Hello everyone, I'm planning to go from Kunming to Hanoi via Lao Cai. Does anyone know anything about the trains from Lao Cai to Hanoi, such as prices, frequency, pre-booking etc.? Any advice is welcome :) Thanks!
Hi there,
There are 4 trains daily from Kunming to Hekou Bei at 9:32 AM, 12:45 PM; 15:45 and 22:48 and it takes approximately 6 hours (the night train takes about 7 hours) to get there, and it costs 70 RMB hard seat and 129 RMB hard sleeper. I went there twice and after I crossed the border I took a sleeping bus to Hanoi, not the train and it takes about 6 hours to get there. It costs about 70 RMB. The road is good.From what I know the train from Lao Cai to Hanoi can be booked online but they will only have cabins on the night train that costs about 250-300 RMB, very nice and comfy.
Please take note that the post above gives you the train schedule from Kunming to Hekou - Not Lao Cai to Hanoi.
Most foreigners purchase the cabin sleepers - 4 to a room. We usually take the night train from Lao Cai, sleep on the train and arrive in Hanoi about 5 am so we do not burn daylight on the train.
You can also buy tickets in Hekou before you cross the border at any travel agent. It was easier because we paid in RMB. Sometimes in Lao Cai they want you to pay in dollars or charge more for same day tickets. You can purchase tickets at a travel agency (pay more) or at the train station, but the train station usually runs out of cabin tickets because the travel agencies buy them all up.
I travel often and I am never in a hurry so I recommend you stop at Jian Shui rather than going straight from Kunming to Hekou if you have time.
Thanks ai li and HFCAMPO! Your advice really helped for my travel planning! :)
