Book your train tickets with Chapa Express.

Chapa Express is a Vietnamese private railway company connecting Hanoi and Lao Cai, as well as Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Hue and Da Nang.

Trains operated by Chapa Express

Chapa Express operates their own passenger cars that are attached to the trains hauled by Vietnam Railways locomotives, departing and arriving with the same schedule.

Passenger cars are divided in two classes: Sleeper 2-Berth in compartments for 1-2 passengers and Sleeper 4-Berth in compartments for 1-4 passengers. Customers who wish to enjoy some privacy by reserving the whole compartment can select the maximum number of passengers and purchase all the tickets.

For more information about travelling by train, please read our Train Guide in Vietnam.

Routes

Destinations

Chapa Express serves the following destinations in Vietnam:

Northern Vietnam

Hanoi–Lao Cai railway

The Hanoi–Lao Cai railway line connects Hanoi and Lao Cai, in the Northwestern Mountains of Vietnam. Trains depart from Hanoi Railway Station and return from Lao Cai Railway Station.

book your train to Lao Cai

Train routes to Lao Cai

Central Vietnam

North–South railway

The North–South railway line connects Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. Trains depart from Hanoi Railway Station and arrive at Saigon Railway Station stopping in the major stations along Central Vietnam, such us Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Vinh, Dong Hoi, Hue, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Dieu Tri, Nha Trang, Phan Rang–Thap Cham, Binh Thuan and other secondary stations.

book your train to Hanoi

Train routes to Hanoi

book your train to Ninh Binh

Train routes to Ninh Binh

book your train to Hue

Train routes to Hue

book your train to Da Nang

Train routes to Da Nang

Change policy

The following change terms apply to the train fares:

Chapa Express Change time/date
Fare VIP 2-Berth (Private cabin) Permitted with fees
Fare Suite 2-Berth (Private cabin) Permitted with fees
Fare Deluxe 4-Berth (Shared cabin) Permitted with fees
Fare Deluxe 4-Berth (Shared cabin) Permitted with fees
Fare Superior 4-Berth (Shared cabin) Permitted with fees
Fare Superior 4-Berth (Shared cabin) Permitted with fees

If you wish to change your booking with Chapa Express, please Contact Us. This option is available until 120 hours before departure, after that time please contact directly with Chapa Express. Change fees will apply.

- 50% per ticket if 120 hours or more to departure.
- No change if less than 120 hours to departure.

No change for tickets on public holidays.


Cancellation policy

The following cancellation terms apply to the train fares:

Chapa Express Cancellation before departure
Fare VIP 2-Berth (Private cabin) Permitted with fees
Fare Suite 2-Berth (Private cabin) Permitted with fees
Fare Deluxe 4-Berth (Shared cabin) Permitted with fees
Fare Deluxe 4-Berth (Shared cabin) Permitted with fees
Fare Superior 4-Berth (Shared cabin) Permitted with fees
Fare Superior 4-Berth (Shared cabin) Permitted with fees

If you wish to cancel your booking with Chapa Express, kindly manage your booking and request a cancellation to proceed with the refund. This option is available until 21 days before departure.

Service fees will not be refunded. Cancellation fees will apply.

- 35% of the ticket fare + 50,000 VND per ticket if the ticket has been issued
- 70% of the ticket fare + 50,000 VND per ticket if 21 to 34 days to departure
- No refund if less than 21 days to departure or departure on public holiday


Reviews

Based on 292 reviews of customers.
Poor 09 May 2026

I paid for a suite, and was offered the “vip plus” room. I checked, and it’s the same size as the normal vip rooms. There was a couple who got upgraded to the suite for free on my train, which makes no sense given that I actually paid for it. Michael  

Poor 09 May 2026

I paid for a suite, and was offered the “vip plus” room. I checked, and it’s the same size as the normal vip rooms. Michael  

Excellent 16 March 2026

Very handy to have a restaurant in the Chapa lounge, spring rolls were delicious. A little delay with our eticket although it was okay as we were given the opportunity to upgrade for a lower cost to have our own cabin, thank you for this offer and service. The Chapa train more rockier and noisey than the Damitrans but the Chapa beds were more comfortable, thank you for looking after us we enjoyed the sleeper train experience Stella  

Excellent 12 March 2026

Très bien à refaire Robert  

Good 12 March 2026

Train itself was very beautifull, comfy and clean. However, it was extremely hot which made it difficult to sleep. Matresses and also a selection of pillows were very nice and comfy. Julia  

Bad 08 February 2026

Due to circumstances, the correct train was unable to pick us up. We fully understood this. Because of these circumstances, the organisation had to transfer us to another train. The compartment we were given on this train was not at all what we had booked. It also smelled of cigarettes several times. I then contacted the tour guide. He/she informed me that we had been given a similar room. This was anything but true. Our room resembled a prison cell and did not correspond in the slightest with the photos of the room we had booked. These rooms (as shown during the booking process) were indeed available on the train. To complete the poor experience, the tour guide stopped responding and we were left to fend for ourselves. I will NEVER travel with this company again and will not recommend it to anyone. We were really looking forward to our experience on the train and to the cosy decor of the room. We are very disappointed. Jolien  

Good 21 January 2026

The service at Lao Cai VIP lounge was perfect! We could leave our luggage there safely, when we arrived too early to the train. Nice possibility to use shower before when we arrived. The personal was great there, big thanks to them ❤️ Cabin had an exellent double bed. It would had been nice to have more to eat in the cabin, now there was the same as in the cheaper class, althougt the price was much more expensive. Carita  

Satisfactory 21 January 2026

Hanoi VIP Lounge was very small. Good beds in the cabin, very narrow. Very much noise from the train, but we were prepared for it. And the earplugs and toothbrush was great. Clean train and toilets, very nice. Little more to eat in the cabin would have been greit, we was not prepared with enough food with us on the oneway trip. Carita  

Excellent 21 December 2025

THE SERVICE WAS GREAT. THE TRAIN RAN ASNPER SCHEDULE. CABINS WERE CLEAN AND RELATIVELY QUIET. ENJOYED THE TRIP ON Chapa Express. Theshani  

Excellent 21 November 2025

Comfortable beds in fresh, clean cabin, and nice clean toilet facilities. Helene  

Excellent 25 August 2025

Great service and communication. The customer service is second to none!!! We had some challenges as Hanoi traffic was suspended but we were contacted we'll in advance and all questions were answered swiftly via WhatsApp. On board experience is exactly as described, great mattresses, pillows and duvets, clean and comfortable. Charging sockets and reading lights. Clean toilets all the journey. Highly recommended Andres  

Excellent 25 August 2025

Great service and communication. The customer service is second to none!!! We had some challenges as Hanoi traffic was suspended but we were contacted we'll in advance and all questions were answered swiftly via WhatsApp. On board experience is exactly as described, great mattresses, pillows and duvets, clean and comfortable. Charging sockets and reading lights. Clean toilets all the journey. Highly recommended Andres  

Excellent 24 July 2025

From WhatsApp contact to checking in at the VIP room, to being escorted to our train car, to having a clean night stay on the Chapa express sleeper train, it was a pleasant journey! Christina  

Poor 18 July 2025

This is not a “luxury” train. WiFi did not work, charging ports did not work, no toilet paper in bathrooms, very hard to sleep as the train was very bumpy. It might’ve been worth it for much less money but considering the price tag, we could have just hired a private driver for a fraction of the cost. This is not what I expected. Emily  

Excellent 16 July 2025

Good service, train was on time Hannelore  

Good 20 June 2025

Clean and well organized travel. Good snacks and provisions in the cabin. Never got morning coffee. Nicola  

