Sapa to Cat Ba Bus: Price & Schedule
Both Sapa and Cat Ba Island are muse-visit places in the north of Vietnam. They are about 450 km distant and it is not difficult to find many ways to go from Sapa to Cat Ba Island such as by bus, by train, on foot or swimming (if you are ready). Check the article for the busway with the latest price and schedule.
You may see in my table of contents the way to get from Sapa to Cat Ba. There are some companies providing direct bus, which connects Sapa and Cat Ba Island. We will also check the combined buses between Sapa – Hanoi, and Hanoi – Cat Ba Island. Both of them are useful for your experience and they have their pros and cons.
Type of buses from Hanoi to Cat Ba Island
The direct bus goes straight ahead from Sapa to Cat Ba Island and it takes you 11 hours on the bus. Good morning Cat Ba, Group tour and Cat Ba Discovery support this itinerary. They normally use a 45 - sleeper bus for the direct bus, which is equipped with AC, free wifi and water, a clean and comfortable bed, smooth blanket, big space for legroom, and English Speaking tour guide.
The second option seems to be more expensive because we travel on 2 buses. For both Sapa – Hanoi, and Hanoi – Cat Ba Island way, 9 seaters, 29 seaters, 35 seater,s, and 45 seater buses are used, depending on ticket fee and quantity of guests. Buses are also equipped with AC, wifi, water, blanket, bed/seat, tour guide, which is the same as the direct bus.
| Travel method | Ticket fee | Duration |
| Direct bus | 21 - 25 USD | 11 hours |
| Connect Buses | 23 - 42 USD | 13 hours |
Sapa to Cat Ba Bus schedule & price
Sapa to Cat Ba Island direct bus
- Duration: 11 hours
- Price: 21 – 25 USD
In this way, the bus company will pick you up at your hotel in Sapa town and drop you off at your hotel in Cat Ba Island. You should take the bus which leaves in the evening (20:00 pm, 20:30 pm, 21: 00 pm). In this way, you can sleep on the bus, recharge your energy and say “hello” to Cat Ba Island in the early morning of the next day.
| Bus company | Departure time | Arrival time | Ticket fee |
| Group tour | 8:00 | 18:30 | 25 USD |
| 20:30 | 7:00 (Date + 1) | ||
| Cat Ba Discovery | 8:30 | 18:30 | 22 USD |
| 20:00 | 7:30 (Date + 1) | ||
| Good morning Cat Ba | 21:00 | 7:30 (Date + 1) | 25 USD |
Pros and cons of going from Sapa to Cat Ba Island by direct bus
Pros:
- You save time and money.
- You do not have to be on a tough plan to arrange the next transportation method or you have to rush at chasing the bus/ train.
- Your luggage is safe in the storage area, you do not have to move it from time to time.
Cons:
The bus schedules to stop on the way, therefore, if the bus stops and other people are moving around, which may disturb you while you are sleeping.
Sapa to Cat Ba direct bus
Sapa to Cat Ba connecting bus
| Schedule | Ticket fee | Duration |
| Sapa to Hanoi | 12 - 28 USD | 6 hours |
| Hanoi to Cat Ba | 11 - 14 USD | 3.5 hours |
In this way, you use 2 different buses for your trip from Hanoi to Cat Ba Island. Firstly, you catch the bus from Sapa to Hanoi, which will pick you up at your hotel or their office in Sapa town and drop you off at your hotel or their office in Hanoi Old Quarter. However, the overnight bus always drops you off at the bus office because it arrives at about 4 am. Secondly, you catch the bus from Hanoi to Cat Ba Island. They always offer to pick up and drop off at your hotel.
Check the lists of bus companies for both Sapa to Hanoi and Hanoi to Cat Ba Island.
