Lào Cai to Kunming by train
Travel from Lào Cai (Vietnam) to Kunming (China) by train (312km): schedule and information to the train connection. Compare fares and buy your ticket.
Lào Cai - Kunming @ 2025-01-26
To travel from Lào Cai to Kunming 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.
- 1Lào Cai (Vietnam) - Hanoi (Vietnam) - Nanning (China) - Kunming (China)
- 2Lào Cai (Vietnam) - Hekou (China) - Kunming (China)
312 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 Lào Cai to Kunming, 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
Kunming - Lào Cai / Ho Chi Minh City - Beijing / Hanoi - Harbin / Hanoi - Hangzhou / Hanoi - Chengdu / Sapa - Kunming / Hanoi - Beijing / Nha Trang - Beijing / Huế - Beijing / Hội An - Beijing1 Lào Cai (Vietnam) - Hanoi (Vietnam) - Nanning (China) - Kunming (China)
The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.
1a Travelling from Lào Cai (Vietnam) to Hanoi (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 Hanoi?
Check times&prices 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
Hanoi - 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
1b Travelling from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Nanning (China)
If you want to travel by train from Vietnam to China, there are daily train connections on two main travel routes.
The first travel route is from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Nanning, Guilin, Beijing (China).
There are two direct trains per week from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Beijing (China).
There are every day connections from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Nanning (China). If you travel on a date were no direct train runs from Hanoi to Beijing, first travel by the daily overnight train from Hanoi to Nanning, then by the daily overnight train from Nanning to Beijing.
The second travel route is from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Kunming (China) with change and border crossing at Lào Cai (Vietnam) and Hekou (China).
Travel first from Hanoi to Lào Cai (Vietnam) by direct train. There you change to a bus or taxi to the border (10 minutes). Cross the border on foot. Take again a bus or taxi (10 minutes) to Hekou North (China) train station. From there continue by train to Kunming (journey time 5 hours).
How to buy tickets:
- buy train tickets from Vietnam to China at 12goasia or Baolau.
Direct train: Hanoi - Beijing.
Connection with change: Hanoi - Nanning and Nanning - Beijing.
It is also possible to buy these routes via Chinahighlights, but then you have to pick them up somewhere before in China.
- buy train tickets inside of Vietnam via 12goasia. For example: Hanoi - Lào Cai.
Note: if you use Chinahighlights, fill in for Hanoi: Gia Lam, Hanoi.
Where to buy a ticket from Hanoi to Nanning?
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
Nanning - Hanoi / Hanoi - Beijing / Hanoi - Guilin / Hanoi - Shanghai / Hanoi - Guangzhou / Hanoi - Wuhan / Hanoi - Kunming / Hanoi - Harbin / Hanoi - Chengdu / Ho Chi Minh City - Beijing
1c Travelling from Nanning (China) to Kunming (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 Nanning to Kunming?
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
Kunming - Nanning / 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
2 Lào Cai (Vietnam) - Hekou (China) - Kunming (China)
The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.
2a Travelling from Lào Cai (Vietnam) to Hekou (China)
If you want to travel by train from Vietnam to China, there are daily train connections on two main travel routes.
The first travel route is from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Nanning, Guilin, Beijing (China).
There are two direct trains per week from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Beijing (China).
There are every day connections from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Nanning (China). If you travel on a date were no direct train runs from Hanoi to Beijing, first travel by the daily overnight train from Hanoi to Nanning, then by the daily overnight train from Nanning to Beijing.
The second travel route is from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Kunming (China) with change and border crossing at Lào Cai (Vietnam) and Hekou (China).
Travel first from Hanoi to Lào Cai (Vietnam) by direct train. There you change to a bus or taxi to the border (10 minutes). Cross the border on foot. Take again a bus or taxi (10 minutes) to Hekou North (China) train station. From there continue by train to Kunming (journey time 5 hours).
How to buy tickets:
- buy train tickets from Vietnam to China at 12goasia or Baolau.
Direct train: Hanoi - Beijing.
Connection with change: Hanoi - Nanning and Nanning - Beijing.
It is also possible to buy these routes via Chinahighlights, but then you have to pick them up somewhere before in China.
- buy train tickets inside of Vietnam via 12goasia. For example: Hanoi - Lào Cai.
Note: if you use Chinahighlights, fill in for Hanoi: Gia Lam, Hanoi.
Where to buy a ticket from Lào Cai to Hekou?
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
Hekou - Lào Cai / Hanoi - Beijing / Hanoi - Guilin / Hanoi - Nanning / Hanoi - Shanghai / Hanoi - Guangzhou / Hanoi - Wuhan / Hanoi - Kunming / Hanoi - Harbin / Hanoi - Chengdu / Ho Chi Minh City - Beijing
2b Travelling from Hekou (China) to Kunming (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 Hekou to Kunming?
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
Kunming - Hekou / 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
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Do you have questions about the connection between Lào Cai and Kunming? Does something not work as it should? Just ask in our forum and get competent answers from our rail travel experts.
