Hanoi–Lao Cai Railway > Lao Cai Station (Ga Lào Cai)
Lao Cai Station (Ga Lào Cai) is a station on the Hanoi–Lao Cai railway in Lao Cai province in the Northwest region.
Lao Cai Station is the closest station to Sapa, and there is a bus that connects the station to Sapa.
The line was originally part of the Kunming–Haiphong railway, but there are no longer passenger trains on this line from Vietnam to China.
[Lao Cai ticket office.]
[Lao Cai waiting area.]
[Mountain view from Lao Cai Station.]
[Train SP8 to Hanoi.]
Lao Cai train services
There are overnight trains from Hanoi to Lao Cai, and an overnight and day train to Hanoi. There are no other regional services on this line.
To get the train to Kunming, you need to get a taxi to the border crossing, and then bus or taxi to Hekou North Railway Station.
Lao Cai Railway Station map
[Map of Lao Cai Railway Station.]
Transport to Sapa
The public bus that goes to Sapa departs from the carpark in front of the station.
Here is the timetable that is displayed on the bus window.
Some of the special carriages include a transfer service to Sapa, so check if that is included on your ticket.
Food near Lao Cai Station
There are restaurants on the street in front of the station. There are a few western restaurants here (an unusual site for a provincial city), which suggests how popular the train is with international tourists.
[Coffee at Rock Pizza opposite Lao Cai Station.]
Note that the Hanoi-Lao Cai trains don’t have a meal service like the North-South Railway, so have lunch or dinner before departing Lao Cai.
Hotels near Lao Cai Station
Lao Cai Station is close enough to the city centre to not have to stay near the station, but there are hotels nearby if that is your preference.
Thien Hai Hotel (2-star) is next to the carpark in front of the station.
Lam Luxury Hotel and some other guesthouses are on the street that faces the station (Phan Dinh Phung).
[Hotels on Phan Dinh Phung Street.]
There are a few guesthouses (Nhà Nghỉ) opposite the station.
Links and resources
Wikipedia: Lào Cai station.
Vietnam is planning to rebuild the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong Railway into a standard-gauge line that will connect to Kunming. Construction is scheduled to begin in December 2025, though there is no announcement if there will be a full or partial closure of the old railway during construction.
