How do I get from Hanoi airport to the Old Quarter?
Bus 86 is cheapest at 45,000 VND — runs every 20–30 min from T1 and T2 to Long Biên, 45–60 minutes. Grab runs 200,000–280,000 VND door-to-door. Official taxis (Noi Bai Taxi, Mai Linh) are metered: 280,000–380,000 VND. Avoid fixed-price offers inside the arrivals hall.
Nội Bài International Airport sits 45 kilometres north of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. There’s no metro or rail link as of 2026. Your options are public bus, rideshare app, or official taxi — each with a different tradeoff between price, convenience, and time.
Bus 86 — the cheapest option that actually works
Bus 86 is the airport bus. It runs from Terminal 1 (domestic) and Terminal 2 (international) to Long Biên bus station in the eastern edge of the Old Quarter. The ride costs 45,000 VND (pay the conductor onboard, exact change appreciated).
Departures run every 20–30 minutes from around 5am to 11pm. In normal traffic, the journey takes 45–60 minutes. During rush hour — 7–9am or 5–7pm — budget 80–90 minutes.
Long Biên bus station is 1.5km from Hoàn Kiếm Lake. From there, most hotels are reachable by foot through the Old Quarter streets, or a short Grab car for 20,000–30,000 VND.
Luggage note: the bus has limited storage. Large suitcases fit in the aisle or overhead but make the bus uncomfortable. If you’re travelling with more than a carry-on, Grab is easier.
Bus stop locations: at T1, exit and turn left — the stop is marked with a blue “86” sign. At T2, exit the arrivals hall and follow the signs to the left side of the drop-off zone.
Grab — the convenient middle ground
Open the Grab app, set your destination, and you’ll be quoted a fixed price before you get in the car. Typical prices to the Old Quarter: 200,000–280,000 VND for a standard Grab Car. GrabBike (motorbike) runs cheaper at 100,000–130,000 VND but you’re on a highway and at night it’s not ideal.
Prices surge during rain and peak hours. During Tết or public holidays, surge pricing can push the fare to 350,000–400,000 VND. Check the app before assuming.
To book Grab at the airport: exit arrivals, walk to the designated rideshare pickup area (signposted at both terminals), and wait for your driver there. Don’t book from inside the terminal — it creates confusion for drivers and security sometimes clears the pickup zone.
No Uber operates in Vietnam. Grab is the only major rideshare platform.
Official taxis — metered, reliable
Three airport taxi fleets are trustworthy at Nội Bài:
- Noi Bai Taxi — white vehicles, metered
- Vietnam Airlines Taxi — dark green, metered
- Mai Linh — green with logo, metered
The metered fare to the Old Quarter runs 280,000–380,000 VND depending on traffic and exact destination. Taxis are slightly more expensive than Grab for the same route, but the car size is consistent and drivers usually accept luggage without complaint.
The official taxi rank is outside the arrivals exit on the ground floor. Do not follow anyone who approaches you inside the terminal offering “taxi” or “private car” — these are unlicensed operators who charge 2–3x meter rates, sometimes more.
What to avoid
Inside the arrivals hall at T2, men will approach you offering “taxi” or “transfer” with a fixed price written on a piece of paper or phone screen. The numbers look reasonable — 300,000 or 350,000 VND — but you won’t know the catch until you’re in the car and they start discussing “surcharges” for luggage or highway tolls. The reliable option is always the metered taxi rank outside the door, or the Grab pickup zone.
Getting settled in Hanoi
Once you’re in the city, the Old Quarter is the usual base for a first visit. If you’re weighing whether to stay in the Old Quarter, that page covers the neighbourhood tradeoffs in detail. For safety questions — especially about taxi scams beyond the airport — our guide for solo female travelers covers the main risks and how to handle them.