Guide to Transport to Mu Cang Chai via Khau Pha Pass
April 7, 2026 • 437 views
Share this post:
The most up-to-date and complete information on how to travel to Khau Pha Pass, Tu Le, and Mu Cang Chai from Hanoi, Sa Pa, and Yen Bai City.
The areas of Tu Le, Mu Cang Chai, and Khau Pha Pass are famous for having the most beautiful terraced rice fields in Vietnam. Located about 250 - 300km from Hanoi on National Highway 32, the travel time from Hanoi is roughly 4 hours (by private car) or 5-7 hours (by passenger bus). The paved road is in good condition, making travel fairly easy. However, this is a mountain pass route with many sharp curves and long slopes, requiring a steady hand at the wheel. If you prefer not to drive and just want to "take a nap and open your eyes to breathtaking scenery," consider the transportation options below.
🚐 1. Nine-seater limousines
🚐 MU CANG CHAI LIMOUSINE 📞 032 996 1420
🗺️ Route: Hanoi → Nghia Lo → Tu Le → Mu Cang Chai
📍 Pick-up points in Hanoi: Giai Phong – GO! Thang Long – Noi Bai Airport
• Passing through Noi Bai Airport: 6:00 AM (departure) - 6:00 PM (return)
• Departure (from Hanoi): 5:00 AM - Return (from Mu Cang Chai): 1:00 PM
• Travel time: 5 - 6 hours
🌟 Peak season (Aug - Oct) additional trips: Departure at 10:00 PM on Friday (from My Dinh area) - Return at 1:00 PM on Sunday
🎟️ Ticket price: 650,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚐 X.E VIET NAM LIMOUSINE - 📞 19001500
🗺️ Route: Central Hanoi → Noi Bai Airport → Expressway → Yen Bai City
🔄 Schedule: 1 trip every hour, earliest trip at 6:00 AM - latest trip at 7:00 PM
⏳ Travel time: 2 - 3 hours depending on the route
🎟️ Ticket price: 200,000 VND
⚠️ Note: This bus only goes to Yen Bai City. If passengers want to go to Tu Le or Mu Cang Chai, a transfer is required.
Vietnam sleeper bus
🚗 2. Shared cars: Hanoi → Tu Le → Mu Cang Chai
🚗 SHARED CARS: HANOI → MU CANG CHAI
Duc Tho Car - 📞 0383 088 088
Huy Anh Car - 📞 0962 191 531
Huong Hanh Car - 📞 0968 504 000
🎟️ Ticket price: 600,000 - 800,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 NOI BAI TAXI → MU CANG CHAI 📞 0888 100 100
• 4-seater: 1,810,000 VND
• 7-seater: 1,910,000 VND
• 16-seater: 5,035,000 VND
The travel time from Noi Bai to Tu Le is about 4-5 hours, and to Mu Cang Chai is about 5-6 hours
A sleeper bus takes about 6-7 hours to travel from Hanoi to Tu Le, and about 7-8 hours to Mu Cang Chai.
🚗 HUNG THANH – HA TRANG BUS 📞 0975 559 911 / 0969 535 757
• Route: My Dinh → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 7:30 PM → Return: 9:00 PM
• Ticket price: 250,000 – 350,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 GIA KHANH BUS 📞 0966 588 388
• Route: Van Don → Hanoi (Ring Road 3) → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 3:00 PM → 00:00 AM (midnight, pick up at Mai Dich) → Return: 2:00 PM
• Ticket price: 300,000 – 400,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 CUONG LAN BUS 📞 0961 357 799
• Route: Mong Cai → Hanoi (Ring Road 3) → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 3:00 PM → 00:00 AM (midnight, pick up at Mai Dich) → Return: 1:00 PM
• Ticket price: 250,000 – 350,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 THE ANH BUS 📞 0981 919 599
• Route: My Dinh → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 9:00 AM → Return: 7:00 PM
• Ticket price: 250,000 – 350,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 THAO NGUYEN BUS 📞 0972 226 565 / 0942 226 565
• Route: My Dinh → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 10:00 AM → Return: 8:00 PM
• Ticket price: 300,000 – 400,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 KIEN HIEN BUS 📞 0976 176 355
• Route: My Dinh → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 6:00 PM → Return: 6:00 AM
• Ticket price: 300,000 – 400,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 VIET PHUONG BUS 📞 0988 060 271 / 0974 185 649
• Route: My Dinh → Mu Cang Chai
• Ticket price: 250,000 – 350,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 SON PHUONG BUS 📞 0979 805 838
• Route: Thai Nguyen → Hanoi (Noi Bai Airport) → Mu Cang Chai → Lai Chau
• Departure: 5:00 PM ~ 6:00 PM → 7:00 PM (passing Noi Bai) → Return: 10:00 AM
• Ticket price: 250,000 – 350,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 THANH ANH BUS 📞 0962 166 255
• Route: Bac Giang → Hanoi (Noi Bai Airport) → Mu Cang Chai
• Passing Noi Bai Airport: 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM
• Departure: 5:00 PM → Return: 7:00 AM
• Ticket price: 300,000 – 400,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 HOANG HAI BUS 📞 083 317 1234 / 0964 078 199
• Route: Thai Binh → Gia Lam → My Dinh → Mu Cang Chai
• Ticket price: 250,000 – 350,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 MAI TRANG BUS 📞 0981 521 444 / 0922 521 444
• Route: Hai Duong → Hanoi (Gia Lam) → Noi Bai → Nghia Lo → Mu Cang Chai
• Passing Noi Bai Airport: 8:00 PM
• Ticket price: 250,000 – 350,000 VND
The majestic scenery of Khau Pha Pass, one of the Four Great Passes of Vietnam
🚌 4. Yen Bai City → Nghia Lo → Mu Cang Chai
Here is the travel option from Yen Bai city. The drive to Tu Le takes about 3 hours, and to Mu Cang Chai takes about 4 hours.
