travel from Kunming to Sapa by train, read the following information. You find timetables and ticket prices online via our booking links.
There are two main routes. Compare them and decide which one feeds your needs best.
- 1Kunming (China) - Nanning (China) - Hanoi (Vietnam) - Sapa (Vietnam)
- 2Kunming (China) - Hekou (China) - Lào Cai (Vietnam) - Sapa (Vietnam)
323 km
How to use the following information: we show you the best routes and where to buy tickets. On longer routes you may need more than one ticket. Book your tickets step by step as explained. If you have questions about the route from Kunming to Sapa, please ask in our forum. Of course, sometimes there are as well other travel routes possible.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections : popular connections travelled by other users
Sapa - Kunming / Guilin - Hanoi / Guangzhou - Hanoi / Beijing - Ho Chi Minh City / Beijing - Hội An / Kunming - Lào Cai / Beijing - Sapa1 Kunming (China) - Nanning (China) - Hanoi (Vietnam) - Sapa (Vietnam)
The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.
1a Travelling from Kunming (China) to Nanning (China)
To travel in China by train, we recommend to buy your train ticket online via one of the given booking links. There you get schedules and ticket prices. It is the easiest way if you do not speak the Chinese language. In China you have frequent high-speed train connections. If you want to travel cheaper, but slower, buy a ticket for one of the standard trains. Also available are several night train connections. Trains can be very full at peak travel times.
Where to buy a ticket from Kunming to Nanning?
Check times&prices 
The following links could be interesting for you.
train types: Train types you are likely to travel with.
China Railway High-speed (CRH)
night train: Night trains that might be suitable for this trip.
020 Moscow - Beijing / 019 Beijing - Moscow
train company:
CNR 中国铁路总公司
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Nanning - Kunming / Beijing - Guangzhou / Beijing - Hong Kong / Beijing - Shanghai / Beijing - Wuhan / Hong Kong - Shanghai / Hong Kong - Beijing / Hong Kong - Wuhan / Shanghai - Beijing / Shanghai - Hong Kong / Shanghai - Wuhan
1b Travelling from Nanning (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam)
If you want to travel from China to Vietnam by train, you have daily train connections. There are two main travel routes available.
The first travel route is from Beijing, Guilin, Nanning (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam).
There are two direct trains per week from Beijing (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam).
There are every day connections from Nanning (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam). If you travel on a date were no direct train runs from Beijing to Hanoi, first travel by the daily overnight train from Beijing to Nanning, then by the daily overnight train from Nanning to Hanoi.
The second travel route is from Kunming (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam) with change and border crossing at Hekou (China) and Lào Cai (Vietnam). The train in China coming from Kunming ends at the station Hekou North (China). Journey time 5 hours. There you take a bus or taxi to the border (10 minutes). Walk over the border. And again by bus or taxi (10 minutes) to the station of Lào Cai (Vietnam). From there continue to Hanoi by direct train.
How to buy tickets:
- buy train tickets from China to Vietnam at Chinahighlights. For the city of Hanoi fill in Gia Lam, Hanoi !!!
Direct train: Beijing - Gia Lam, Hanoi.
Connection with change: Beijing - Nanning and Nanning - Gia Lam, Hanoi.
- buy train tickets inside of Vietnam are available via 12goasia. For example: Lào Cai - Hanoi.
Where to buy a ticket from Nanning to Hanoi?
Buy the train ticket at a railway station. Note: in some countries you have to pay a service fee at the ticket counter. The ticket can be purchased at a station in the country of departure, also sometimes in other countries.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train company:
CNR 中国铁路总公司 / VIET Đường Sắt Việt Nam
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Hanoi - Nanning / Beijing - Hanoi / Guilin - Hanoi / Shanghai - Hanoi / Wuhan - Hanoi / Kunming - Hanoi / Chengdu - Hanoi / Guangzhou - Hanoi / Shijiazhuang - Hanoi / Beijing - Ho Chi Minh City
1c Travelling from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Sapa (Vietnam)
Train travel in Vietnam is easy and comfortable. The main route is from North to the South of Vietnam, Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. From Hanoi you have a nice route to the mountains, in direction of SaPa. Beside you have a connection from Hanoi to China. Please buy your train ticket online via the following booking links or at a station which is usually no problem.
Where to buy a ticket from Hanoi to Sapa?
Buy the train ticket at a railway station. Note: in some countries you have to pay a service fee at the ticket counter. The ticket can be purchased at a station in the country of departure, also sometimes in other countries.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train types: Train types you are likely to travel with.
