DISCLOSURE: My articles may contain affiliate links. To click on those links, you won’t be charged any extra cost, instead, you help me to get some small commissions to maintain my blog. Thanks for understanding!
How to take a bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang? I will answer this question in the most detailed and easiest way based on my backpacking experience from Hanoi to Ha Giang.
Ha Giang trip quick links:
- Ha Giang complete travel guide: Click here
- Bus ticket Hanoi – Ha Giang: Click here
- Best homestays in Ha Giang: Ancient Town 29 Phố Cổ, Dong Van Cliffside House
- Place to rent a motorbike in Ha Giang: My Review of Anh Anh motel & Motorbike Rental
Table of Contents
1. Where is Ha Giang?
Ha Giang is situated in the northmost of Vietnam which is 300 kilometers away from Hanoi and shares the border with China. The province borders other Vietnam provinces (namely Cao Bang, Yen Bai, Lao Cai, and Tuyen Quang) and China.
Ha Giang province consists of 10 districts and 1 city. Ha Giang city is the capital city which is the main transportation transit stop if you want to travel to other parts of Ha Giang. Meanwhile, Hoang Su Phi, Meo Vac, Dong Van, Yen Minh, and Quan Ba are the most common tourist destinations.
Read more
How hard is the Ha Giang loop? Is it hard to drive in the Ha Giang loop?
The most complete Hanoi to Ha Giang travel guide
2. How to transport from Hanoi to Ha Giang?
There are different ways to transport from Hanoi to Ha Giang such as taking a sleeper bus, limousine, or driving a motorbike. While sleeper buses or limousines are the most common and easiest way to reach Ha Giang from Hanoi, many adventurous travelers would want to drive a motorbike from Hanoi for more than 300 km as well.
From my experience, I totally suggest you go for a sleeper bus as it is the most convenient, cheapest, and safest option of all.
Note: if you are very tall (2 meters and above), it’s advisable to choose the VIP sleeper bus option as the bed is larger and more comfortable.
3. How to take a sleeper bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang?
Where to take a sleeper bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang?
To catch the sleeper bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang, you need to go to My Dinh bus station. Here is the address: Pham Hung street, My Dinh 2, Tu Liem, Hanoi.
Besides, there are some bus operators that offer routes from Hanoi Old Quarter to Ha Giang. Thus, you can go to their office which is inside/ nearby the Old Quarter.
How to buy bus tickets?
There are 3 ways to buy tickets.
At the bus station: Once you reached the My Dinh bus station, you can see a lot of ticket counters inside the station. Try to find the word “Ha Giang”, and go to that counter. Once you get the ticket, you can go inside the parking area to choose whichever bus you want and give the ticket to the bus conductor.
Contact with bus operator directly: If you know which bus operator you want to take. Then try to get their contact number and call/ text them to book in advance. Once the booking is confirmed, you can just go to the station, call them when you reached, and they will come to find you at the station. No advance payment is needed, you will only pay once you get on the bus. I will also list down some trustworthy bus operators below, so you can consider them.
Note: The bus operators might not speak English, so ask for help from the hotel front desk staff or any local Vietnamese you know.
Buy tickets online: If you don’t want to go to the My Dinh Bus Station (which is pretty far from Hanoi Old Quarter), you can buy tickets at THIS LINK. From that link, you will see many buses that pick up passengers from Hanoi Old Quarter. This is probably the best and most convenient way to buy tickets from Hanoi Old Quarter to Ha Giang. And remember to check the rating of the bus operator before you make the payment.
Bus schedule from Hanoi to Ha Giang
There are many departure times, but the most common time slots are 9:30, 16:30, and 21:30 (depart from My Dinh station). It takes about 6-7 hours to travel by bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang. The bus may depart later than the time stated on the schedule (it can be up to 30 minutes) but it doesn’t mean you can come late.
