Hanoi, located on the banks of the Red River, is one of the oldest capitals in the world, where travelers can find well-preserved colonial buildings, ancient pagodas, and unique museums in the city center, known as the Old Quarter.
And if you are planning to come to Hanoi and are wondering what the best ways are to get from Hanoi airport to the Old Quarter, this topic is definitely for you.
Distance between Hanoi airport and Hanoi’s Old Quarter
Hanoi airport is the second largest airport in Vietnam with 40 airlines operating from this airport. The largest airlines are Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air, which serve 42 different destinations. For an overview of all flights departing from Hanoi airport, check out this Hanoi flight map.
Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) is located about 30 km (or 45min to 1h of travel) north of the city center. Traveling from Hanoi airport to the Old Quarter is easy as there are many transport options to choose from. Let’s see what these transports are.
The best ways to get from Hanoi airport to the Hanoi’s Old Quarter
1. Taxi from Noi Bai airport to Hanoi’s Old Quarter
Taking a taxi from Noi Bai airport to the Old Quarter is a very fast and convenient means of transport. For a 30 km transfer, it will cost you about 13-15 USD for a 4-seater taxi. It will take about 35 to 60 minutes to get to the city center from Hanoi airport depending on the traffic situation, as traffic in Hanoi is crazy and at peak hours, it is so congested.
Hanoi airport taxi is very easy to find at the airport as many drivers have parked their taxis in the national and international arrival halls of Noi Bai airport. Many companies offer taxi services at Noi Bai airport, so make sure to choose a taxi from a reliable company to get the best service.
However, it would be good if you asked for the price first as some drivers charge foreigners more, around 20-25 USD.
2. Bus from Noi Bai airport to Hanoi’s Old Quarter
From Hanoi airport to the city center, you have several buses to choose from. Specifically, if you want to take a bus from Noi Bai airport to the Old Quarter, you can consider some options for your journey.
Local bus 17 is a public bus line connecting Noi Bai airport to the Long Bien transit station, located not far from Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
The bus departs only from the domestic terminal of Hanoi airport (Terminal T1). If you fly to Terminal T2 and want to take this bus, you need to take a shuttle or an electric car running between the two terminals (the journey takes about 5 minutes), then change to the public bus to get to the city.
Express bus 86 is the best bus for tourists traveling from Hanoi airport to the city. The bus can accommodate 60 passengers, so it is normally not very crowded. Buses on this route depart from Noi Bai airport, go directly to Hanoi’s Old Quarter, and end the journey at Hanoi station. Traveling on this bus saves time compared to other public bus lines as there are fewer stops on the bus 86 line.
The Vietnam Airlines Shuttle is the transfer service from Hanoi airport to Hanoi’s Old Quarter provided by the Vietnamese national company Vietnam Airlines. You do not need to fly with Vietnam Airlines to board the airport shuttle. The Vietnam Airlines Shuttle Bus is a 16-seat minibus, which departs according to Vietnam Airlines’ flight schedules. However, there is a problem with this shuttle as it normally leaves from Hanoi airport to the city only when it is full of passengers and sometimes you have to wait a long time for it to depart.
The Vietjet Air Shuttle is another easy and inexpensive way to get from Hanoi airport to the city center. You do not need to fly with Vietjet Air to board this bus. The bus schedule matches the Vietjet Air flight schedule to and from Noi Bai International Airport (HAN). If the bus passes your destination along the route, you can ask the driver to stop anywhere.
To summarize more information about the shuttle schedule and price for you:
| Itinerary | Bus stops | Travel time and price per person | Opening hours and Frequency |
| Local bus 17 Noi Bai airport → Long Bien transit station | Noi Bai Airport – Highway 2 – Chuong Duong Bridge – Long Bien transit station | ~1h15 Price: 9 000 VND | 5h – 22h30 every 10-15 minutes |
| Express bus 86 Noi Bai airport → Hanoi railway station | Noi Bai Airport Terminal T1 -T2 – Au Co – Yen Phu – Hanoi Central Post Office – Hanoi Railway Station | ~ 50 minutes Price: 35 000 VND | 5h10 – 21h45 every 20-30 minutes |
| Vietnam Airlines Shuttle Noi Bai airport → Hanoi’s old quarter | Noi Bai Airport – Vo Nguyen Giap – Nhat Tan Bridge – Hanoi’s Old Quarter | ~ 30-40 minutes Price: 60 000 VND | 6h40 – 22h30 every 30-45 minutes |
| Vietjet Air Shuttle Noi Bai airport → Hanoi’s old quarter | Noi Bai Airport – Thang Long Bridge – Hoang Quoc Viet – Tran Nhan Tong | ~ 40-60 minutes Price: 40 000 VND | 4h00 – 21h00 every 30-45 minutes |
3. Private car from Noi Bai airport to the Old Quarter
For travelers who prefer a more private means to get to Hanoi’s Old Quarter from Noi Bai airport, you can choose to take a private car. This type of transport requires an advance booking for the best price and arrangement. Upon your arrival at Hanoi airport, a guy holding a welcome sign with your name will be waiting for you to come pick you up and transfer you to your destination.
Private transfers can be booked online via local agencies like Hanoi Private Car (email: [email protected]). The price range depends on the type of car you choose, the number of people in your group.
You can have the detail of the referred prices below:
| Types de voitures | Car (price/car) |
| 4-seater car (1 – 3 people) | 350.000 vnd |
| 7-seater car (4 – 6 people) | 380.000 vnd |
| 16-seater car (7 – 14 people) | 650.000 vnd |
