Trekking to Fansipan's summit on foot takes two to three days; the cable car covers the same climb in 15 minutes. It runs from the Fansipan Legend station near Sun Plaza in central Sapa to the upper station near the peak, from where 600 steps lead to the summit. The system holds the Guinness World Record for the longest non-stop three-rope cable car in the world, with cabins carrying up to 35 people and a total capacity of 2,000 passengers an hour.
Each cabin can accommodate up to 35 people, and the system's capacity is 2000 passengers per hour!
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Fansipan Cable Car Tours
As opposed to climbing for around 4 hours for three days, the Fansipan Cable Car will take you at the top of the peak in a matter of just 15 minutes. Each cabin can accommodate up to 35 people, and the capacity of the entire system is 2000 passengers per hour! Even though the journey is not long enough, travellers still get the time to witness the breathtaking atmosphere and surroundings from such a vast height.
SourceAdrenaline Kick-In As you go higher and higher, you will notice more clouds around you, and the temperature will also fall gradually. Occasionally, the wind might even swing your cabinet a bit, which is sure to give you an adrenaline rush.
Reaching the Top After having arrived at the station, visitors need to climb another 600 steps before they finally reach the top. This climb takes typically around 20-30 minutes, after which the travellers ultimately get to touch the top of the majestic peak.
Neighbouring Attractions Other than the mountain peak, you can also pay a visit to the nearby attractions such as the Fansipan Legend with Bamboo Garden, Bao An Thien Tu and Bich Van Thien. There is also a restaurant and a shopping centre to explore nearby, and travellers usually spend around half a day here to explore the area to their heart’s content.
Ticket Purchasing Details
Travellers can purchase tickets for a ride in the cable car directly from the Cable Car Station. However, note that these tickets are valid only for a day, and thus there is no point buying them in advance if you do not plan to visit the attraction the same day.
Tokens or Cards You will be given a circular magnetic token/card as a ticket, which needs to be returned at the end of the trip, so make sure that you do not lose it.
Best Option Thus, the best option is to buy the tickets directly, on the day when you intend to enjoy the ride. Since the payment process has become much faster and easier now, you will not have to wait in long queues, so you don't need to worry about that either.
Remember to carry water and some light snacks along, since you will get hungry or thirsty, and food and services on the mountain top are costly.
Try and avoid carrying a lot of bulky items, because the management might not permit you to take a cable car cabinet ride in this case.
Visitors who are suffering from breathing problems or some cardiovascular disease are advised not to take this trip. The high altitude and humidity, added to the lack of oxygen in the air, can cause severe damage to your health.
Remember to dress warmly and to carry gloves and woollens along, since the temperature on the mountain top is just around 8 degrees Celsius.
Remember not to be too harsh on yourself when climbing the steps, because they are high and steep. Also, the oxygen rate up there is quite low, and thus, you need to ascend slowly to prevent your blood pressure from falling, and to avoid breathlessness.
Do not smoke while climbing the steps, as this may start a forest fire and can be quite fatal.
How To Reach Fansipan Cable Car
The Fansipan Cable Car Station is located in the Fansipan Legend Tourist Area, just 3 kilometres away from the Stone Church, which is the centre of the Sapa Town. Thus, thanks to the proximity to the centre, there are numerous ways through which one can reach the final destination.
Via Taxi Travellers can book a taxi, which will take only 10 minutes to drop them at the cable car station, and charge around VND 40,000 for the same.
Via Train The Muong Hoa Mountain Train, which connects the town of Sapa with the Fansipan cable car station, is another convenient mode of transportation to reach your final destination. The train was opened for the general public in March in 2018, and the train departs from the MGallery hotel in Sapa town every day. Ticket Prices The fare of a two-way journey in the mountain train is priced at VND 200,000 per adult and VND 150,000/child. As a bonus for those who travel by train through the train and cable car combo ticket, the price of the complete journey is reduced by VND 50,000 a ticket. Travellers are also given a complimentary coupon for lunch at the Van Sam restaurant at the cable car station.
On Foot For those of who you prefer to walk, the Fansipan Cable Car is about 2 kilometres of walking distance away from Stone Church. From the Stone Church, walk towards the Thac Bac Crossroad and then turn left to reach the Nguyen Chi Thanh Street. After this, you need to walk straight to Fansipan Legend. There are multiple road signs along the way, which will guide you and make sure that you reach the cable car station easily.
