Most visitors arrive at Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), around 25–30 km north of the centre. From there, the Old Quarter is about 40 minutes to an hour by car, or a little longer by the airport bus. Hanoi is also the northern end of the Reunification Express railway from Ho Chi Minh City and the hub for buses to Ha Long, Ninh Binh and Sapa.
Airport to the city at a glance
Indicative times and fares — prices change and fluctuate with demand, so treat them as a guide only.
| Option | Time to the Old Quarter | Rough cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus 86 (airport express) | about 45–70 min | around VND 45,000 per person | Budget travellers with light bags, daytime |
| City buses (e.g. 109, 17) | 60–90 min | well under VND 20,000 | Lowest cost, lots of time |
| Grab car | about 40–60 min | roughly VND 250,000–450,000 | Most travellers, any hour |
| Airport taxi | about 40–60 min | similar to Grab, metered | When Grab is slow |
| Pre-booked private transfer | about 40–60 min | fixed price booked ahead | Late arrivals, families, groups |
From Noi Bai Airport
Bus 86
The orange airport express bus runs from outside the arrivals halls of both terminals to the city centre, with stops including Long Bien, the Old Quarter area, the Opera House and Hanoi railway station. It runs at frequent intervals from early morning until late evening. Pay the conductor on board in cash; there is luggage space. Check the latest timetable at the stop, as hours change.
Grab, taxis and transfers
Grab (the Southeast Asian ride-hailing app) is the simplest option: the price is shown before you book and pickup points are signposted. Licensed taxis queue outside arrivals — use the official rank and make sure the meter is on. For a late arrival, a pre-booked private transfer means a driver waiting with your name. Keep your hotel’s address written in Vietnamese.
Visas and arrival formalities
Many nationalities need a visa for Vietnam, while citizens of some countries can enter visa-free for a limited stay. Vietnam offers an e-visa to most nationalities, applied for online in advance. Rules, durations and fees change, so check the official Vietnamese immigration e-visa portal (evisa.gov.vn) — beware of lookalike agency sites — and confirm with your airline before travelling. Your passport usually needs at least six months’ validity.
By train
Hanoi Station (Ga Hà Nội), on Le Duan street about 1.5 km west of Hoan Kiem Lake, is the terminus of the north–south line. The Reunification Express links Hanoi with Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City; the full journey takes well over a day, so most travellers ride a section — Hanoi–Hue is an overnight trip. Choose a soft sleeper berth for night journeys. Night trains to Lao Cai (for Sapa) also leave from Hanoi, some from the station’s rear platforms on Tran Quy Cap street. Buy tickets from Vietnam Railways or a reputable agent.
Trains also stop at Ninh Binh, roughly 2–2.5 hours south.
By bus and limousine van
Long-distance buses use several stations on the city’s edges: My Dinh (west, for the north-west), Giap Bat (south, for Ninh Binh and the south), Gia Lam and Luong Yen (east, towards Ha Long and Hai Phong). Easier still for visitors are the “limousine” vans and sleeper or cabin buses sold through hotels and online, which pick up in the Old Quarter — to Sapa (about 5–6 hours), Ninh Binh (about 2–2.5 hours), Ha Long (about 2.5–3 hours) and Cat Ba Island. For the Cat Ba route in detail, see Hanoi to Cat Ba on our sister site.
Getting around Hanoi
- On foot: the Old Quarter, the lake and the French Quarter are best walked. Cross the road at a slow, steady pace and let the motorbikes flow around you.
- Grab: cars and motorbike taxis (GrabBike) at fixed prices — the easiest way to reach Ba Dinh, West Lake and the Museum of Ethnology.
- Metro: Hanoi has urban rail lines (including a line from the western districts towards the station area); useful for some trips but not yet for most sightseeing. Check current routes.
- Buses: extensive and cheap, but hard to use without Vietnamese; Google Maps shows routes.
- Cyclos: fun for a short Old Quarter ride — agree the price and duration first.
- Electric buggies: open-sided tourist buggies circle the lake and Old Quarter on set routes.
- Riding yourself: Hanoi traffic is intense and a valid licence is legally required. If you want the experience, ride pillion on a Vespa or motorbike tour instead.
Where to base yourself? See where to stay in Hanoi.
