From Hanoi to Luang Prabang - Book Transport Tickets from VND 1,323k

Hanoi to Luang Prabang Destination Reviews

Marie D

First part to the border ok in a good sleeping bus, then we passed in a bus not nice at all. Never seen the minivan announced, we were for the third part of the trip in a "public van" with local people vomiting all way long. Definitely it's better to take public transport for twice the price than take this trip with Sapa Discovery Travel, 60€ is a shame for the transports proposed

Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Bus VIP 20 + Van, Sapa Discovery Travel, Dec 17, 2025

Samuel M

The night bus is good but after We stay 8h in a very very bad car with no seat and no place and the driver stop every 5min.. Very upset

Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Bus VIP 20 + Van + Train, Sapa Discovery Travel, Oct 21, 2025

Lucy M

Arrived at 12:30am - over 9 hours later than originally stated. Very few bathroom breaks or opportunities to eat - I was incredibly ill from dehydration and having had little to eat by the end of the 18 hours on two different vans

Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Bus VIP 20 + Van + Train, Sapa Discovery Travel, Aug 11, 2025

Maureen P

Heard lots of bad reviews about Sapa and we were really scared about our first sleeper bus. One thing to admit, the operator really tries to go beyond to ensure we reach our destination. They were very caring and helpful. Our trip was from Hanoi to Luang Prabang and trains were out of service in Laos. But the operator made sure we reached safely. Only note to add: the sleeper bus itself was very dirty and smelly and hygiene is definitely an issue. We couldn't sleep at night because of the urine smell and stickyness on the mattress.

Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Bus VIP 20 + Van + Train, Sapa Discovery Travel, Jul 28, 2025

韦

韦斯利

Well, the glossy brochures often paint a picture of seamless, comfortable travel across Southeast Asia. And while I'm all for embracing the journey, sometimes the "luxury" label gets stretched thinner than a well-worn travel budget. My recent overnight jaunt from Dien Bien Phu to Luang Prabang was aboard one of these so-called "luxury" sleeper buses. Now, let's be clear, the concept is appealing – a horizontal slumber while the miles melt away. And in fairness, the bus did have beds, or rather, narrow, slightly inclined platforms that vaguely resembled beds. Personal space, as is often the case on these long-haul adventures, was at a premium. Think Tetris, but with bodies and a distinct lack of smooth, sliding movements. The air conditioning, bless its heart, seemed to operate on an "arctic blast or nothing" principle, so layers became your best friend – fluctuating wildly between feeling like you were in a meat locker and then briefly thawing out in a pocket of slightly less frigid air. The journey itself, well, it was certainly an *experience*. The roads in this part of the world have a character all their own, and our driver seemed determined to introduce us to every single bump and curve. Sleep came in fits and starts, punctuated by the occasional enthusiastic honking, the glow of oncoming headlights through the thin curtains, and the general symphony of a bus full of fellow adventurers trying to find a comfortable position. But here's the thing – amidst the minor discomforts and the slightly exaggerated claims of luxury, there's a certain charm to this mode of travel. You're sharing an experience with locals and other travelers, all on the same mission to reach their destination. You see snippets of life unfolding outside the window, even in the darkness. And there's a real sense of accomplishment when you finally arrive, perhaps a little rumpled, but having covered a significant distance. So, was it a five-star luxury suite on wheels? Not exactly. Was it a memorable and ultimately effective way to get from Hanoi to Luang Prabang? Absolutely. You just need to pack your sense of humor, a good travel pillow, and maybe an extra blanket. Because sometimes, the best travel stories come from those journeys that are just a little rough around the edges. It certainly makes for a more interesting anecdote than "the flight was on time and the seats reclined nicely," doesn't it?

Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Bus VIP 20 + Van + Train, Sapa Discovery Travel, Jul 19, 2025

Kai R

You get dropped off in the most random places but it works out at the end. Works better if you have wifi. We didn't have wifi and had to buy train tickets ourselves. But overall it was a good experience.

Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Bus VIP 20 + Van + Train, Sapa Discovery Travel, Jun 27, 2025

Fabian M

We took the Nightbus in Hanoi (which was good) and Luckily took some food with us!! We didn’t stop at a single place to have dinner and after crossing the border we Stoppt at only one place which had food but no atm (no chance to get some money to pay it). In total it was like 20hours without food. The bus we took after the Night-Bus had more people in it then seats and wasn’t comfortable at all. Furthermore We arrived at our destination much later then the ticket proclaimed even tho we only stopped 2 times for like 10min each during the whole trip (Hanoi -> LuangPrabang). Therefore the arrival time on the ticket just seems like an made up time. Also we needed an extra ticket for the train which they send us a screenshot which technically is ok but we got Lucky to connect to a Wifi on our second stop else we wouldn’t have received it.

Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Bus VIP 20 + Van + Train, Sapa Discovery Travel, Jun 1, 2025

Johanna L

Bus from Hanoi to Luang Prabang: Pro: - cheap - an experience you won‘t forget - you can sleep for 30+ hours Con: - 31 hours instead of 24 hours (to be expected in Asia) - roads on Laos side are miserable. We were driving 20 km/h there - frequent stops to load parcels or people (to be expected in Asia) - bus overbooked so Vietnamese guests that joined at later bus stops had to sleep on the floor (to be expected in Asia) - no sockets/plugs, toilet, wifi, … -> very old bus Tbh, I enjoyed the drive, but many people hated their ride Recommendations: Bring WARM clothes and all that you have to keep yourself warm in your carry-on backpack Bring loads of snacks/dry food that won‘t expire Change some money to USD so you can pay in restaurants on the Laos side.

Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Bus Semi Sleeper, HTX Van Tai 277 (HTX Vận Tải 27-7), Dec 1, 2024

Erik H

6 hours late... Arrived at 1h in luang prabang

Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Bus Semi Sleeper, HTX Van Tai 277 (HTX Vận Tải 27-7), Mar 10, 2024

Julia F

Good

Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Bus Semi Sleeper, HTX Van Tai 277 (HTX Vận Tải 27-7), Jan 30, 2024

4.4

62 customer reviews

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Hanoi to Luang Prabang Schedule

Type	Operator	Class	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Price	Rating
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	05:00	16:25	$608.84	4.0
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	06:00	16:25	$529.95	4.0
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	07:00	16:25	$520.12	4.0
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	07:45	16:25	$512.54
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	08:50	12:20	$378.05	4.0
Flight	Thai AirAsia	Economy	09:15	15:35	$172.37
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	09:35	09:15	$377.14
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	10:10	11:50	$346.11
Flight	Thai Airways	Economy	10:35	12:05	$454.22
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	11:05	11:50	$345.44
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	12:45	12:20	$287.91	4.0
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	13:10	14:15	$148.04	4.8
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	13:30	14:35	$178.58	4.8
Bus	Techbus VN JSC	Sleeper 40	14:55	17:55	$45.00
Van	Grouptour	Van + Sleeper Bus	15:20	14:40	$56.96	5.0
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	15:55	12:20	$347.12	4.0
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	16:20	11:50	$168.89
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	16:40	11:50	$187.05
Bus	Techbus VN JSC	Sleeper 40	17:00	18:00	$45.00
Bus	Techbus VN JSC	Sleeper 40	17:30	17:30	$45.04

Transportation from Hanoi to Luang Prabang

Facts about the transport from Hanoi to Luang Prabang

Cheapest Transport	$51
Fastest Transport	1h 5m
Earliest Departure	9:15 AM
Latest Departure	9:00 PM
Departures per day	2
Distance	1325 kilometers
Transport Companies	Grouptour, HTX Van Tai 277, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Sapa Discovery Travel, Thai AirAsia, Vietnam Airlines, Vietnam Airlines

Popular Routes

How to get from Hanoi to Luang Prabang

Travelling between Hanoi and Luang Prabang is possible by Flight, bus, train and van. Flight guarantees the fastest travel on this route. Bus+van is the slowest option.

The most expensive ticket will cost you USD 60.76 if you go by Bus; to keep it budget-friendly, opt for a bus which will set you back mere USD 50.22.

How long does it take to get from Hanoi to Luang Prabang?

It can take you anywhere between 2 and 27 hours to travel between Hanoi and Luang Prabang depending on the means of transport you choose.

Flight is the fastest way to travel between Hanoi and Luang Prabang. Flight will bring you to your destination in 1h 5m. Bus+van does a much slower job and take about 1d 2h 30m to reach Luang Prabang.

How much does it cost to get from Hanoi to Luang Prabang?

Travelling between Hanoi and Luang Prabang can be as cheap as USD 50.22 if you opt for a HTX Van Tai 277 (HTX Vận Tải 27-7) bus and as expensive as USD 60.76 if you buy a Grouptour (Công ty du lịch quốc tế Grouptour) Bus ticket.

Here is the list of how much you can expect to pay travelling by each means of transport available for this route.

What mode of transportation is the best one for my route?

Flights

Flying is the fastest and often the most expensive way to travel from Hanoi to Luang Prabang, but with a bit of luck you can score very good deals for as little as USD 152.66.

Things to remember: Note that some of the airlines may have restrictions on checked luggage weight or require paying extra for check-in, choosing seats or transportation of oversized luggage.

If opting for a flight, calculate the time you will spend getting to and from the airports as well as the waiting time before your flight, getting through immigration in case of an international flight and recovering your checked luggage.

In certain cases all these procedures can add no less than 5 hours to your total travel time.

Airlines flying between Hanoi and Luang Prabang

Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Thai AirAsia (แอร์เอเชีย), Vietnam Airlines, Vietnam Airlines

Bus

Travelling from Hanoi to Luang Prabang overland will inevitably take longer but in many cases it is the cheapest option if you opt for a bus.

Things to remember: For a more comfortable ride opt for a higher-class bus wherever possible. These buses usually have soft reclining seats and are equipped with air-conditioning and on-board toilets.

They often include water, snacks or a light lunch into your ticket price and make bathroom stops en-route.

Companies operating bus routes between Hanoi and Luang Prabang

Grouptour (Công ty du lịch quốc tế Grouptour), HTX Van Tai 277 (HTX Vận Tải 27-7)

Van

Vans are a great alternative - or, in many cases - your only option - if you need to travel overland within one and the same province or neighbouring provinces or states. Vans ply the roads between Hanoi and Luang Prabang, too.

Things to remember: When travelling by van with huge luggage buying a separate seat for your suitcase or backpack is a good idea. Do not expect there is a roomy luggage compartment in a van - there is actually none and your fellow passengers are unlikely to appreciate your luggage stuck under their feet, alas.

Companies operating vans between Hanoi and Luang Prabang

Laos Luxury Travel

What is the most popular transport to get from Hanoi to Luang Prabang?

There is a choice of transportation means any time of the day with Bus remaining the most popular option due to their reasonable pricing and comfort.

Out of 1000 travellers who bought tickets for this route

46% opted for a bus
30% chosen Bus+Van
18% chosen Bus+Train+Van
5% decided to fly
1% Other

Hanoi to Luang Prabang