Sapa to Luang Prabang

Sapa to Luang Prabang

Sapa
Luang Prabang
Mon, Jun 15
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2 Passengers
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Sapa to Luang Prabang Destination Reviews

AM
Ana M
There were 2 buses, the first one was a bit chaotic, it was a local bus, but they let us stay in the back seats, which were completely flat. Fortunately the bus was not crowded, in that case we wouldn't fit on those flat seats with 2 more people. The second bus was a mini van and the driver was so impolite, he stopped every 2 minutes buying things in the village before going to the border. After crossing the border, the driver was absent and let us wait in the mini van over one hour. None knew where he was. At the end we arrived to our destination 3 hours late.
Sapa to Luang Prabang, Bus Sleeper Bus + Van, HT Travel, Jul 3, 2025
BR
Bjoern R
The bus picked us up very late, around 8 PM. The women at the ticket office were quite rude. They didn’t speak at all and ignored our questions. We paid for two sleeper cabins and boarded the bus. The lady told us we had to crawl into one cabin together. Many cabins were free and weren’t even full at the end of our journey. It seemed like they were just trying to annoy tourists. In Dien Bien Phu, we changed to a local yellow bus that crossed the border. Make sure you get your passport stamped in Hanoi at the Laos embassy. Only a few countries are allowed to enter Laos Visa-Free. They won’t accept evisas at this land border. Two British tourists were denied entry because they had an evisa. The Vietnamese officers wouldn’t let them out. Border crossing was easy. Make sure you exchange money right with the Vietnamese immigration officers, as the Laos officers will require 10K Kip for entry. It’s an official fee, and you’ll get a receipt. In Laos, we drove a lot and made many stops to deliver parcels. Six hours into Laos, at about 3 PM, the driver stopped in Muang Xai. He gave some money to a tuc tuc driver and drove us to the railway station. The driver bought us train tickets and we got to Luang Prabang by train. The driver told us he was too tired to drive further, understandably for the long distance and the bad roads. But he was really nice that he bought the train tickets for us.
Sapa to Luang Prabang, Bus Local Bus + Sleeping Bus, Sapa Ethnic Travel (Công Ty TNHH Một Thành Viên Du Lịch Thiểu Số), May 30, 2025
O오
Owen 오
The bus picked us up 3 hours late. The ticket office didn't tell us the time so we had to keep waiting. Finally we arrived in Luang Prabang at 9pm. There was no proper guidance when changing buses, crossing the border, and stopping at rest areas. Maybe it would be wise to take the train from Muang Xai. Thanks to the two drivers who drove safely.
Sapa to Luang Prabang, Bus Local Bus + Sleeping Bus, Sapa Ethnic Travel (Công Ty TNHH Một Thành Viên Du Lịch Thiểu Số), Oct 25, 2024
EL
Elroy L
Got there
Sapa to Luang Prabang, Bus Van + Sleeper Bus, Grouptour (Công ty du lịch quốc tế Grouptour), Apr 8, 2024
KJ
Kofi J
Our route was supposed to be sapa 18:30 - Luang Prabang 18:30 the next day. Which didn’t differ too much from actualities. We were told the bus would be at 19:00 earlier in the day (we can only assume the 18:30&19:00 departure buses are the same) We left Sapa at 19:30 on a sleeper coach (no toilets). We then stopped in Lai Chau at 22:30 for 40 mins. Got to Dien Bien Phu bus station at 04:30. Got into a local yellow Luang Prabang bus (no toilets either) that didn’t leave until 07:15. We arrived at the Vietnam border at 08:40 and were through in 20 minutes. If you had any Vietnamese Dong left over they could change it to Lao Kip for you. Arrived at Lao immigration 10 minutes after this and we were through in 30 mins. We had our passports stamped in Hanoi already. (US$1 each as we didn’t have any Kip for stamp duty otherwise it was 10,000 Kip each) We had a lunch stop at Pak Nam Nov at 12:00. Arrived in Luang Prabang at 19:30 with no more official stops, just stops for delivering parcels.
Sapa to Luang Prabang, Bus Local Bus + Sleeping Bus, Sapa Ethnic Travel (Công Ty TNHH Một Thành Viên Du Lịch Thiểu Số), Apr 2, 2024
4.4
19 customer reviews
5
48%
4
0%
3
26%
2
26%
1
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Sapa to Luang Prabang Schedule

TypeOperatorClassDeparture TimeArrival TimePriceRating
Bus
Sapa Ethnic Travel
Local Bus + Sleeping Bus
18:30
18:30
$37.98
  4.3
Bus
Sapa Ethnic Travel
Local Bus + Sleeping Bus
19:00
19:00
$37.98
  4.3
Van
Grouptour
Van + Sleeper Bus
19:00
20:00
$39.12
  3.0
Bus
Techbus VN JSC
Local Bus + Sleeping Bus
19:00
07:00
$28.30
Bus
Grouptour
Van + Sleeper Bus
19:00
20:00
$39.12
  2.7
Bus
Asian Bus Travel
Sleeper bus + Van + Train
19:15
14:15
$41.78
  2.0
Van
Laos Luxury Travel
Minivan + 41 Sleeper
19:15
12:15
$38.00
Bus
Sapa Discovery Travel
Budget sleeper + Van + Train
19:30
14:30
$47.48
Bus
Sapa Discovery Travel
Budget sleeper + Van + Train
19:45
13:35
$37.98
Bus
Sapa Discovery Travel
VIP 20 + Van + Train
21:00
14:50
$43.68

How to get from Sapa to Luang Prabang

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

The most expensive ticket will cost you USD 48.91 if you go by Bus; to keep it budget-friendly, opt for a bus which will set you back mere USD 45.11.

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

It can take you anywhere between 18 and 25 hours to travel between Sapa and Luang Prabang depending on the means of transport you choose.

Bus+train+van is the fastest way to travel between Sapa and Luang Prabang. Bus+train+van will bring you to your destination in 17h 50m. Bus does a much slower job and take about 1d 1h to reach Luang Prabang.

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

Travelling between Sapa and Luang Prabang can be as cheap as USD 45.11 if you opt for a Sapa Ethnic Travel (Công Ty TNHH Một Thành Viên Du Lịch Thiểu Số) bus and as expensive as USD 48.91 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.

How many trips per day are there between Sapa and Luang Prabang ?

  • 3 from Sapa to Luang Prabang starting from 18:30 Ket Doan Travel SP until 19:00 Ket Doan Travel SP

Check above for a bus, train, flight and ferry timetable from Sapa to Luang Prabang.

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

Bus

Travelling from Sapa 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 Sapa and Luang Prabang

Grouptour (Công ty du lịch quốc tế Grouptour), Sapa Ethnic Travel (Công Ty TNHH Một Thành Viên Du Lịch Thiểu Số)

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 Sapa 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 Sapa and Luang Prabang

Laos Luxury Travel

What is the most popular transport to get from Sapa 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

  • 62% opted for a bus
  • 26% chosen Bus+Train+Van
  • 12% chosen Bus+Van

Transportation from Sapa to Luang Prabang

Facts about the transport from Sapa to Luang Prabang

Cheapest Transport$46
Fastest Transport17h 50m
Earliest Departure6:30 오후
Latest Departure9:00 오후
Departures per day3
Distance892 kilometers
Transport CompaniesGrouptour, Sapa Discovery Travel, Sapa Ethnic Travel