Train (VIET)
train company:
VIET Đường Sắt Việt Nam
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Sapa - Hanoi / Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi / Ho Chi Minh City - Hạ Long / Ho Chi Minh City - Huế / Ho Chi Minh City - Da Nang / Ho Chi Minh City - Sapa / Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City / Hanoi - Hạ Long / Hanoi - Huế / Hanoi - Da Nang
2 Kunming (China) - Hekou (China) - Lào Cai (Vietnam) - Sapa (Vietnam)
The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.
2a Travelling from Kunming (China) to Hekou (China)
To travel in China by train, we recommend to buy your train ticket online via one of the given booking links. There you get schedules and ticket prices. It is the easiest way if you do not speak the Chinese language. In China you have frequent high-speed train connections. If you want to travel cheaper, but slower, buy a ticket for one of the standard trains. Also available are several night train connections. Trains can be very full at peak travel times.
Where to buy a ticket from Kunming to Hekou?
The following links could be interesting for you.
train types: Train types you are likely to travel with.
China Railway High-speed (CRH)
night train: Night trains that might be suitable for this trip.
020 Moscow - Beijing / 019 Beijing - Moscow
train company:
CNR 中国铁路总公司
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Hekou - Kunming / Beijing - Guangzhou / Beijing - Hong Kong / Beijing - Shanghai / Beijing - Wuhan / Hong Kong - Shanghai / Hong Kong - Beijing / Hong Kong - Wuhan / Shanghai - Beijing / Shanghai - Hong Kong / Shanghai - Wuhan
2b Travelling from Hekou (China) to Lào Cai (Vietnam)
If you want to travel from China to Vietnam by train, you have daily train connections. There are two main travel routes available.
The first travel route is from Beijing, Guilin, Nanning (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam).
There are two direct trains per week from Beijing (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam).
There are every day connections from Nanning (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam). If you travel on a date were no direct train runs from Beijing to Hanoi, first travel by the daily overnight train from Beijing to Nanning, then by the daily overnight train from Nanning to Hanoi.
The second travel route is from Kunming (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam) with change and border crossing at Hekou (China) and Lào Cai (Vietnam). The train in China coming from Kunming ends at the station Hekou North (China). Journey time 5 hours. There you take a bus or taxi to the border (10 minutes). Walk over the border. And again by bus or taxi (10 minutes) to the station of Lào Cai (Vietnam). From there continue to Hanoi by direct train.
How to buy tickets:
- buy train tickets from China to Vietnam at Chinahighlights. For the city of Hanoi fill in Gia Lam, Hanoi !!!
Direct train: Beijing - Gia Lam, Hanoi.
Connection with change: Beijing - Nanning and Nanning - Gia Lam, Hanoi.
- buy train tickets inside of Vietnam are available via 12goasia. For example: Lào Cai - Hanoi.
Where to buy a ticket from Hekou to Lào Cai?
Buy the train ticket at a railway station. Note: in some countries you have to pay a service fee at the ticket counter. The ticket can be purchased at a station in the country of departure, also sometimes in other countries.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train company:
CNR 中国铁路总公司 / VIET Đường Sắt Việt Nam
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Lào Cai - Hekou / Beijing - Hanoi / Guilin - Hanoi / Nanning - Hanoi / Shanghai - Hanoi / Wuhan - Hanoi / Kunming - Hanoi / Chengdu - Hanoi / Guangzhou - Hanoi / Shijiazhuang - Hanoi / Beijing - Ho Chi Minh City
2c Travelling from Lào Cai (Vietnam) to Sapa (Vietnam)
Train travel in Vietnam is easy and comfortable. The main route is from North to the South of Vietnam, Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. From Hanoi you have a nice route to the mountains, in direction of SaPa. Beside you have a connection from Hanoi to China. Please buy your train ticket online via the following booking links or at a station which is usually no problem.
Where to buy a ticket from Lào Cai to Sapa?
Buy the train ticket at a railway station. Note: in some countries you have to pay a service fee at the ticket counter. The ticket can be purchased at a station in the country of departure, also sometimes in other countries.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train types: Train types you are likely to travel with.
Train (VIET)
train company:
VIET Đường Sắt Việt Nam
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Sapa - Lào Cai / Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi / Ho Chi Minh City - Hạ Long / Ho Chi Minh City - Huế / Ho Chi Minh City - Da Nang / Ho Chi Minh City - Sapa / Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City / Hanoi - Sapa / Hanoi - Hạ Long / Hanoi - Huế / Hanoi - Da Nang
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Do you have questions about the connection between Kunming and Sapa? Does something not work as it should? Just ask in our forum and get competent answers from our rail travel experts.
