Hanoi Airport: A Guide-Instruction for Tourists

General Information about Hanoi Airport

Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport (Noi Bai), (IATA: HAN, ICAO: VVNB) - one of the most important and largest airports in Vietnam. Travelers and tourists arrive here to visit the capital, Cat Ba Island, Halong and Lan Ha Bays, the mountain town of Sapa, Ninh Binh province, and the ancient capital of Hoa Lu. It's also convenient from here to do a one-way trip across the country with a return flight home from Ho Chi Minh City, or, for example, to visit northern Laos via a route through Sapa and Dien Bien Phu.

However, if you are primarily interested in beach vacations, we do not advise choosing Hanoi as your arrival airport. The fact is that in the north of the country there are practically no good beaches and normal beach resorts, so for beaches it's better to fly directly to Nha Trang, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City (to transfer to Mui Ne) or Phu Quoc.

Despite being the capital's airport, it is not the largest, only the third in terms of passenger traffic in the country. Nevertheless, it has all the necessary minimum for sending and waiting for passengers on international and domestic flights. There are official taxi counters, tourist information, hotel booking, travel agencies, cafes, currency exchange, ATMs, SIM card sales, a VAT Refund counter for tourists. In the international zone, there are, of course, duty-free shops.

Official website: https://noibaiairport.vn/en

How to Fly to Hanoi Airport and Where to Buy Tickets

Noi Bai receives direct flights from Moscow; during the season, charters from Vladivostok and other cities in eastern Russia may be launched. However, prices for direct flights are very high. It's much cheaper to fly here with layovers on foreign airlines. Good value and quality flights with layovers from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, and several Russian regions are offered by Chinese carriers.

Domestic flights to Hanoi are operated from almost all cities in Vietnam, possibly with rare exceptions. There are also many flights from neighboring Asian countries. It's better to buy tickets for domestic flights in advance, several weeks before, because closer to the date, prices increase multiple times.

Buying tickets on foreign company websites without a foreign card is now impossible, so buy tickets for domestic flights on Aviasales or on Trip.com, they have everything.

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Airport Layout, Terminals

Hanoi Airport has two terminals:

• International Terminal T2 - new international terminal
• Domestic Terminal T1 - old domestic terminal

The terminals are located in separate buildings, not connected by walkways. The distance from entrance to entrance is about 1 kilometer. You can get there on foot (20-30 minutes), or use the free transfer on special shuttle buses, which wait right at the exit from the arrivals hall and will take you to the entrance of the departure hall. Shuttle buses run from 05:00 to 01:00 every 15-20 minutes, so we recommend allowing at least 30 minutes for transfers between terminals.

As noted above, the airport has everything you need: an official taxi counter, tourist information (where it's better to immediately get a free city map and promotional brochures with useful information), a hotel booking counter, travel agencies, currency exchange, ATMs, cafes. Most of this is on the first floor in the arrivals hall and operates 24/7. Also, on the second floor of the international terminal, there is baggage packing for 60,000 VND (approximately 2.28 USD, see Vietnamese currency and exchange rate), and baggage storage for 106,000 VND/day (open from 06:30 to 23:00).

The VAT Refund counter is located on the second floor after check-in and passport control, so you should not check expensive goods you want to get a tax refund for as baggage (see more about tax refund for tourists in Vietnam).

Flight check-in counters and the departure area are located on the second floor.

• The arrival procedure at the airport is standard: flight disembarkation → visa issuance (if necessary) → passport control → baggage claim → customs control → exit to the arrivals area.
• The departure procedure at the airport is standard: check-in for the flight and drop off baggage → customs control → passport control → entry to the boarding waiting area → flight boarding.

Exchange Rate at the Airport, Is It Worth Changing Currency

Unlike most other airports in the world, airports in Vietnam have a good currency exchange rate. You can safely change some amount for the first time and even more, especially if you are going not to Hanoi but to other resorts in northern Vietnam (for example, to Sapa or Halong).

In our experience, a rate higher than at the airport can only be found in jewelry shops in Hanoi's tourist district, while in banks, exchange offices, and hotels it may be even slightly lower. And if you go directly from the airport to Cat Ba Island, Ninh Binh, or Sapa, finding a good exchange rate there right away will not be so easy, and you'll have to spend time on it. So in such a case, it makes sense to exchange cash for at least the first few days of your stay at the airport.

