On a trip to Vietnam, at least one journey on a sleeping bus is inevitable. Highway buses, in general, are the best way to travel within the country, as many of the main tourist destinations are not connected by rail. The distances are significant, and choosing a sleeping bus for overnight travel saves precious travel time. I’d love to tell you that you’ll arrive at your destination well-rested, but that’s not something we can take for granted…
I had heard and read about disastrous experiences with Vietnamese sleeping buses, especially due to the reckless driving of Vietnamese drivers, and I was prepared for the worst. But I have to admit, it wasn’t that bad…
What Are Sleeping Buses?
As the name suggests, these are buses where you can sleep. In our 10-day itinerary in northern Vietnam, we took bus 5 times: one regular and four sleeping buses, of which two were night trips and two were during the day. Yes, these special buses often run during the day as well. The unique feature of these buses is their seats: instead of the usual seats, there are “beds.”
You board a sleeping bus without shoes (you’re given a bag to store them) and they are organized in two or three rows of bunk beds, depending on the type of bus. Each seat-bed has a reclining seat, a water bottle in the bottle holder, and a blanket. Some sleeping buses also have USB ports, TVs, lights, etc. Cleanliness is generally not a priority… but in a trip to Vietnam, you have to accept this.
Some buses have a bathroom on board, but there is always at least one stop where you have 10 to 20 minutes to use the bathroom and buy something to eat, though note: you cannot bring food on board.
Types of Buses in Vietnam
Depending on the routes, there are three types of buses available to choose from: reclining seats, sleeper buses, and cabin type, each with different prices. On popular routes, such as Hanoi-Sapa, you should find all types available, while on some routes the choice is limited to two options, generally depending on the length of the journey.
Reclining Seats
These are the classic buses with reclining seats, like the night buses in Japan. Honestly, I’ve seen them listed among the bookable options, but I don’t think they are widely used by tourists because they are not very comfortable for sleeping. However, if you are traveling during the day and maybe on shorter routes, they are definitely the best and most economical solution.
Sleeper Bus
The most commonly used type of bus, with three rows of bunk beds, in which you sit with your legs stretched out and the seat can be raised or reclined about 45°. The seats are slightly wider than normal seats, and the length is tailored to Vietnamese people… so if you are quite tall, you will be a bit uncomfortable. There are no curtains between the seats, and often “disco lights” remain on in the aisle. Make sure to bring a sleep mask if you are sensitive to light. Generally, seats are not pre-assigned, but the earlier you board, the better the choice, and it is advisable to choose window seats over the center (at least you will have one “closed” side). If you are sensitive to air conditioning, the lower level is better, where you also feel fewer curves. It is mandatory to wear a seatbelt and preferably wear clothing with a good grip to avoid sliding too much with the curves and braking of the reckless Vietnamese drivers.
Cabin Type
Often called VIP buses, they are much more comfortable and are true buses with beds. You lie completely flat, although you can raise the backrest a bit, similar to hospital beds. There are only two rows of bunk beds, real compartments with curtains in the aisle and window, USB ports, adjustable internal lights, etc. You lie comfortably and spaciously. The price is paid “per bed,” and sometimes two people or even families with one or two children share a compartment. We booked a compartment each and thus managed to spend a relatively quiet night. Yes, the cabin type is more expensive, but if you want to survive and face the next day decently, it’s absolutely worth spending a bit more for greater comfort.
Where to Buy Tickets
Every accommodation you book will offer to book buses for your next destination, though the price offered is not always the most convenient. You can always compare the proposed cost with one of the numerous agencies scattered everywhere, or go directly to the offices of the equally numerous bus companies.
Departures are very frequent; you can book at the last minute, and often the companies coordinate among themselves to “redirect” customers to a bus of an affiliated company if they cannot fill the bus. However, most hotels and companies only accept cash payments, and if you prefer to organize yourself in advance, calmly evaluating the available options and paying by credit card, I recommend using the 12go website. I had already used it for Thailand and the Philippines and always found it excellent, and in Vietnam, their customer service was absolutely efficient, more so than the company that gave me problems (see below).
I should also mention the Open Bus Ticket, which could be convenient if you are traveling across all of Vietnam, from North to South or vice versa, mainly using night buses. This pass has a duration of 30 days and a fixed cost of around $50, allowing you to use sleeper buses on routes (in both directions) Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Phong Nha – Hue – Da Nang – Hoi An – Nha Trang – Da Lat – Mui Ne – Ho Chi Minh City. In my specific case, it did not cover the routes I was interested in, so I didn’t explore this option further and cannot provide more details. Should I return to Vietnam and purchase it, I will update the article.
