How to get to Halong Bay from Hanoi
Thanks to recent road works, getting to Ha long Bay or Ha Long City is so much easier than it used to be. The most common departure cities are Hanoi and Hai Phong. Both of which have her own international airports and a complex of highway that connects to Halong Bay.
Hanoi is approximately 165 kilometers from Halong Bay. So a road trip between these destinations will take travelers around 3.5 – 4 hours. There are a few different ways to move from Hanoi to Ha long Bay. Most popular ones are by coach, by cruise’s bus, or by private car.
Hanoi to Halong Bay highway 2018 launched
Updated October 2018: A new highway connecting Hai Phong and Ha long Bay is now put to use. Which will reduce travel time from Hanoi to Ha long Bay to 2.5 hours. Some cruise buses use this express way and charge extra fee, some still use the old highway with travel time 4 hours. If you take a private car, you may request to use the new highway and pay the toll fee (it depends on the number of guests in your group).
Cozy Vietnam Travel will provide all the best ways How to get to Halong Bay. Please check the details below:
Hanoi to Halong Bay by Motobike
For adventurous, budget travelers who wish to explore local life and scenery, there is no better way than driving a motorbike from Hanoi to Halong. There are different routers for you to choose:
Hanoi – Bac Ninh – Halong: Find 1A Highway-> Take exit Hanoi-Haiphong highway-> Continue onto Highway Hà Nội – Hải Phòng/QL5B/ĐCT04-> Take the exit toward Bạch Đằng Bridge-> Continue onto Hạ Long – Hải Phòng Highway
New Highway: Hanoi – Hai Duong – Halong: From Hà Nội – Hải Phòng/QL5B/ĐCT04 Highway to Nội Bài – Hạ Long/Đại Yên/QL18 Highway.
If your Halong Bay Overnight Cruise at Tuan Chau Island. At the roundabout on QL18 Highway, take the 1st exit onto Tuần Châu.
Hanoi to Halong Bay by motorbike Pros & Cons
Pros : Cheap, Enjoy Landscape , Driving a motorbike is obviously a cheap and convenient option for free spirits who love to explore Vietnam more closely. The daily rental and gasoline cost are quite cheap; plus you can start your journey whenever you want.
Cons: Dangerous, Time Consuming, Uncomfortable Inconvenient
On the other hand, it is quite dangerous to engage in traffic in Vietnam so make sure you are willing for the risk and have good driving skill. Plus, it is easy to get lost, especially if this is your first trip in Vietnam.
Even if you pay attention to the halong bay weather forecast before your trip, it can rain heavily all of a sudden or your bike breaking down along the way.
Last but not least
A 3-hour drive can be time-consuming and tiring.
If you insist on this option, choose a good motorbike and protection gear, a map and phone that can connect to the internet to google your way.
It is best to go with a friend so that you have someone to rely on in case of emergency.
And remember that as a foreign visitor, you have no Vietnamese driving license so actually it is not legal to drive a motorbike around.
Generally, local traffic officers do not make things hard for you but you need to wear a helmet and follow traffic signals to avoid any trouble.
Hanoi to Halong Bay Bus
Hanoi to Halong Bay by tourist bus
Perhaps the easiest and the cheapest way to travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay is to book a cruise tour that includes two-way transfer. With a cruise package, travelers don’t have to worry about the transfer anymore because they will be picked up and dropped off by the cruise’s mini bus which is quite safe and comfortable.
You al so can book bus to halong bay from Hanoi with Cozy Bay Cruise
Shuttle bus from Hanoi to Ha long bay daily departures and pick up from your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter by licking : Book Shuttle to Halong Bay From Hanoi
Hanoi to Halong Bay by private car
If you do not want to share the trip from Hanoi to Halong Bay with strangers or wish to be totally flexible of your schedule, a private car is your best option. Whether you are a busy businessman on holiday or go on a vacation with your family, a private transfer will ensure the best privacy for you.
Booking a private car through your travel agent is undeniably the most comfortable way to get to Halong Bay. Currently, as the service industry becomes more and more flourished in Vietnam, it is easy to contact with a travel agent and book your own private car. However, the service quality is surely commensurate with the price, it means that the more comfortable you get, the more expensive you have to pay. You can book your private car by clicking : Book private car to Halong Bay From Hanoi
Hanoi to Halong Bay by local bus
For those who travel on a budget, this is an attractive option as it costs as low as 100,000 VND (less than $5). This means of transport usually has a lot of seats (the 45-seat type is quite common). It took only 3 hours to travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay by bus, thanks to the new Highway. Sometimes it took longer since local bus have to go around bus stops to pick their customers.