Here's a fresh comparison at the same moment on one day in January 2025:

• Official exchange rate (market) – 25,382 VND per dollar
• Rate at Hanoi Airport for new bills >50 dollars – 25,360
• In jewelry shops in central Hanoi's tourist district – up to 25,500

As you can see, the rate is quite decent and you can exchange, unless you plan to go to central Hanoi and exchange there in jewelry shops, where the rate is traditionally higher and even above the official market rate. However, a couple of important points should be noted: rates for old-style bills without a security strip are lower by about 300-500 VND, and for small bills (less than 50 dollars) they are also noticeably lower.

Exchange offices are located in the arrivals area, where you enter immediately after passing passport control and then customs control. There are several exchange offices here; they even exchange at SIM card sales points. The difference in rates between them is minimal, but if you are exchanging a large amount, it's worth walking around the hall and finding the most favorable one. You cannot exchange rubles at Hanoi Airport, as, by the way, they cannot be exchanged at a normal rate anywhere in Vietnam.

Read more about everything you need to know about Vietnamese currency in our updated information here.

As for ATMs, there are some at the airport, and you can also withdraw money there for the first time. We remind you that at the moment only one large unsanctioned bank's UnionPay cards work – this is Rosselkhozbank. According to our calculations from personal experience using this card with a ruble account, the exchange rate together with ATM and bank commissions gives an output about 4-6% less!!! than exchange through cash, so we recommend this option only in extreme cases. It is more profitable to use this card for purchases (there will be no losses on withdrawal fees), and preferably in yuan currency, not ruble.

As for Mir cards, although they formally work in Vietnam, you will not be able to withdraw money from them at the airport. In Hanoi, there are several ATMs of VRB bank, the only one through which you can withdraw money from a Mir card. But they are very far from the airport, you can only get there by taxi or city buses. But again, according to our experience using Mir cards to withdraw cash, the output rate is very unfavorable – more than 6% loss compared to exchange through cash dollars or euros.

Read more about bank cards in Vietnam in our updated guide here...

Free Wi-Fi at Hanoi Airport

Free Internet access is available throughout Noi Bai Airport. Instructions for connecting to WiFi are posted on information boards at the airport, but even without them it's easy to figure out: after connecting to the "NoiBai Airport Free WiFi" network, you need to open a browser, and on the opened authorization page, press the button to connect.

Where to Buy a SIM Card at Hanoi Airport

A lot of SIM cards are sold at the airport. There are counters with them in the baggage claim area, in the arrivals hall, and outside at the terminal exit. However, you need to understand an important thing: SIM cards sold here are tourist ones, i.e., registered in another person's name, with a prepaid tariff and a markup. The minimum price for a SIM card is from 180,000 VND (6.84 USD) with a small internet package for 7 days. If you need more, there are such options, but prices are higher.

If you need communication for a long trip, for example for several months, then you can buy a SIM card at official communication stores and register it in your name using your passport. How to do this, what operators and tariffs are available, all explained here.

Hotels at Hanoi Airport

In the airport itself, in each terminal, there is an opportunity to rest during a long layover in a capsule hotel, but prices are quite high, from 650,000 VND per person. But just a couple of minutes by taxi or a 15-minute walk from the terminal exit, there are several inexpensive hotels priced from 140,000 VND per person, or 250,000 for a double room. You can find and book a hotel near Hanoi Airport through one of the search engines:

• 🛌 Search for hotels in Hanoi on Trip.com (👍 Mir cards work)
• 🛌 Hotels in Hanoi on Yandex.travel
• 🛌 Search for hotels on Ostrovok.ru

How to Get from Hanoi Airport to the City

The airport is located 45 kilometers from the city (Hanoi Airport on the map). Transport here is quite developed, and to get to the city center, you can, as you wish, use the city bus, minibuses, or taxi.

• Taxi

  • 💵 Cost: from 250,000 VND / 9.5 USD
  • ⏲ Travel Time: 20-40 minutes

  

  This is the fastest way to get to the airport or to the city; you'll be there in 20-40 minutes. In the terminal and in the parking lot on the first floor exit, there are several counters; the cost doesn't differ much. Depending on your choice, a fixed-price trip or a metered trip (Taxi-meter) is possible, but usually it's hard to convince drivers to use the meter. Even if you persuade a taxi driver to use the "meter," there could be tricks like a broken meter on the road, roundabout routes, or simply "tampered" meters. Therefore, for a trip from the airport, it's better to use a fixed-price trip, which will cost from 350,000 VND (approximately 13.3 USD). By the way, back from Hanoi's tourist center to the airport, you can go cheaper at a fixed price - from 250,000 VND.

