The Cheapest Way to Get to Hanoi from the Airport

The most inexpensive way to get from Hanoi Noi Bai Airport to the city center is to use city buses. However, it should be noted that they only operate during the day (mostly from 5:00 to 22:00), and at night you will have to take a taxi, as there are simply no other options (see about taxis in Hanoi: cost and how to use).

Which buses go to/from the airport

• Bus No.17

  • Operating hours: from central Hanoi 05:00 to 20:30; from the airport 05:10 to 22:00
  • Bus frequency: every 10-15 minutes
  • Cost: 15,000 dong (approximately 0.57 USD, )see Vietnam currency)

  The terminal stop is located next to the domestic terminal T1 (bus stop No.17 at the airport on the map). When you exit the terminal, you need to walk about 150 meters to the right along the sidewalk, and you will come to several stops, one of which will be for No.17. Usually buses are already waiting there for passengers.

  This bus does not stop near the international terminal. Since the distance between the domestic T1 and international terminal T2 is just over a kilometer, you can use the free shuttle bus between terminals. It runs continuously and around the clock at intervals of approximately 30 minutes.

  To the city center, it goes to Long Bien station (Long Bien station on the map), which is very close to the main tourist area of the capital. You can walk to a hotel in this area with a light backpack in 10-20 minutes, or you can order a taxi via apps Grab, Xanh Sm, Maxim for about 30,000 – 50,000 dong (from 1.14 USD)

• Express Bus No.86

  • Operating hours: departs from the airport from 06:25 to 23:05, from Hanoi from 05:05 to 21:40
  • Bus frequency: every 25-30 minutes
  • Cost: 45,000 dong (1.71 USD)

  This is an excellent alternative to the sometimes overcrowded city bus No.17. It has only seated places and does not make many stops along the way. However, the fare is 45,000 dong. It makes stops near the exit of each terminal, and goes to Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake) (to the tourist center of the city) and ends the route at Hanoi Railway Station. Departs from the airport from 06:25 to 23:05, from Hanoi from 05:05 to 21:40 every 25-30 minutes according to schedule. More about route No.86 from Hanoi Airport.

• Bus No.7

  • Operating hours: from 05:00 to 21:30
  • Bus frequency: every 10-15 minutes
  • Cost: 15,000 dong (0.57 USD)

  Goes to Kim Ma station, which is quite far from the tourist area. From there, you will have to take a taxi or transfer to another bus if you want to be in the tourist center of Hanoi.

Where buses depart/arrive from

All buses depart from the stop at the exit of the domestic terminal T1, which is easy to find. The easiest and closest to find is express bus No.86, which is constantly "on duty" almost right at the exit from the arrivals hall. You just need to cross the road at the pedestrian crossing, and you will see bus 86 on the left under a sign with the route number. This bus then goes to the international terminal.

The terminal stop for buses No.17, 07, 90 and 109 is located near the domestic terminal T1 to the left of the exit (location of city bus stops at the terminal). If you need to depart/arrive on these buses at the international terminal, you can use the free shuttle bus that runs around the clock between the domestic and international terminals (it runs approximately every 15-20 minutes).

Don't believe taxi drivers who will assure you that buses no longer run. This is a traditional local scam to get you into a taxi.

More details about city buses in Hanoi here.