If you want a premium to luxury bus (7-9 seats, air-conditioner, wifi…), there are also variety of options for you to choose. Of course, the price could be double or triple comparing with a budget bus.
How to go from Hanoi to Halong Bay by bus?
If tourists prefer to book a vehicle by themselves, do not hesitate to go to big terminals in Hanoi such as My Dinh Bus Station, Gia Lam Terminal, or Luong Yen Terminal to catch a coach ( locla bus) departing from Hanoi to Halong Bay. The price for one way ticket is around 100,000 – 200,000 VND (US$5 – 10). Normally, most of coaches will stop at a terminal near Bai Chay Bridge. From the terminal, tourists can easily catch a taxi or a motorcycle taxi to arrive at Tuan Chau Marina. To be honestly, you are discouraged to get to Halong by this way because it is a bit complicated for a foreign traveler, you may be overpriced for the ticket price or you have to face other unpredictable problems.
Local bus stations from Hanoi – Halong Bay
Local bus stations from Hanoi – Halong Bay or (Quang Ninh Province)
| Name | Route(s) | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Mỹ Đình Station | My Dinh – Cam Pha – Quang Ninh | 20 Pham Hung Street, My Dinh 2, Nam Tu Liem, Ha Noi city |
| My Dinh – Cam Pha – Bac Ninh – Hon Gai | ||
| My Dinh – Mong Duong – Cam Pha – Quang Ninh | ||
| My Dinh – Bai Chay | ||
| My Dinh – Cam Pha – Bai Chay | ||
| My Dinh – Mong Cai | ||
| Nước Ngầm Station | Nuoc Ngam – Cam Pha – Quang Ninh | No 1, Ngoc Hoi Road, Hoang Liet Ward, Hoang Mai Dist |
| For booking: 0243.861 8264 Hotline: 0243.861 8264 | ||
| Giáp Bát Station | Giap Bat – Cua Ong | 6, Giai Phong Str, Hoang Liet Ward, Hoang Mai Dist, Hanoi |
| Yên Nghĩa Station | Yen Nghia – Cam Pha – Cua Ong | Highway 6, Yen Nghia Ward, Ha Dong Dist, Hanoi |
| Gia Lâm Station | Gia Lam – Mong Cai | No.9, Ngo Gia Kham Str, Long Bien Dist, Hanoi |
| Gia Lam – Tien Yen | ||
| Gia Lam – Bai Chay | ||
| Gia Lam – Cam Pha |
Halong bay from Hanoi by local bus: Pros & Cons
Pros:
Cheap and Yes, this option is really cheap and quite easy to find coach providers but it has many disadvantages.
Cons:
Language Barrier, Time Consuming, Not Flexible, Not Really Uncomfortable
The staffs at coach station don’t speak English, so prepare yourself with body language and some simple Vietnamese phrases, or else you may miss your stop. Coach stations are not located near the Old Quarter or West Lake where many visitors live so you need to catch a taxi, city bus, xe om, or Grab (like Uber) to the station. Coaches often depart early so if you sleep in, you have to wait for the next coach in a very crowded and noisy coach station.
The traveling time is long, up to 3.5 hours. And the bus will go around to fill up customers along the road. However, if you still want to go with this option, do your research or maybe go with premium coach providers.
Hanoi to Halong Bay by seaplane
In 2014, a new type of tourism in Halong Bay – Vietnam Seaplane Tour – was officially launched by Hai Au Aviation. With this package, travelers will be transferred between Hanoi and Ha Long Bay by Hai Au seaplane (45 minutes for each route). It will be your once in a life time experience as you have a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a scenic tour to admire panoramic view of Halong Bay from a height in Hai Au seaplane. The scenic tour will last during 15 minutes. This is undeniably the most wonderful option for travelers who have a generous budget.
To book seaplane, you can contact directly with the company that operates the seaplane Hai Au Aviation
Hanoi to Halong Bay by train
There is a only one train that go directly from Hanoi to Halong Bay with the ticket fare about $4.5/person. The train departs from Yen Vien Station in Hanoi go to Halong City Station at 4.55 am & returns at 13:50 pm every day.
For those who only have a day to visit Halong, the long traveling time of 6 hours by train is definitely not a good choice.
From the Halong station, you will need to catch a taxi to get to the city center so that will add to the cost. On the other hand, if you do not mind the long traveling hours and love the sound of the train whistle, this safe means of transport can offer you a lovely view of scenery along the way.