From my experience, it’s better to take the bus departing at 21:30 because the bus will reach Ha Giang bus station at around 4:30am – 5:00am, thus, you can sleep during transportation. In addition, if you rent a motorbike in Ha Giang City, do contact the rental store and inform them that you will reach in the early morning, and they will give you a dorm bed to rest FOR FREE.
Note: You can also ask the bus driver to drop you off at the motorbike rental store if it’s near Ha Giang bus station. You can contact Anh Anh Motel to rent the bike, their service is very good and the location is perfect.
Read more
Ha Giang bike rental: A detailed review of Anh Anh motel
How much is the sleeper bus ticket from Hanoi to Ha Giang?
The ticket price of a standard sleeper bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang is from 300,000 vnd/ person/ way.
My experience taking the bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang
As stated above, I prefer the overnight sleeper bus as I can sleep on the bus and save time. I booked a bus from My Dinh bus station to Ha Giang bus station operated by Cau Me bus. I think this is a well-known company that operates buses from Hanoi to Ha Giang as I saw many of them in Ha Giang.
Some of my feedback about the Cau Me bus:
- The bus driver and ticket conductor were friendly and funny;
- The bed was comfortable with a blanket and pillow provided;
- In the middle of the trip, there was a stopover that provided a toilet for free. BUT don’t expect a clean modern one, it was smelly and dirty. And sadly, even if you find another bus, nothing can be improved as Ha Giang is in the countryside. You can buy some food or a local specialty here as well. If you order cooked food, I have to warn you that it’s just at the most basic standard and a bit more expensive than normal, and there are not many options. So if you are a midnight hunger, bringing some snacks from Hanoi would be a wise choice.
- It was convenient as they dropped me off at the place where I rented my motorbike.
4. How to take a limousine from Hanoi to Ha Giang?
A limousine would be more expensive than a sleeper bus because its capacity is only 9-16 people and it’s considered as a VIP bus option from Hanoi to Ha Giang. There are many companies that pick up directly from the Hanoi Old Quarter as well.
Here are some limousine operators providing routes from Hanoi to Ha Giang: Good morning Cat Ba, Ha Giang Epic Limousine, Limousine Luxury Van.
Ticket price: from 400,000 vnd/ person/ way.
Check the bus schedule, price, and pick-up point and buy a limousine ticket: CLICK HERE
5. What to bear in mind?
Here are some notes that you need to know when taking a bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang:
Firstly, during the national holidays or high season, the sleeper buses might be overbooked and some people will have to sit/sleep on the aisle. To avoid that, you can book a limousine instead.
Secondly, if you book directly with the bus operator, the ticket fare will be collected once you get on the bus. You don’t need to pay them a deposit in advance.
Thirdly, if you buy the ticket online or at the ticket counter at the station, just show the driver your ticket, you don’t need to pay any extra money unless your luggage is overweight (should be less than 10kg).
Last but not least, bear in mind that the departing time can be changed last minute or will be delayed.
6. Taking the bus from Ha Giang back to Hanoi
For the bus back to Hanoi from Ha Giang, you can just ask the same bus/limousine operators that you take from Hanoi to Ha Giang and confirm with them the pick-up point (normally should be inside or nearby the Ha Giang bus station).
Alright, above is the guide on how to take the bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang. I hope the post is helpful. If you have any questions about taking a bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang, feel free to comment below. Thanks for reading!
Read more
Ha Giang homestay: Alladin Dong Van homestay review
The most complete Hanoi to Ha Giang travel guide
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I take train from Hanoi to Ha Giang?
No, you can’t. There is no train connecting these two provinces.
2. Is there any flight from Hanoi to Ha Giang?
No, there isn’t. There is no airport in Ha Giang province.
3. How long is the bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang?
The journey from Hanoi to Ha Giang by bus takes about 6-7 hours.
4. How do you get to Ha Giang?
You can reach Ha Giang either by bus/limousine or by motorbike. I totally suggest a bus or a limousine because it’s less tiring.