🚗 NAM PHONG BUS 📞 0976 273 469
• Route: Yen Bai → Tu Le → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 9:30 AM → Return: 2:30 PM
• Ticket price: 120,000 – 200,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 DUC HUONG BUS 📞 0915 434 656
• Route: Yen Bai → Tu Le → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 7:30 AM → Return: 1:30 PM
• Ticket price:120,000 – 200,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 CHIEN THANH BUS 📞 0944 046 596 / 0989 949 108
• Route: Yen Bai → Tu Le → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 12:00 PM → Return: 6:30 AM
• Ticket price: 120,000 – 200,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 TUAN LONG BUS 📞 0963 247 766
• Route: Yen Bai → Tu Le → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 3:00 PM → Return: 8:00 AM
• Ticket price: 120,000 – 200,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 MANH PHUONG BUS 📞 0365 377 677
• Route: Yen Bai → Tu Le → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 12:00 PM → Return: 6:30 AM
• Ticket price: 120,000 – 200,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 QUANG HUY BUS 📞 0327 972 567
• Route: Yen Bai → Tu Le → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 10:30 AM → Return: 4:30 PM
• Ticket price:150,000 – 250,000 VND
🚌 5. Nghia Lo → Mu Cang Chai
Nghia Lo is only 50km from Tu Le and 100km from Mu Cang Chai. You can choose from the bus companies listed below, or take any bus going from Hanoi to Mu Cang Chai, as they all pass through Nghia Lo.
🚗 THAO NGUYEN BUS (Nghia Lo) 📞 0346 005 868
• Route: Nghia Lo → Tu Le → Ngoc Chien
• Departure:2:30 PM → Return: 9:00 AM
• Ticket price: 100,000 – 150,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 CONG KHANH BUS 📞 0943 501 031
• Route: Nghia Lo → Tu Le → Mu Cang Chai
• Departure: 3:00 PM
• Ticket price: 100,000 – 150,000 VND
🚌 6. Lao Cai City → Sapa → Mu Cang Chai
It takes about 5 hours to travel from Sapa to Mu Cang Chai.
🚗 TUAN HUE BUS (Sa Pa) 📞 0915 560 480
• Route: Lao Cai City → Sa Pa → Than Uyen → Mu Cang Chai → Tu Le → Nghia Lo → Yen Bai City
• Departure: 8:30 AM ~ 9:00 AM
• Ticket price: 150,000 – 250,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 LUAN LY BUS 📞 0978 154 667
• Route: Sapa → Than Uyen → Mu Cang Chai → Nga Ba Kim
• Departure: 7:00 AM
• Ticket price: 150,000 – 250,000 VND
-----------------------------
🚗 PHONG HA BUS 📞 0917 336 114
• Route: Sapa → Than Uyen → Mu Cang Chai → Nga Ba Kim
• Departure: 11:00 AM • Ticket price:150,000 – 250,000 VND
All buses to Mù Cang Chải pass through the top of Khau Phạ Pass, where the most beautiful paragliding site is located.
📌 Travel suggestions
• If you prefer not to travel overnight, you can choose this itinerary: take a Limousine from Hanoi to Yen Bai City (X.E Viet Nam Limousine), then take another bus from Yen Bai City to Mu Cang Chai. Alternatively: Hanoi → Nghia Lo → (rest) → continue to Tu Le → Mu Cang Chai.
• If you need pick-up/drop-off at Noi Bai Airport, please choose Limousines, shared cars, taxis, or sleeper buses such as: Thanh Anh, Mai Trang, or Son Phuong.
⚠️ NOTES:
• Ticket prices are for reference only and may change depending on the season.
• It is highly recommended to call and book in advance, especially during the ripe rice season (September–October), and reconfirm the departure time before your trip.
• All buses pass by the paragliding takeoff spot (located at the peak of Khau Pha Pass). If you want to visit the paragliding landing zone, turn at "Nga ba Ban Lim" (Ban Lim T-junction - there are directional signs).
• The paragliding spot is located in the Khau Pha Pass area, nestled between Tu Le and Mu Cang Chai (5km from Tu Le and 35km from Mu Cang Chai).
• If you want to visit the paragliding site, please get off the bus in the Tu Le area (Ban Lim T-junction).
👉 This is a complete and updated list of bus routes to Mu Cang Chai, helping you easily choose the most suitable itinerary for your trip and paragliding experience.
🛣️ Road update: the IC14 and IC15 junctions
If you are driving yourself, the route to Mu Cang Chai has just changed significantly.
• IC14 JUNCTION (Mau A): the IC14 – An Luong – Nghia Lo road is now about 98% paved, two lanes wide. A few short sections are still under construction, but the base course is laid and rolled flat, so low-clearance cars manage fine at reduced speed. IC14 to Lien Son is only about 56km, roughly 1 hour 45 minutes – against 109km and over 2 hours 18 minutes if you loop via the IC12 junction. This is currently the route we recommend for self-drive guests.
• IC15 JUNCTION (Dong Cuong): the IC15 link to National Highway 32 at Gia Hoi runs about 50km and is expected to open in September. Once finished, the drive from the expressway to Tu Le will be around 80km instead of today's 120km. However, the IC15 junction on the expressway itself is not complete, so you cannot exit there yet – you still come off at IC14 and double back. For now, the IC15 direction is not worth taking.