My Experiences with Vietnamese Buses
As mentioned, I booked all the buses on the 12go website, which indicates the company that should provide the service and photos of the buses. On several occasions, however, I ended up traveling with a different company, and since I had very different experiences depending on the companies, I think it’s useful to give you a brief summary of each route, so you can evaluate which companies to choose or avoid.
Hanoi – Cat Ba with Cat Ba Express, reclining seat, rating 9
The only bus booked through the Floating House where we stayed in Cat Ba, costing around €11. Excellent organization and clarity about the stop at the service station, timings, handling of the speed boat boarding for Cat Ba, and drop-off at the hotels at the destination. For those who wanted, at an additional cost, you could reach Cat Ba with the Sun World cable car instead of the speed boat, where you have to wait a bit in the heat.
Cat Ba – Ninh Binh with Daiichi Travel, sleeper bus, rating 2
I’ll just say that for this trip, we got a full refund thanks to 12go’s assistance, even though the cost was only €9 each. Departure was an hour late, with no explanation, and when I asked for one, they said they didn’t have enough buses for the shuttle between Cat Ba and the port. We boarded a ferry that soon started taking in water and nearly sank, then got stuck on a shallow seabed waiting for a rescue boat to take us ashore. We were supposed to take a second seat bus, but ended up on a filthy sleeper bus, with a banana peel left in the front seat for everyone to see. No assistance or apologies for the incident. Absolutely terrible.
Ninh Binh – Sapa with Techbus Vietnam, cabin bus, rating 6.5
Just above passing grade mainly due to poor communication and organization, with conflicting and confusing information sent via WhatsApp until a few minutes before the bus arrived… about 500 meters ahead of the confirmed spot. Also, we were forced to keep our backpacks in our bed instead of the luggage compartment because “you have space”… yes, space that I paid for to be comfortable! This was also the most expensive bus, €24, and Dice’s bed was stuck completely flat, making the trip less comfortable. Apart from that, the journey was relatively comfortable with an onboard bathroom. Even the dreaded final stretch to Sapa was manageable thanks to the stability of the bus and the relative comfort of the cabin.
Sapa – Hanoi with Sao Viet, cabin bus, rating 10
Absolutely perfect. Unfortunately, since we took this route during the day, we only took naps and didn’t have a full sleep on this super comfortable cabin bus, which even had onboard Wi-Fi, was relatively clean, and had friendly staff. This was also the only company that tagged the luggage, handing out a corresponding ticket to each passenger. A restroom/refreshment stop was made halfway through the trip despite having an onboard bathroom. Price €17.
Hanoi – Cao Bang with Sapa Discovery Travel(?), cabin bus, rating 6.5
I’m not entirely sure which company this bus was from because the tickets indicated SDT, Sapa Discovery Travel, and so did the boarding point… only to arrive and find the office of HK Open Tour. We were told to wait for a Grab (paid by them) to take us to a bus terminal where there was no one waiting for us, nor any English signs. We were told to literally ask some locals to point out the stop for Cao Bang and once found, the driver didn’t want to let us board even after speaking on the phone with the person contacting us via WhatsApp. Finally, since there were still seats available when the bus was about to depart almost two hours later than the indicated time, he let us board without a word of English. The bus made several stops to pick up and drop off people, and at the “bathroom” stop (which was literally a walled area to pee in a hole in the floor), we only got off because we saw everyone else get off without their bags. It gets a passing grade simply because, for €18, the bus was comfortable, we slept well, and the luggage was correctly placed in the luggage compartment.
Night Buses in Vietnam – Tips for Use
I had heard terrible stories about the infamous Vietnamese sleeping buses, but I have to say that overall it wasn’t that bad. Sure, you need a lot of patience and some adaptation, but especially by opting for the cabin type, you can have a decent night.
To survive best, remember to wear comfortable clothes, preferably long pants and a cotton T-shirt, and bring a long-sleeved sweatshirt to resist the air conditioning, which even if you close in your cabin, will still be felt. Wear socks, as you will have to take off your shoes when you board the bus, and bring an extra water bottle. The cabin type has USB ports, so you can charge your phone, otherwise remember to bring an external battery.
If you are particularly sensitive to lights and sounds, bring a sleep mask and earplugs, and I would recommend taking car sickness medication as a precaution even if you don’t usually suffer from it.
Night buses are a great way to save precious time on a trip to Vietnam, so don’t be too intimidated, but it’s definitely worth spending a few extra euros for more comfort and thus more energy the next day!
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