Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) is located about 25 km north of the city center. Traveling from Hanoi Airport to City Center is easy because there are plenty of transportation options to choose from.
Depending on your preferences, you can choose to travel from Hanoi Airport to the city by:
- Express Bus
- Public Bus
- Airport Shuttle Bus
- Private Transfer
- Taxi
Hanoi Airport Bus
There is an express bus and several public bus routes connecting Hanoi Airport with the city center.
Express Bus 86
Express Bus 86 is the best bus for tourists traveling from Hanoi Airport to the city. The bus is able to accommodate 60 passengers so it’s normally not very crowded. Buses of this route depart from Noi Bai Airport, run directly to Hanoi Old Quarter and end the journey at Hanoi Railway Station. Traveling on this bus saves time when compared to other public bus routes because there are fewer stops on the route of Bus 86.
Route: Noi Bai Airport → Hanoi Railway Station
Bus stops: Noi Bai Airport Domestic Terminal T1 - International Terminal T2 - Au Co - Yen Phu - Long Bien Transit Station - Hanoi Central Post Office - Melia Hotel - Hanoi Railway Station
Distance: approximately 29 km
Travel time: about 50 minutes
Fare: 35,000 VND per person
Operating hours: 5:10 - 21:45
Frequency: 20-30 minutes
Public Bus 07
The cheapest way to travel from Hanoi Airport to City Center is by taking a public bus. Passengers using this service are mostly local. If there are too many people inside the bus, you might need to stand all the way from the airport to city center.
Public Bus 07 is a public bus route connecting Noi Bai Airport with Cau Giay Bus Station.
Route: Noi Bai Airport - Cau Giay Bus Station
Bus stops: Noi Bai Airport Terminal T1 - Vo Van Kiet - Noi Bai Airport Terminal T2 - Vo Van Kiet - Thang Long Bridge - Pham Van Dong - Hoang Quoc Viet - Nguyen Van Huyen - Nguyen Khanh Toan - Tran Dang Ninh - Cau Giay Bus Station
Distance: approximately 27 km
Travel time: about 1 hour
Fare: 8,000 VND per person
Operating hours: 5:00 - 22:30
Frequency: 15-20 minutes
Public Bus 17
Public Bus 17 is a public bus route connecting Noi Bai Airport with Long Bien Transit Station, which is located not far from Hanoi Old Quarter.
The bus departs only from Hanoi Airport’s domestic terminal (Terminal T1). If you are flying to Terminal T2 and want to take this bus, you need to take a shuttle bus running between two terminals (it takes about 5 minutes to travel) and then change to the public bus for getting into the city.
Route: Noi Bai Airport → Long Bien Transit Station
Bus Stops: Noi Bai Airport - Highway No. 2 - Phu Lo - Nguyen Khe - Dong Anh - Co Loa - Doc Van - Highway No. 3 - Duong Bridge - Ngo Gia Tu - Nguyen Van Cu - Chuong Duong Bridge - Tran Nhat Duat - Long Bien transit point - Yen Phu - Turning at Cua Bac - Long Bien Transit Station
Distance: approximately 34 km
Travel time: approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
Fare: 9,000 VND per person
Operating hours: 5:00 - 22:30
Frequency: 10-15 minutes
Public Bus 90
Public Bus 90 is a public bus route connecting Noi Bai Airport with Kim Ma Bus Station, which is located not far from Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.
Route: Noi Bai Airport → Kim Ma Bus Terminal
Bus Stops: Noi Bai Airport Terminal T1 - Vo Nguyen Giap - Terminal T2 - Vo Nguyen Giap overpass - Vo Nguyen Giap - Nhat Tan Bridge - Vo Chi Cong - Nguyen Hoang Ton - Lac Long Quan - Hoang Hoa Tham - Van Cao - Lieu Giai – Kim Ma Bus Terminal
Distance: approximately 28 km
Travel time: approximately 1 hour 20 minutes
Fare: 9,000 VND
Operating hours: 6:40 - 22:30
Frequency: 30 minutes
Public Bus 109
Public Bus 109 is a public bus route connecting Noi Bai Airport with My Dinh Bus Station.
Route: Noi Bai Airport → My Dinh Bus Station
Bus Stops: Noi Bai Airport Terminal T1 - Vo Nguyen Giap - Vo Van Kiet - Cau Thang Long - Pham Van Dong - Pham Hung – My Dinh Bus Station
Distance: approximately 29 km
Travel time: approximately 1 hour
Fare: 8,000 VND
Operating hours: 5:05 - 21:30
Frequency: 20 - 30 minutes
Hanoi Airport Private Transfer
If you are traveling with a group or family and don't want to share the vehicle with others or you are in hurry and want to go to your hotel directly, booking a private transfer from Hanoi Airport to Hanoi Old Quarter (or any other place in the city center) is the most appropriate and worthwhile option.
Many people think that taking a private transfer from the airport is expensive. But it's not like that in Hanoi. Here, a private transfer is more affordable for everyone and provides much greater convenience to passengers than other means of airport transportation. If you will book a private transfer, the driver will be waiting for you at the airport once you arrive and will drive you directly to your hotel in Hanoi.
