Cost-effective Ways to Travel from Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi City Center

If you're not in a rush, consider these ways to travel from the airport to the city center economically.

Cost-effective Ways to Travel from Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi City Center

Currently, a taxi from Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi city center costs around 350,000 VND – 450,000 VND depending on the distance. Some shared ride options or other private taxi companies also offer fares ranging from 150,000 VND to 250,000 VND per route. However, if you're traveling alone, not pressed for time, or looking to save money, you can consider the following options.

Bus Services

Hanoi has 4 bus routes operating from the city center to Noi Bai Airport, including 3 subsidized routes and one high-quality bus service.

- Bus number 7: Starts from Cau Giay station, travels through Nguyen Van Huyen, Hoang Quoc Viet, Pham Van Dong, Thang Long Bridge, Vo Van Kiet streets, stops at Terminal 1, and vice versa. Departures from Cau Giay station start at 5 a.m., and the latest departure from Noi Bai Airport is at 10:30 p.m.

One-way travel time is about 60 minutes. The drawback of this bus is that it stops at many stations and is often crowded, so seats are seldom available. Ticket price is 8,000 VND.

- Bus number 17: Departs from Long Bien station (Tran Nhat Duat street), passes through Chuong Duong Bridge, Nguyen Van Cu, Ngo Gia Tu, Duong Bridge, Dong Anh district, connects to National Highway 2, Vo Van Kiet, Vo Nguyen Giap, stops at Terminal 1, and returns. Departures from Long Bien start at 5 a.m., and the latest departure from Noi Bai Airport is at 10 p.m.

One-way travel time for this bus from start to end is about 1 hour and 45 minutes. The advantage of this route is that it's less crowded, so passengers usually find ample seating. Ticket price is 9,000 VND.

- Bus number 90: Starts from 1 Kim Ma street, passes through Nui Truc, Lieu Giai, Thuy Khue, Lac Long Quan, Nhat Tan Bridge, Vo Nguyen Giap, Terminal 1 (domestic departure hall), Terminal 2 (international departure hall), and returns to the parking lot. Operating hours at Kim Ma station are from 5:30 a.m. to 9:10 p.m., and at Noi Bai Airport from 6:40 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Frequency of buses runs from 20 to 30 minutes per trip, with travel time ranging from 50 to 60 minutes. Passenger volume is not excessively high, varying by time of day. Ticket price is 9,000 VND.

- Bus number 86: Departs from Hanoi station, passes through Nguyen Du, Tran Hung Dao, Da Tuong, Ly Thuong Kiet, Hang Bai, across Hoan Kiem Lake, Hang Tre, Long Bien transfer point, Yen Phu, Nghi Tam, Au Co, Nhat Tan Bridge, Vo Nguyen Giap, Terminal 1 domestic (level 2 departure hall), Terminal 2 international (level 2 departure hall), entrance to Terminal 1 parking lot. Operating hours at Hanoi station are from 5:05 a.m. to 9:40 p.m., and at Noi Bai Airport from 6:18 a.m. to 10:58 p.m.

One-way travel time is about 60 minutes, with a frequency of 25-30 minutes per trip. This is a high-quality bus route, equipped with ample space for large luggage, Vietnamese and English audio systems, LED screens displaying the route, and free wifi. The bus is not overly crowded, but note that there are only 25 seats available. Ticket price is 30,000 VND.

Airline Shuttle Services

Domestic airlines like Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar, or Vietjet Air provide shuttle services for passengers from the airport to Hanoi, typically with 16 or 45-seat vehicles. Even if you're not flying with these airlines, you can still take their shuttle buses. The buses usually stop right at the airport entrance for easy access. You should inquire about prices and routes before boarding. These shuttles generally follow fixed schedules but may be flexible depending on passenger demand.

The fare for these shuttle buses is usually 40,000 VND per person. The final stops within the city are at 1 Quang Trung Street, Hoan Kiem District, 204 Tran Quang Khai, and 69 Tran Nhan Tong (near the central circus theater).

By Linh Huong/Ngoi Sao

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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide