2024 From Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter – the cheapest & easiest way

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Hey! Are you looking for the most affordable and easiest way to go from Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter? You’re in the right place.

I lived in Hanoi for 5 years, frequently taking flights to and from the city. This experience has given me insight into all the transportation options available to get to the Hanoi center from the airport.

By reading this post, you will discover 4 ways to transport from Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter and find out which is the cheapest and most convenient way.

Read until the end to uncover useful information and tips based on my experience.

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1. About Hanoi Airport

There is an international airport in Hanoi called Noi Bai International Airport, located about 21 km from Hanoi Old Quarter, approximately a 45-minute drive.

Noi Bai International Airport consists of two terminals: the domestic terminal (T1) and the international terminal (T2). You can use the free airport bus to transport between the two terminals.

2. Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter by Bus

Getting from Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi Old Quarter by public bus is one of the most cost-friendly options.

You can find Bus 86 right in front of the airport exit door, connecting the airport to Hanoi Old Quarter. There are a few stops inside the Old Quarter, and the last stop is at the Hanoi train station, which is very close to the Old Quarter.

To buy the ticket, simply board the bus, and the ticket conductor will approach you once the bus departs.

• Bus fare: 45,000 VND/person/way
• Frequency: Every 45 minutes
• Operating hours:

  – From Hanoi train station to Noi Bai Airport: 5:30 – 20:20

  – From Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi train station: 7:00 – 22:10

• Transportation time: About 70 minutes
• Route: T1 & T2 Terminal Gate – Hanoi Railway Station

You can also take bus No.17 from Noi Bai Airport to Long Bien bus station, then walk for about 5-10 minutes to reach Hanoi Old Quarter. It takes about 2 hours and costs 9,000 VND/person.

3. Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter by taxi or Grab car

It’s more expensive to go from Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi Old Quarter by car, but much more convenient.

 💡 Note:

• The ride from the Hanoi airport to the Old Quarter is more expensive than the ride from the Old Quarter to the airport.
• The car ride will be cheaper during the daytime and more expensive after 10 PM and before 6 AM.

Below are 3 options to travel from Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter by car:

Taxi

It costs about 250.000 – 370.000 VND (10 – 15 USD) to get from Noi Bai Airport to the Old Quarter by a 4-seater taxi. The ride takes about 45 minutes without traffic.

Many taxi drivers are outside the airport exit door. However, taxi scams are common in Hanoi, so be cautious when choosing a taxi.

My advice is not to take a random taxi; instead, choose trustworthy ones such as Mai Linh, Taxi Group, and Vinasun. Remember to ask for the approximate price before getting into the car.

Grab Car

Grab is an app offering an e-hailing service, similar to Uber. An advantage of using Grab is that you can avoid taxi scams and know exactly how much you have to pay for your trip.

Download the Grab app: Click here

 💡 Note: Besides the price shown on the app, most Grab drivers will charge the airport entrance fee of 10,000 VND as well. They will provide a receipt for your reference.

Read more: How to go from Hanoi to Cat Ba Island by bus?

Private Transfer

The price for a private transfer would be a little more expensive than by taxi or Grab car.

You can book a private transfer in advance from your hotel or any travel agency or book online via this link.

An advantage of private transfer is that you pay a fixed price, which includes all fees, and you won’t need to wait for the driver. Usually, the driver would come early and hold a board with your name at the exit door.

Read more: Hanoi train street is open: timetable, history & best cafes

4. Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter by Airline Shuttle Bus

Some airline companies also provide airport shuttle bus service, relatively affordable with no specific stops. You can tell the driver where you want to go, and they will drop you off at the nearest location.

You can find these buses outside the airport exit door; simply board and pay the fare directly to the driver.

Below are 3 airline shuttle buses that you can take:

	Vietjet Shuttle Bus	Vietnam Airlines Shuttle Bus	Jetstar Pacific Shuttle Bus
Last stop	No 69. Tran Nhan Tong St.	No.1 Quang Trung St.	No.29 Ngoc Khanh St., No.37 Quang Trung St.
Frequency	Every 40 mins	Every 40 mins	Every 30-40 mins
Op. hrs	4 AM – 10 PM	5 AM – 10 PM	4 AM – 10 PM
Ticket	40,000 VND	40,000 VND	40,000 VND

 💡 Note:  The bus only departs when there are enough customers. I had to wait nearly 30 minutes for the Vietjet Bus to depart.

5. Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter by Motorbike

If you travel alone without much luggage, the motorbike taxi is also a good choice, affordable and convenient.

Besides Grab Car, the Grab app also provides a motorbike taxi service.

The price for a ride from Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi Old Quarter is about 100.000 VND, depending on traffic.

To catch your Grab bike, you need to walk outside of the airport (about 5-10 minutes walk).

 ➡ Download the Grab app: Click here

Compare 4 Ways to Get from Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter

	Options	Cost (VND)	Travel time
Bus	Bus No.86, No.17	9.000 – 45.000	~70 mins
Car	taxi, Grab car, private transfer	abt 300.000	45 mins
Airline Bus	Vietjet, Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar	40.000	~70 mins
Motorbike	Grab bike	~100.000	~45 mins

According to the table above, you can see that the cheapest way to go from Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter is by public bus or airline shuttle bus, which costs only about 40,000 – 45,000 VND. These buses will take you to locations inside or near Hanoi Old Quarter. However, if you prefer to get to the Hanoi Old Quarter fast, you should choose to travel by taxi, Grab car, or private transfer.

For solo travelers with light luggage, I highly recommend the Grab bike option because it’s affordable and very time-saving (sometimes, it’s even faster than traveling by car).

6. How to get around the Hanoi Old Quarter?

On Foot

It’s entirely possible to walk around the Hanoi Old Quarter as the distance between places of interest is close.

By Car

There are three options to get around by car: taxi, Grab car, or car charter.

If you just go to a few places, I recommend taking a taxi or Grab car. You can ask your hotel reception to call a taxi for you as they know exactly which one is reliable. Besides, you can also book a Grab car by yourself; the price is pretty affordable and you can pay by cash or credit card.

 💡 Note: Expect to pay more during nighttime or peak hours (8-9 AM, 5-7 PM, after 10 PM).

If you want to go to further places or visit many attractions in a day, it’s better to rent a car charter service. For a half-day trip, it costs about 830,000 VND/4-seater car and 1,200,000 VND/12-seater van. Highly recommend this operator: Click here.

By Scooter

If you want to experience the crazy traffic in Hanoi, rent a scooter to get around. The rental price is about 150,000 – 250,000 VND, depending on the scooter model. One of the cheapest options is the Honda Wave series.

 💡 Note:

• The rental fee is higher if you ride the scooter to other provinces than when driving around the city. Specify your destination when renting the bike.

• The rental fee does not include petrol; you will need to top up the petrol yourself.

Alternatively, the Grab app also offers a motorbike taxi service called Grab Bike. If you plan to visit only a few places, booking a Grab Bike is usually cheaper than renting a scooter for the entire day.

By Cyclo

You’ll find many cyclo drivers in the Hanoi Old Quarter, especially around Hoan Kiem Lake.

You can ask them to take you wherever you want to go and remember to negotiate the price.

Expect to pay around 150,000 VND for an hour-long drive around Hanoi Old Quarter. If two people share the same cyclo, expect to pay a little more.

 💡 Scam Warning: Overcharging by cyclo drivers is quite common. In one real case, the driver initially agreed on 150,000 VND for the ride, but upon finishing the trip, he claimed there were two customers, so it became 150,000 * 2 = 300,000 VND. Therefore, make sure to confirm the exact price before sitting in.

So, I have explained four ways to go from Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter by bus, car, motorbike, and Airline shuttle bus in detail. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below.

Thanks for reading!