Bus from Sapa to Hanoi
Starting from Sapa town, the bus will pick you up from their office. Some offer to pick you up at your hotel, then they drive you through the Highway to Hanoi. Check the table below for details.
| Bus company | Kind of bus | Departure time | Ticket fee | Pick up point | Drop off point | Duration |
| Green Bus | 35 soft sleeper bus | 8:00, 13:30, 16:00, 22:00 | 14 USD | No. 618, Dien Bien Phu street | No. 30, Hang Muoi street or your hotel | 6 hours |
| luxury limousine bus | 15:00 | 15 USD | ||||
| Fansipan Express | 35 soft sleeper bus | 7:30, 13:20, 16:00, 22:00 | 15 USD | No. 590, Dien Bien Phu street | No. 41, Luong Van Can or your hotel | |
| 20 vip cabin bus | 7:30, 13:30, 16:00, 22:00 | 28 USD | ||||
| Sapa Express | 16 seater bus | 7:00 | 18 USD | No. 6, Vuon Treo Sapa street | No. 70C, Nguyen Huu Huan street or your hotel | |
| 28 seater bus | 14:30 | 16 USD | ||||
| 38 seater bus | 14:00, 15:00 | 12 USD | ||||
| Green lion bus | Dcar limousine bus | 15:00 | 25 USD | your hotel in Sapa | your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter | 5.5 hours |
Soon, you arrive at Hanoi Old Quarter after about a 6-hour journey. They drop you off at their office at the table. Some offer to drop guests at hotels. Besides, you should remember that the overnight bus always drops you at their office because of early morning arrival.
Bus from Hanoi to Cat Ba Island
| Bus company | Kind of bus | Departure time | Ticket fee | Duration | Pick up point | Drop off point |
| Cat Ba Express | 29 & 35 seater bus | 8:00, 11:00 | 11 USD | 3.5 hours | Hanoi Old Quater | Cat Ba town |
| Goodmorning Cat Ba | 35 seater bus | 7:30, 10:30, 14:00 | 14 USD | 3.5 hours | ||
| Cat Ba Discovery | 29 & 45 seater bus with local ferry | 7:45, 9:30, 12:00, 14:30 | 12.5 USD | 4 hours | ||
| 29 & 45 seater bus with speedboat | 7:40, 10:30, 14:00 | 14 USD | 3.5 hours | |||
| Hoang Long bus | 9 seater limousine bus | 8:00, 10:00, 13:30 | 13 USD | 3.5 hours |
The bus from Hanoi to Cat Ba Island will pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter, then runs through Hanoi – Haiphong Expressway to Got Ferry. At the ferry station, you will travel by local Cat Ba Ferry or speedboat. Going on a local ferry or speedboat depends on the bus company. The local ferry costs your 30 minutes to Cat Ba Island while the speedboat is faster with only 10 minutes on the way. Almost all bus companies offer the speedboat option, however, Cat Ba Discover provides 2 options between local ferry and speedboat. Consider between the view and the time to choose the right company. In total, it takes you from 3.5 hours to 4 hours for Hanoi – Cat Ba Island by bus. The bus company will drop you off at your hotel or nearby place (within walking distance).
Hanoi to Cat Ba Bus
Pros and cons
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Local tips for your best trip from Sapa to Cat Ba Island
Book in advance: You should reserve your booking in advance in case the tickets are sold out. The bus hardly delays, therefore, do not worry about missing the next bus. The best itinerary is that you travel on the overnight bus from Sapa to Hanoi, then take the earliest bus from Hanoi to Cat Ba Island at 7:00 am to save your time of traveling. Besides, check the good options such as the luxury cabin bus for your best comfort and less tiring.
Keep in touch with your hotel: You will come back to Hanoi to catch the bus from here to Cat Ba Island. Message your hotel about your arrival to check if you can have a room for having a shower or taking a nap. Some hotels are willing to offer free breakfast and a dormitory bed or a room for you if they are available.
Book a tour/ bus with a travel agency: You will get some offers and discounts from your hotel or travel agency if you reserve for a bus or Vietnam package tour such as free airport drop-off service and go on. They do it for their reputation and your reviews will help you welcome more guests. Remember to choose a trusted company to never throw your money into the trash box.
Above are some useful tips for your traveling. Hope it will help you find a way to get from Sapa to Cat Ba Island. Do not forget to check with BestPrice Travel for a good deal today. Enjoy your time.
Mr. River
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