Different kinds of vehicles are available when booking a private transfer so you can choose the one that suites your needs the best. Hanoi Airport private transfer can be easily booked online here: Private transfer from Hanoi Airport (HAN).
Hanoi Airport Shuttle Bus
Several airlines operate shuttle bus from Hanoi Airport to the city center for their customers.
Airport Shuttle Bus of Vietnam Airlines
Vietnamese national carrier Vietnam Airlines provides shuttle bus service from Hanoi Airport to Hanoi Old Quarter. You don't have to fly with Vietnam Airlines to board Airport Shuttle Bus. Vietnam Airlines Shuttle Bus is a 16-seat minibus, which depart according to Vietnam Airlines' flight schedule. However, there is a problem with this shuttle bus as it normally departs from Hanoi Airport to the city only when full of passengers and sometimes you have to wait long for it to depart.
Route: Noi Bai Airport → Hanoi Old Quarter
Bus Stops: Noi Bai Airport - Vo Nguyen Giap - Nhat Tan Bridge - Hanoi Old Quarter
Pick up point at Hanoi Airport: in front of the domestic passenger terminal (Terminal T1)
Drop off point in the city: Vietnam Airlines Office, 1 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem (near Hoan Kiem Lake)
Distance: about 25 km
Travel time: about 30-40 minutes
Fare: 60,000 VND per person
Operating hours: 6:40 - 22:30
Frequency: 30-45 minutes
Airport Shuttle Bus of Vietjet Air
Another easy and inexpensive way to get from Hanoi Airport to City Center is traveling by Airport Shuttle Bus of Vietjet Air. You don't have to fly with Vietjet Air to board this bus. The bus schedule corresponds to the schedule of Vietjet Air flights arriving to and departing from Noi Bai International Airport (HAN). If the bus will be passing your destination along the route, you can notify the bus driver to stop anywhere.
Route: Noi Bai Airport → Hanoi Old Quarter
Bus Stops: Noi Bai Airport - Thang Long Bridge - Hoang Quoc Viet - Đao Tan - Nguyen Thai Hoc - Quang Trung - Tran Nhan Tong
Pick up point at Hanoi Airport: parking lot in front of the domestic terminal (Terminal T1)
Drop off point in the city: 69 Tran Nhan Tong, Hanoi
Distance: about 25 km
Travel time: about 40-60 minutes
Fare: 40,000 VND per person (you can book the whole shuttle bus for 500,000 VND)
Operating hours: 4:00 - 21:00
Frequency: 30-45 minutes
Airport Shuttle Bus of Jetstar
Jetstar Airport Shuttle Bus is different from the shuttle buses of other airlines as you not only have to fly with Jetstar but it also needs to be a domestic flight from another city in Vietnam for you to be eligible to use this service. Bus tickets can be purchased on Jetstar flights. There are no exact departure times but most buses depart depending on the flight schedule and normally wait at the airport for about 30 minutes after the flight arrives.
Route: Noi Bai Airport → Quang Trung Bus Station
Bus Stops: Noi Bai Airport - Thang Long Bridge - Hoang Quoc Viet - Nguyen Van Huyen - Dao Tan - Ngoc Khanh Bus Station - Quang Trung Bus Station
Pick up at Hanoi Airport: parking lot in front of the domestic terminal (Terminal T1)
Drop off point in Hanoi: Ngoc Khanh Bus Station, Quang Trung Bus Station
Travel time: about 40-60 minutes
Fare: 40,000 VND per person
Hanoi Airport Taxi
Taking a taxi from Hanoi Airport to your destination in Hanoi is another convenient and quick option. Noi Bai Airport is located about 25 kilometers from the city center so the journey to your hotel can take about 35 minutes - 1 hour, depending on traffic conditions.
Taxi fare from Hanoi Airport to City Center should be around 300,000 to 350,000 VND when using the normal meter. However, in reality, tourists are often over-charged and have to pay around 450,000-500,000 VND because the taxi drivers here like to cheat the meter. And don't forget that traffic is often jammed in Hanoi so the taxi fare can be even higher than that.
Taxis at Hanoi Airport are easy to find. They wait for passengers in front of the domestic and international arrivals halls. There are many companies providing taxi service in Hanoi so make sure to choose a taxi from a reliable company to avoid being scammed.
Another option is to contact a tour counter at the airport and book a taxi there. The price of the trip by taxi from the airport to Hanoi Old Quarter will be fixed to 500,000 VND.
Booking HAN Airport Private Transfer is often cheaper than taking a taxi from the airport. Another advantage of private transfer is that you won’t need to exchange your money at the airport for paying the taxi fare. It can save you even more money as currency exchange rates at Hanoi Airport are worse than in the city.
Tips
To stay connected while traveling from Hanoi Airport into the city, purchase online Vietnamese SIM card and pick it up at the airport on arrival. SIM card will also be significantly cheaper when pre-booked online!