How To Book train tick to Halong Bay from Hanoi
Go to the home page of Vietnam Railway at https://dsvn.vn/ and choose the language at the top right of the page. After that, enter the following information:
– From: For departure point, type Yen Vien and select the Vietnamese name Yên Viên that appear on the list (if you do not see the word Yên Viên on the list, an error that happens from time to time, just enter and the system will automatically correct this mistake).
– To: Type the destination as Ha Long and select the Vietnamese name Hạ Long
– Other information: departure and return date, your choice of one-way or two-way trip.
After you see this screen, click on ‘Buy ticket” to proceed to the next page of booking information (including payment details)
Once you confirm your ticket ordering information, you will get the order number and the amount of money you have to pay.
Collect your ticket when you arrive at the train station counter.
Train tick to Halong Bay from Hanoi confirmation
How to get to Halong Bay from Hai Phong
Hai Phong is only around 75 kilometers away from Halong Bay, so in comparison with Hanoi, it is faster to travel from Hai Phong to the Bay. It used to take travelers about roughly 2 – 2.5 hours to move from Hai Phong to Halong Bay by road.
Update October 2018: the new highway from Dinh Vu Port to Halong has been completed. Travel time from Hai Phong / Hai Phong Airport to Tuan Chau Pier is now approximately 45 minutes. Toll fee: $1.5-3 depending on vehicles.
Hai Phong to Halong Bay by local bus
Currently, Lac Long Terminal, which is located in No.22, Cu Chinh Lan Street, Hong Bang District, Hai Phong City, has been operated a few of routes connecting Hai Phong to Quang). Please see the following table for your reference:
(Please be noted that the price in the tables are for your reference only, it can changed anytime by service’s providers)
| Route | Operating time | Price (VND) |
| Hai Phong – Bai Chay | 6.00am – 6.00pm | 80,000 |
| Hai Phong – Cua Ong | 4.00am – 8.00pm | 100,000 |
| Hai Phong – Cai Rong | 4.00am – 8.00pm | 80,000 |
| Hai Phong – Cam Pha | 4.00am – 8.00pm | 80,000 |
| Hai Phong – Hon Gai | 4.00am – 8.00pm | 80,000 |
| Hai Phong – Mong Cai | 4.00am – 8.00pm | 100,000 |
For your convenience, you can also catch a taxi from Hai Phong to Halong Bay. The price is around 800, 000 VND (about US$40). You should negotiate with a taxi driver in advance before getting on the taxi.
Hai Phong to Halong Bay by ferry
In addition to taxi and bus, ferry is another good option to travel from Hai Phong to Halong Bay. To travel by ferry, tourists have to go to Ben Binh Terminal. These ferries will transfer tourists from Ben Binh Terminal to Cai Vieng or Cat Ba. Please look at the following table for price information:
(Please be noted that the price in the tables are for your reference only, it can changed anytime by service’s providers)
How to get to Halong Bay from Hai Phong Airport
From Hai Phong airport to Halong Bay by meter taxi
The Cat Bi International Airport in Hai Phong is around two and a half hours away from Ha Long city by road. The metered taxi fare is approximately 550,000 VND but you should be able to negotiate for a price under 600,000 VND. This is the most expensive way to get to Ha Long compared to the options above.
From Hai Phong airport to Halong Bay by local bus
There are only two bus stations in Hai Phong that will directly take you to Ha Long: Lac Long and Ben Binh. Lac Long is cheaper because it’s a local bus station, which could be a bit inconvenient. Ben Binh is the tourist bus station next to the ferry dock with more modern and comfortable buses. These stations are a five-minute walk from each other.
A local bus from Hai Phong to Ha Long at Lac Long bus station is about 70,000 VND and it will drop you off two kilometers away from the tourist area.
How much does Cat Ba Horizontal Ferry costs?
| Time | Route | Price (VND) |
| From Monday to Thursday | Ben Binh – Cai Vieng | 130,000 |
| Ben Binh – Cat Ba | 150,000 | |
| From Friday to Sunday | Ben Binh – Cai Vieng | 150,000 |
| Ben Binh – Cat Ba | 170,000 |
Departure time from Ben Binh & Cat Ba: 7.00, 8.00, 10.00, 13.00, 15.00, 16.00
Departure time from Cai Vieng: 7.45, 8.45, 10.45, 13.45, 15.45, 16.45
How to get to Halong Bay from Cat Ba Island
The most popular way to get to Halong Bay from Cat Ba Island is by taking a ferry from Gia Luan Station to with ticket price of VND 80,000/person ($4USD).
