Things To Do in SapaCancellation & Refund Policy
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure on most bus and limousine routes. Train and tour terms vary — full details below.
By Product Type
🚌 Bus, Limousine & Private Car
All Hanoi–Sapa bus routes (Sao Việt, HK, G8, Strip VN, Phúc Lâm, Thảo, Eco Limo) and private car services.
- More than 24 hours before departure: 100% refund, minus USD 3 handling fee per booking
- 12 – 24 hours before departure: 50% refund
- Less than 12 hours or no-show: No refund
⚠️ Holiday note: During Vietnamese national holidays (Tết, 30 April – 1 May, 2 September, 24 December – 2 January), the free-cancellation window extends to 5 days before departure.
🚆 Train Tickets
Chapa Express, King Sapa, and Damitrain — issued by third-party rail operators.
- 30 days or more before departure: 100% refund, minus USD 5 handling fee per booking
- 16 – 29 days before departure: 30 – 50% refund (varies by operator)
- 8 – 15 days before departure: 30% refund
- Less than 7 days or no-show: No refund
ℹ️ Operator-dependent: Specific terms are shown at checkout. Train operator policies are stricter than bus policies because the rail companies set them, not Sapa Nomad.
🥾 Day Tours & Package Tours
Trekking tours, day trips, and multi-day package tours operated by Sapa Nomad and partners.
- More than 48 hours before departure: 100% refund, minus USD 5 handling fee per booking
- 24 – 48 hours before departure: 50% refund
- Less than 24 hours or no-show: No refund
Need to Reschedule?
Bus, limousine & private car: Date changes are free of charge if requested at least 24 hours before departure, subject to availability on the new date.
Tours: Date changes are free of charge if requested at least 48 hours before departure, subject to availability.
Train tickets: Date changes for train tickets depend on the rail operator (Chapa Express, King Sapa, Damitrain), and many operators charge a re-issuance fee even for changes made well in advance. We will tell you the exact fee — if any — before confirming the change.
💚 Our commitment: Whatever the operator’s terms say, Sapa Nomad will always do our best to support you. If a date change is not possible at no cost, we will look for the lowest-fee option, offer to waive our own handling fee, or suggest alternatives that work for your trip.
If the new date has a higher price, the difference is payable; lower-priced dates are not refunded. Date changes requested after the cut-offs above are treated as a cancellation under the schedules above.
Weather, Holidays & Force Majeure
📅 Peak Season & Holidays: During Vietnamese national holidays — Lunar New Year (Tết), Reunification Day (30 April – 1 May), National Day (2 September), and the Christmas – New Year period (24 December – 2 January) — the free-cancellation window extends to 5 days before departure for bus and limousine bookings. Train and tour windows are unchanged.
🌧 Weather, Road Closures & Operator Cancellations: If your service is cancelled or significantly delayed because of weather (heavy fog, storms), landslides, road closures, government restrictions, or the operator’s own cancellation, we offer two options at no extra cost:
- Alternative transport on the next available service, or
- Full refund with no handling fee.
You will not be charged a cancellation fee in these situations.
Refund Processing
- Confirmation — Once your cancellation is approved by our team, you receive an email confirming the refund amount.
- Within 7 business days — Refunds are issued by Sapa Nomad to your original payment method (credit card, PayPal, bank transfer).
- 3 – 5 additional days — Your bank or card issuer may take this long to credit the amount, depending on your country.
- VND bank transfers — Refunds for VND local bank payments are sent to the Vietnamese bank account you provide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about cancellations and refunds
How do I cancel or change my booking?
Why are train cancellation terms stricter than bus?
Can I get a travel credit instead of a cash refund?
What happens if my bus or train is cancelled because of weather?
I cancelled — when will the money show up in my account?
What if I have used the outbound leg of a roundtrip and need to cancel the return?
What currency will my refund be in?
Should I dispute the charge on my card if I am waiting for a refund?
Still have questions?
Our local Sapa team replies in under 1 hour during support hours.