How to get from Hanoi Airport (Noi Bai) to the city centre

Why visit Hanoi?

Hanoi is Vietnam’s bustling capital, where heritage and modernity collide. At its heart is the iconic Old Quarter bustling with cosy hotels, old residential buildings and neighbourhood cafes. Composed of 36 streets, just walking around this area will reward you with many amazing discoveries.

Must-visit sites include the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and the 19th-century gothic St. Joseph’s Cathedral. We recommend munching on as much street food as you can, strolling around Hoan Kiem Lake, and our favourite: watching the world go by from one of the many coffee shops in Hanoi.

There are 4 ways to travel the 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Hanoi Airport (Noi Bai) to the city centre. You can choose between the Express bus, private transport, Airport Shuttle and Public bus. The journey takes 45 minutes - 1 hour and the quickest way is by express bus. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by public bus with tickets starting at 9,000 VND ($0.40).

There are a couple of public buses operating between Hanoi Airport and the city centre. Travel time with these buses is around 1 hour. But because their bus stops in Hanoi are located a bit far from the Old Quarter, you’ll probably need an additional 30 minutes to find your way to your hotel.

Public buses from and to Hanoi Airport depart every 20 minutes from 05:00-20:00.

You will find the public bus stop on the right side of the airport terminal exit. You can take either Bus 7, which parks at Kim Ma Bus Station or Bus 17, which stops at Long Bien Bus Terminal.

Bus 7 will bring you to Kim Ma Bus Station, from where it is about a 30-minute walk to the Old Quarter. A ticket costs 9,000 VND ($0.40).

If you’re carrying a lot of luggage, you might want to take a short taxi ride from the bus station to your accommodation. Fares start from 50,000 VND ($2).

You can also transfer to another bus, which is cheaper. Bus 18, 23, and 34 all have bus stops near the Old Quarter and a ticket only costs 7,000 VND ($0.30). However, they take a long way around so this additional bus ride may take around 35 minutes.

On the way to the airport from the city centre? You can also catch Bus 7 from Kim Ma Bus Terminal.

Bus 17 brings you to Long Bien Bus Station, located 2 km north of Hoan Kiem Lake. It should take about 30 minutes if you walk from here to the Old Quarter.

If you choose to take a taxi the rest of the way, it should cost around 60,000 VND ($2.30) for the 20-minute ride.

Alternatively, you can take a 30-minute bus. Bus 04, 08A, 08B, and 14 can take you close to the Old Quarter. But you’ll still have to walk a few minutes depending on where your hotel is located. A ticket costs 7,000 VND ($0.30).

On the way back to the airport, you can also board Bus 17 at Long Bien Station. This terminal is often packed with passengers going to various destinations. Do be careful of your belongings as pickpockets are common.

The Express Bus 86 is a cost-efficient way to travel from Hanoi Airport (Noi Bai) to the city centre. It is the fastest of all the public transport options because it doesn’t make as many stops as other buses. Travel time takes only about 45 minutes.

Also, Express Bus 86 has the most convenient bus stops if you’re staying at the Old Quarter. Most likely you will only have to walk a few minutes from the bus stop to your hotel.

These express buses generally get great reviews from tourists with their wide windows and comfortable chairs. A ticket costs 45,000 VND ($1.80).

Departure from Hanoi Airport

You shouldn’t have a hard time finding the orange express buses outside the arrivals hall of Hanoi Airport. Try not to be distracted by touts who will try to lead you to other buses in the terminal. Express Bus 86 departs from the airport every 25 minutes from 06:25 to 23:05.

Arrival in the Old Quarter (city centre)

The express bus makes several stops in the city centre. These include Long Bien Bus Station, Central Post Office, Melia Hotel, and Hanoi Railway Station. Just choose whichever is closest to your hotel.

The way back: Express Bus 86 from the city centre to Hanoi Airport

If you’re travelling from the city to Hanoi airport, Express Bus 86 departs from Hanoi Railway Station every 25 minutes from 05:05 to 21:40. You can also hail them from one of the other bus stops mentioned above.

You can choose from two shuttle bus companies that depart from just outside the arrival terminal of Hanoi Airport.

Vietjet Air and Jetstar operate shuttle buses to/from Hanoi Airport and the city centre, including the Old Quarter. The shuttle bus you take does not necessarily have to be the same as your airline, except with Jetstar. Ticket prices for both companies start from 50,000 VND ($2).

Vietnam Airlines also used to operate on this route. However, one of our readers shared and we have confirmed (November 2023) that Vietnam Airlines no longer offers shuttle bus rides between Hanoi Airport and the city centre.

You can check this map to see the drop-off points of the shuttle and public buses from Hanoi Airport (Noi Bai) to the city centre.

Vietjet Air Shuttle Bus

Vietjet Air shuttles are available from 04:00-21:00 daily. From Hanoi Airport, they depart about 30 minutes after a Vietjet flight arrival. See below the Vietjet Air shuttle route:

Nội Bài Airport – Thăng Long Bridge – Hoàng Quốc Việt – Đào Tấn – Nguyễn Thái Học – Quang Trung – Trần Nhân Tông

If you’re staying in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, ask the driver to drop you off at Nguyen Thai Hoc or Quang Trung Street. Both are located near Hoan Kiem Lake.

Jetstar Shuttle

You can only take a Jetstar shuttle bus if your flight is also with Jetstar. Their buses operate every 30-45 minutes from 04:00 to 21:00.

The end station from the airport is also the pick-up station when coming from Hanoi city centre. That’s at 206 Tran Quang Khai, to the east of Hoan Kiem Lake.

Regular taxis are easily available outside the arrivals hall of Hanoi Airport. Make sure to get a metered taxi though, and don’t be swayed if the driver says you’ll pay less for a fixed price!

It’s best to just go to the taxi queue and take the first taxi in line. Disregard everyone else offering a ride. For reference, among the most trusted taxi operators in Hanoi are Mai Linh Group, G7, and Taxi Group.

Expect to pay fares from 300,000 VND ($11.70) for a taxi from Hanoi Airport (Noi Bai) to the city centre.

Travelling from the centre to the airport is cheaper as you don’t have to pay extra for airport surcharges. Fares start from 200,000 VND ($7.80).

Booking with Grab

Even better, book your ride with Grab for the best rates. Fares start from 286,000 VND ($11.20) from Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter of Hanoi.

When I arrived with my flight around 1:00 in the morning, I managed to take an Uber to the Old Quarter (Jan 2017). As of May 2018 though, after an agreement with Uber, you can only use Grab in Vietnam.

To book a Grab taxi, you will need an internet connection. One option is to use the free airport wi-fi to order your Grab, but this connection does not always reach as far as the pick-up point of the taxi.

A better option is to buy a local SIM card at the airport. The savings of taking a Grab taxi already make up for the costs of the SIM card and you can use it for your entire stay!

Be aware that local taxi drivers are not big fans of these services. For this reason, ignore or don’t tell other taxi drivers at the airport that you ordered a Grab ride. But if you’re coming from the city centre, there should be no issue if you book a Grab to the airport.

Pre-book a Private Transfer with BookAway

You can also book your ride in advance through BookAway.

BookAway offers comfortable cars with professional drivers, who will be waiting for you at the airport as soon as you arrive. Rates start from 286,000 VND ($11.20) for a 5-seater private transfer. Divide the cost and that’s just about 74,000 VND ($2.90) per person.