Hekou Yao Autonomous Country is a small town in the south of Yunnan Province of China. It is also a border town linking Lao Cai in northern Vietnam, within walking distance of the border, and Lao Cai is just across the bridge.
There is no direct train from Kunming/Hekou to Lao Cai. If you want to take the train tour, it’s recommended to take the train to Hekou first, and then take a bus or taxi to Lao Cai, Vietnam.
Kunming – Hekou Train Schedule
Trains linking Kunming and Hekou terminated at Hekou North Station. This rail line started operating in December 2014. There are four daily speed trains heading to Hekou North from Kunming Station/Kunming South, including three fast trains and a normal train.
The price of a fast train is around US$14 for a second-class seat and US$23 for a first-class seat. Only hard seats are available on the normal train from Kunming to Hekou, which is around US$8 per ticket.
(Updated on Apr. 6th, 2023)
| Kunming Station “昆明站” to Hekou North Station "河口北站" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Train Number | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration |
| C552 | 08:22 | 13:07 | 4 h 45 m |
| C562 | 13:20 | 17:20 | 4 h 36 m |
| K9602 | 14:40 | 21:42 | 7 h 2 m |
| Kunming South Station “昆明南站” to Hekou North Station "河口北站" | |||
| Train Number | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration |
| C559 | 18:30 | 22:38 | 4 h 8 m |
Check Kunming to Hekou up-to-Date train Schedules.
Train Stations in Kunming and Hekou
There are three train stations in Kunming: Kunming Railway Station, Kunming South Railway Station, and Kunming West Railway Station.
Three trains from Kunming to Hekou depart from Kunming Railway Station (昆明火车站), which is located on Beijing Road in downtown. One bullet train departs Kunming South (昆明南站) — the largest train station in southwest China, which is in the Chenggong District.
Two train stations in Hekou are in service: Hekou South Railway Station and Hekou North Railway Station. Hekou North Railway Station (河口北站) is an important station connecting China and Vietnam.
From Hekou to Lai Cai, Vietnam
After arriving at Hekou North Station, you can either take a bus or taxi to Hekou Border Point. Then take a short walk across the bridge over the river to Lai Cai immigration building.
Border crossing in Hekou is from 08:00 to 23:00 (local time).
Border crossing in Lai Cai is from 07:00 to 22:00 (local time).