Excellent 19 June 2025

Cabin was clean. Comfortable sleep Wah  

Excellent 19 June 2025

Cabin was clean. Comfortable sleep Wah  

Bad 16 June 2025

I received a converted 4-berth cabin in the first coach — in the middle of a 4-berth cabin coach, clearly, not premium, and definitely not what was advertised. The coach reeked of gas and the standard was far below what I paid for. To make matters worse: True 2-berth cabins were on the same train, proving I was downgraded. At Lao Cai station, the “lounge” was under construction — I was sent to a public waiting area. Coming back I found my luggage unattended with the door largely open. I later learned locals paid 259k VND per berth — meaning I was charged over 4x the actual cabin cost. This is clear misrepresentation. I’m requesting a partial refund for the false advertising and poor service. Please respond within 7 days. Raluca  

Bad 08 June 2025

We booked our trip woth Chapa Express after thorough research expecting soft beds and access to a lounge before departure. In reality Chapa put us in other coaches that were not sapa because of some technical issues with their Coach (understandable but we did not receive that info until we came to the station) also we did not get the access to the lounge in lao cai because of construction (also we did not get notified until couple of hours before departure) that was not very pleasant as we had planned our trip assuming to be able to store our luggage and relax at the lounge. So really we bought “mistery” tickets to lao cai and back wich would have been fun if we we’re looking for being allicated to random coaches. When a complaint was sent to chapa they offered nothing other than free soda at the station and better experience next time that is probably never going to be as we live on the other half of the planet Bergsveinn  

Excellent 05 June 2025

Chapa express overnight train to sapa was amazing! Quite luxurious and slept for most of it. We were very fortunate to be upgraded to a private cabin with a queen bed - super comfortable. Laura  

Excellent 21 May 2025

Todo bueno Yaiza  

Good 21 May 2025

Todo muy lujoso aunque el aire acondicionado industrial sin control hace que la estancia se pase mucho frio por eso le he quitado una estrella x lo demás perfecto Yaiza  

Excellent 04 April 2025

Très bon voyage. Tout était vraiment propre et les cadeaux de bienvenue était vraiment bien. Merci pour le voyage Pierre  

Satisfactory 28 March 2025

On the return trip, the Chapa attendant made a mistake and gave us the wrong cabin. There was a lot of commotion as other passengers had to pass through the walkway. The train attendant kept demanding that we give her our ticket, even after we showed it to her. She also told us to disembark the train and check with the counter, which we insisted we would not do. She then made a call to verify the issue and led us to the correct cabin.. Shiang  

Satisfactory 28 March 2025

The washroom was quite rundown. Shiang  

Satisfactory 22 March 2025

More than happy with Baolau they’re a great company to book with but the trains are of very poor quality , Chapa is one of the more expensive trains but we found the Laman better . Jennifer  

Bad 13 March 2025

Didn’t get the suite we paid for. Very unsatisfactory. Will we gat a refund? Paul  

Excellent 13 March 2025

Paul  

Excellent 12 March 2025

excellent! we love it. Ly  

Excellent 03 March 2025

We had a great trip on the Chapa Express overnight train. It was a great experience and we were very happy with everything about the trip. Richard  

Excellent 03 March 2025

We loved our travel experience on the Chapa Express overnight train. Richard  

Excellent 21 November 2024

Everything went perfectly well Bryan  

Excellent 21 November 2024

Excellent service Easy to check in Bryan  

Poor 12 November 2024

The coach was quite congested and not as expected as c9mpared with the price charged. Bhalchandra  

Good 01 November 2024

Lovely cabin with good mattresses for sleeping. Satisfied with VIP extras (drinks & snacks) . Toilet facilities OK. Stephen  

Good 25 October 2024

Very noisy, something was clamping all the time Soeren  

Excellent 17 October 2024

A little noisy and bumpy, but overall a good trip. Cabin and beds were excellent and comfortable. Better than the way to sapa. Ruben  

Good 17 October 2024

A little noisy and bumpy, but overall a good trip. Cabin and beds were excellent and comfortable. Ruben  

Good 13 October 2024

Same wifi issue Piero  

Bad 07 September 2024

The return wagon was older and less comfortable than the one we had on our way to SaPa Irene  

Excellent 07 September 2024

Wagon 10 looks very new and comfortable. Irene  

Excellent 19 August 2024

Servicio puntual y los camarotes muy bien decorados y bastante nuevos. Gloria  





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