There are 5 departure times everyday at 9:00, 11:30, 13:00, 15:00, 16:00
Choosing the best transport means from Hanoi to Halong is not easy as there are many factors to consider like the weather, budget, and travel time. All means of transport described above have pros and cons so please consider them carefully before making your decision.
How to get to Halong Bay from Ninh Binh
| SCHEDULE | PICK UP TIME | ARRIVAL TIME | PRICE |
| NINH BINH | 6.30 | 11.30 | 15USD |
| 5.15 | 9.30 | 15 USD | |
| INFORMATION | – Pick up: from Ninh Binh center – Drop off: Halong city – Duration: 4.5 hours. – Bus type: Seating bus |
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Shuttle bus to Halong Bay from Ninh Binh early morning (Option 1)
How to get to Ninh Binh from Halong Bay
| SCHEDULE | PICK UP TIME | ARRIVAL TIME | PRICE |
| TUAN CHAU WHARF TO NINH BINH | 12.30 | 17.00 | 15 USD |
| HON GAI WHARF TO NINH BINH | 12.00 | 17.00 | 19 USD |
| INFORMATION | – Pick up: from Tuan Chau Mariana wharf – Drop off: Ninh Binh center – Duration: 4.5 hours. – Bus type: Seating bus |
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How to get to Halong Bay from Hanoi Airport
How to get to Halong bay from Hanoi airport ?
There are multiple choices that can be suite any budget and traveling purpose. The best way to get to Halong Bay from Hanoi Airport(it is about 40 kms outside Hanoi). From the Noi Bai International airport you need to transfer to Halong City first. There are a number of ways you can do this. The best way is hiring a car, mini van or bus, with a driver, this is a relatively inexpensive option and the driver will be able to pick you up directly at the airport.
We recommend you to book your transfer from Noi Bai Airport with Cozy Vietnam Travel. We offer competitive rates at excellent quality and with high safety standards.
Hanoi airport to Halong bay by private car
Travelling by private car considers the best choice as its flexibility, safety, quality and valuable rates. It also seem be uniquely way to reach Ha Long bay from Noi Bai airport despite the taxi collection as it is indeed unsafe enough because of old age, careless drivers and non-competitive price.
Almost the same taxi cost, you have your own quality car, be greeted by friendly & helpful driver, 24 hours English Speaking assistance and useful consultancy… This means of transfer is really worth for your expense.
Hanoi airport to Halong bay by shuttle bus from Hanoi
The most safest, fastest and cheapest way,if you don’t mind to share the bus with other guests, recommended!
This type of transfer is available for departing from Hanoi center only. The shuttle bus can be understood as “tourist bus”, leaving Hanoi around 08:00 and return at 12:00 from Ha Long bay everyday. If your hotel located in Hanoi Old Quarter, you will be picking up from the hotel; otherwise, you have to take a taxi to meeting point. There are maximum 14 people on shuttle bus – the Ford Transit minivan.
Hanoi airport to Halong bay with Cozy Bay Cruise shuttle bus
Meeting point in Hanoi: In front of Opera House, N0 1 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi
Ending point in Ha Long Bay: Tuan Chau Harbor
Cozy Bay Cruise shuttle bus pick up from your hotel in hanoi Old Quarter!
Cost: 12US$/person/way.
>>>>>>> Book shuttle bus to Halong Bay from Hanoi
Hanoi airport to Halong bay through Hanoi
It is normally using by local people, departing from fix stations, which located outside Hanoi center. Traveling by public bus, you need to take taxi to the stations and buy the ticket. The buses depart hourly and arrival Ha Long station after more than 4 hours driving.
Departing from Hanoi: Gia Lam or Luong Yen Stations
Arrival in Ha Long Bay: Ha Long Bus Station.
Cost: 100.000VND (5US$) per person/per way – Cozy Vietnam Travel doesn’t recommend this way, it event costs more than the shuttle bus above and and takes so long, waste your time.
Notes: Some years ago, there was a tourist express train from Hanoi to Ha Long bay at rate 10US$/person/way. However, it was closed as ineffectiveness.
Hanoi to Halong bay flight
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>> Read more about the destinations near by Halong Bay which you should not miss:
Best things to do in Ninh Binh, Vietnam | Trang An Boat Tour | Mua Caves Tour | Halong Bay Overnight Cruise
>>> Read more about daily tours departure from Hanoi every day which you should not miss:
Sapa Daily Tours | Ninh Binh Daily Tours | Mai Chau Daily Tours | Ha Giang Daily Tours | Pu Luong Daily Tours | Halong Bay Daily Tours
