How to get from Hanoi to Hoi An

Why visit Hoi An?

Hoi An is a charming city on Vietnam’s central coast. Once a major port, the mixed influences of Japanese, Chinese, and European merchants are still visible here.

Its Old Town is a well-preserved fusion of foreign and indigenous architecture, laid out in a small-scale model of a 15th to 19th-century trading hub. No wonder it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site! Travelling to Hoi An feels like walking back in time.

There are 3 ways to travel the 800 kilometre (497 miles) distance from Hanoi to Hoi An. You can choose between the bus, train and flight. The journey takes 3 hours 5 minutes to 20 hours and the quickest way is by flight. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus with tickets starting at 538,000 VND ($20.50).

We do not recommend travelling this long distance by bus since it will be a really long and exhausting journey. If you don’t want to fly, consider taking the train instead (also much safer).

We cannot deny that buses are cheaper when travelling from Hanoi to Hoi An. Bus fares start from 538,000 VND ($20.50) for the ride that takes around 13 to 20 hours.

If you still want to take a bus from Hanoi to Hoi An, you can take one of these nine popular companies: Techbus VN JSC, Camel Travel, Viet Nam Travel Bus, The Long Travel, Green Trips, Queen Cafe Bus, Grouptour, TBus and Cua Ong Limousine.

Hung Thanh is another direct bus operator for this route. However, we don’t recommend travelling with them because they get bad reviews. These include overloading, rude staff, and dirty buses.

Departure and arrival station

Different bus companies depart and arrive at varying stations – usually in their own offices in Hanoi and Hoi An.

One advantage of the bus is that their offices are located very near the city centre of both cities. This means you’ll most probably only need a short taxi ride to travel between the bus stations and your hotels in Hanoi and Ho An.

There is no airport in Hoi An so you can only take a flight to Da Nang, a city located 30 km away. Despite this, the flight is still the fastest option to get from Hanoi to Hoi An.

TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.

Hanoi Airport is located about 35 km north of the Old Quarter. The best way to get there is via Express Bus #86. A ticket costs 45,000 VND ($1.70) for the journey that takes around 45 minutes.

Bus 86 departs from Hanoi Railway Station every 25 minutes from 06:25 to 23:05. It also makes several stops close to the Old Quarter so you can just hail the bus at the nearest stop to your accommodation.

For more details and transport options, you can check out our page on Hanoi Airport.

Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways and Vietair Travel fly daily from Hanoi to Da Nang. Flight time is 1h 20m.

Rates start from 620,000 VND ($23.50) if you buy your tickets in advance. Note that airfares can go as high as 1,200,000 VND ($46) if you book near the travel date or during peak season.

From Da Nang Airport to Hoi An, you can take a shuttle bus if you’re travelling solo and a taxi if you’re with a group. Rates start from 155,000 VND ($5.90) and 320,000 VND ($12.20), respectively.

You can pre-book your shuttle bus ticket or private transfer via BookAway. Just click the link below.

The ride takes about 1 hour. Visit our page on how to get from DaNang Airport to Hoi An for more info.

The train ride from Hanoi to Hoi An takes around 16 hours 30 minutes to 20 hours. Note that the nearest train station from Hoi An is Da Nang Railway Station, 30 km away.

You can find Hanoi Railway Station about 3 km southwest of the Old Quarter. That should be about a 20-minute walk depending on your hotel’s location.

If you’re carrying a lot of luggage though, you can also just take a taxi for convenience. Fares start from 70,000 VND ($2.70) for the ride that takes 10 minutes.

There are 4 companies operating from Hanoi to Da Nang daily. Some trains travel throughout the day, while others travel overnight, so you can sleep for half of the journey. The fastest train is the New Livitans Express.

You can get a second-class seat for 781,000 VND ($30), but we recommend getting a bunk in a shared cabin for 4 for this very long ride. This should be comfortable enough to get you through the 15.5 to 19-hour journey.

See below an overview of the trains:

Da Nang Railway Station is 30 km north of Hoi An. To get to the Old Town, you can take a 1 hour minivan with prices from 155,000 VND ($5.90). Minivans are available every day from 07:00 to 21:00, but you have to book your ride in advance so that the driver knows to pick you up from the train station.

Alternatively, you can take a taxi directly from the railway station to your hotel’s doorstep. Rates start from 440,000 VND ($16.80).

We recommend pre-booking your minivan or taxi via BookAway, which offers comfortable vehicles and good customer service.

TIP: You can also take a public bus to get from Da Nang to Hoi An. Service was temporarily suspended during COVID-19, but operations have resumed starting April 2024. The fare is 35,000 VND ($1.30). Take note that the bus departs from Viet Han University, about 15 km away from Da Nang Railway Station. The bus will drop you off at Nguyen Tat Thanh – Hoi An Bus Station, 2 km northwest of the Old Town.