How to get to Moc Chau from Hanoi?

Do you want to find freshness at height, sleep in a naturally air-conditioned refuge, wake up in the full flavour of tea plants and meet the little Hmong children going to school? Let’s go to Moc Chau, one of the most beautiful plateaus in the country to see without hesitation. This guide will help you know how to get to Moc Chau from Hanoi before setting off. Trust us, you will not regret it!

Distance between Hanoi and Moc Chau

Moc Chau is one of the mountainous districts of Son La province, located about 147 kilometres from Son La city and 187 kilometres from Hanoi.

It normally takes between 4.5 hours to reach Moc Chau by car. The region is a destination of choice for the people of Hanoi to spend the weekend in the heart of lush orchards at another Da Lat in the North.

For those who wish to have more contact with ethnic families in Thai and Hmong villages, a break of two days and three nights in Moc Chau is ideal.

Means to go to Moc Chau

Accessible by national road 6, the Hanoi - Mai Chau path is passable with two options, motorcycle and car.

Two-wheelers remain the choice of many young people and backpackers, allowing them to make a number of stops along the way, including passing through the no less famous scenic valley from Mai Chau to Hoa Binh.

Motorbike

With the motorcycle option, two routes are possible, either via the RN 6 or via the RN 43.

The shortest way is to take the RN 6 or 208 kilometres to go and almost 5 hours by car.

Route via RN6: Ton Duc Thang - La Thanh - Tran Duy Hung - highway 08 - Thang Long boulevard - Yen Son - Thach That crossroads - Xuan Mai - RN 6 - RN 43 - Moc Chau
Route via RN 43: 222 kilometres to do and 5h50 by car

Bus

There are several buses every day serving the Hanoi - Moc Chau road which is often included in the lines connecting Hanoi to the Northwest regions. You can all take a bus from Hanoi to Moc Chau, Son La or Dien Bien which passes Moc Chau.

When it comes to departing from Hanoi, you have a wide range of choices when leaving from the bus stations or downtown Hanoi.

The price varies between 130,000 - 220,000 VND, depending on your vehicle, with seat or berth.

The types of car available, namely: 9-seat limousine, bus with 16 to 29 seats circulating during the day, bus with 45 seats circulating day and night.

Bus Hanoi - Moc Chau from the old quarter of Hanoi or downtown

Leaving for Moc Chau without having to travel too much from its hotel located in the city centre should certainly tempt most travellers.

Two reliable buses to recommend for you in this case are Moc Chau Express and Pumpkin Limousine which offer on average 4 journeys from Hanoi - Moc Chau every day.

Travel time: 4 to 4h30
Price: between 230,000 and 250,000 VND or 11 USD for one way

These tourist buses welcome you to the centre of Hoan Kiem district and stop at one of two towns in Moc Chau. Availability on board of things like like bottled water, Wi-Fi, DVD capabilities and USB ports will ensure a comfortable and pleasant journey.

Pumpkin Limousine, 9 seats

3 trips per day at 6:45 am, 7:05 am and 7:15 am
Departure at 89 Ma May, Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Arrival in Post office in the Moc Chau district, Moc Chau town

Moc Chau Express, 19 seats

Specializing in Hanoi - Moc Chau and Hanoi - Mai Chau connections and vice versa, this bus also collects you from Hoan Kiem district.

Departure at 7 a.m. from 26 Lo Su, Hoan Kiem and the Hanoi Opera House

Arrival at Km 122/180 RN 6, market town of Moc Chau, Son La

      >> Find out more about a Hanoi - Moc Chau bus from Moc Chau Express

Bus Hanoi - Moc Chau from bus stations and other points

There are around twenty buses connecting Hanoi and Moc Chau every day from the bus stations of My Dinh, Yen Nghia and Nguyen Tuan Street, Ha Dong district. These buses offer just as good comfort as the others, therefore, bring another choice for getting to Moc Chau.

Reference buses to know: Xuan Trang, Thanh Chung, Lien Thanh, Hung Thanh, Hai Van, Bac Son, Manh Cuong, Cuong Nguyet…

Xuan Trang Limousine, 9 seats

There are a dozen Xuan Trang buses that leave from Hanoi to Moc Chau almost every hour from 6:30 AM until 7 PM

Depart from 35 Nguyen Tuan Street, Ha Dong, Hanoi
Arrival at 682, market town of Moc Chau, Son La
Duration: 4h
Price: 220,000 VND for one way

Anh Khanh bus, 28 seats

Departure from 35 Nguyen Tuan, Ha Dong, Hanoi at 6.30 AM, 8 AM, 10 AM
Arrival at Moc Chau bus station
Duration: 4h30
Price: 130,000 VND for one way

Bus Hanoi - Moc Chau from My Dinh station

Cuong Nguyet bus with berths

Departure at 10.25 AM, 11.30 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM, 8.30 PM and 9.30 PM 
Arrival in Moc Chau town
Duration: 4h20
Price: 200,000 VND for one way

Bus Hanoi - Moc Chau from Yen Nghia station

CoXaMa bus, 16 foldable seats

Departure at 9:30 AM, 11 AM, 1:30 PM and 4 PM
Arrival at 163 To Hieu, Moc Chau town
Duration: around 4h
Price: 170,000 VND for one way

   >> To book a Hanoi - Moc Chau and Moc Chau - Hanoi bus

Address:

My Dinh bus station: 20 Pham Hung, My Dinh 2, Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi

Yen Nghia bus station: National road or QL 6, Yen Nghia, Ha Dong, Hanoi

Moc Chau bus station: To Hieu, Moc Chau town, Son La

Means to get around Moc Chau

Visiting freely with your motorbike or bicycle is a great way to enjoy the different corners of Moc Chau.

Some information about the rental:

The motorcycle is between 200,000 and 250,000 VND per day
The bike is 120,000VND per day or 30,000 VND per hour

If you need a taxi in Moc Chau, here are some suggestions:

Huong Sen: tel 0212 3567567
Sao Xanh: tel 0212 6262626
Thao Nguyen Xanh: tel 0212 3868686

What to see and do in Moc Chau, when to leave to admire it beautifully? You will find all the answers here:

   >> What to visit in Moc Chau, Son La? 

   >> Top 8 best places to visit in Son La, Vietnam