  

  You can order a taxi cheaper through the apps Grab, Maxim, InDrive, Xanh Sm. Uber does not work in Vietnam! In our experience, the best value for money and quality among these apps is Grab. InDrive and Maxim are cheaper, but you might not get a car. And Xanh Sm – is a modern eco-taxi with electric cars, but noticeably more expensive. A trip through apps will cost from 250,000 VND to the tourist district (9.5 USD). You can connect to the Internet to order a taxi via free Wi-Fi at the airport or buy a SIM card right here on the spot. Read more about taxis in Hanoi and how to use them here.

  If you don't want to deal with local unscrupulous taxi drivers, you can book a tourist transfer in advance. It's almost the same as a taxi but with a higher level of service. Upon arrival, a car will already be waiting for you, and the driver will meet you with a sign at the terminal exit. You can check transfer prices and book it on the websites Kiwitaxi.ru, Intui.Travel or through this form:

• City Buses

  • 💵 Cost: from 15,000 VND / 0.57 USD
  • ⏲ Travel Time: 90 minutes

  

  This is the cheapest way to get to the city center. Cost – from 15,000 VND (0.57 USD), plus the same for baggage if it's large. Travel time – an hour and a half, longer during rush hour. The buses are quite comfortable, with air conditioning, but can be overcrowded.

  City buses depart from the opposite side of the road from the domestic terminal; they do not stop near the international terminal (exception - route No. 86). If you exit the domestic terminal T1 on the first floor, you will find the city bus terminal to the right of the exit a few dozen meters away (location of city bus stop at the terminal). If you need to leave/arrive on these buses at the international terminal, you can use the free shuttle bus that runs 24/7 between the domestic and international terminals (approximately every 15-20 minutes).

  Be careful! They will try to put you on a commercial bus or taxi and convince you that there is no more city bus, or that the stop is very far away. Don't believe them!!!

  There are several routes from the airport, here are the most useful ones:

  • Bus No. 17 goes to Long Bien station near the tourist district (interactive map). From the stop, you can walk to a hotel in this area in 10-20 minutes, or take a taxi from 30,000 VND. Fare on bus No. 17 costs 15,000 VND (0.57 USD). Runs from 05:00 to 20:30, every 10-15 minutes. More about route No. 17.
  • Express Bus No. 86. Makes stops at the exit of each terminal and goes to Hoan Kiem Lake (to the tourist center of the city). Departs from the airport from 06:25 to 23:05, from Hanoi from 05:05 to 21:40 every 25-30 minutes on schedule. This is an excellent alternative to the sometimes overcrowded city buses No. 7 and 17, here only seated places. But unlike the previous two routes, the fare here costs 45,000 VND (1.71 USD). Plus, it doesn't make many stops along the way. More about route No. 86 from Hanoi Airport.
  • Bus No. 7 goes to Kim Ma station. This is quite far from the tourist district; from there you'll have to take a taxi or transfer to another bus, but if it's on your way, take it.

  There are other buses from the airport to other parts of the city. Read more about how to use them and how to find the right routes online in our detailed guide here.

• Vietnam Airlines Minibus (No Longer Running)

  

  As soon as you exit the airport terminal on the first floor, you will see minibuses with logos of Jetstar and Vietnam Airlines. They depart as they fill up and move without any schedule starting from early morning until about 10 p.m. Travel time – 45-60 minutes. The cost of the trip is 40,000 VND (1.52 USD), paid in the minibus. For very large baggage, you will have to pay an additional 40,000 VND, and for an extra $1-2 the driver will take you to the hotel door. Otherwise, you can get off near Hoan Kiem Lake next to the tourist district, or go to the "final stop" at the address: Quang Trung, 2 (office/final stop on Hanoi map). From there, you can take a taxi to your hotel or walk. The office is a few minutes' walk from Hoan Kiem Lake and 10 minutes from the main tourist zone (on the map, the walking route from the office to the tourist zone is shown in blue).

  You can also take this minibus from the city to the airport, but keep in mind that they depart as they fill up, so it's better to arrive early, with a time buffer of at least one hour. You can also buy tickets in advance at the office at the "final stop" at the address: Quang Trung, 2.

• Car Rental

  • 💵 Cost: from 50 US dollars
  • ⏲ Travel Time: 30-60 minutes

  In Vietnam, it is completely legal to drive a rental vehicle with an International Driving Permit (IDP) that complies with the requirements of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (read more about renting a motorcycle and car in Vietnam). That's exactly the kind issued in Russia. Just don't forget that an IDP is valid only when presented together with your national license. You can get an IDP at the traffic police (GIBDD) at your place of residence; its cost/state fee is 3200 rubles. No need to retake exams.

  The price for car rental in Vietnam remains quite high for now - from $50 per day. Offices of international rental companies have opened in the country, and now you can book a car in Vietnam here.