Most people reach Ha Long Bay on their cruise company's shuttle or a limousine van from Hanoi's Old Quarter. Both take about 2 to 3 hours on the expressway and drop you at Tuan Chau International Port, the Ha Long international cruise port or your hotel. Public buses are cheaper but slower and start from bus stations outside the center. A private car saves little time but goes door to door. The seaplane is no longer an option, and Lan Ha Bay trips via Cat Ba need their own plan, covered below.
How we built this guide: we checked van, bus, car and ferry listings on 12Go for 14 October 2026, a cruise operator's own transport page (Paradise Vietnam), Vietnam Railways' official timetable, and news reports on the seaplane service, all on 2 October 2026. We did not ride these services for this guide. Prices are in Vietnamese dong (VND) with US dollar estimates at Vietcombank's selling rate of 26,170 VND per dollar on 2 October 2026. Where a site showed dollars, the VND figure is our conversion.
Which way from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay suits you?
If you have booked a cruise, use its shuttle or a van that drops at the same pier; otherwise pick by budget and group size. Our Ha Long Bay guide covers choosing a cruise and when to go.
| Mode | Time, Hanoi to Ha Long | Price seen on 2 Oct 2026 | Comfort and safety | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cruise shuttle or limousine | 2 to 2.5 hours (operator's figure) | From 550,000 VND (about $21) one way on Paradise Vietnam's own van | Hotel or Old Quarter pickup, drops at the pier | Cruise passengers |
| Limousine van, independent | About 2.5 to 3 hours | From about $15 (about 393,000 VND) on 12Go | Reclining seats, set stops at ports and hotels | Hotel stays in Ha Long, flexible times |
| Public bus | About 3.5 to 4 hours | 150,000 to 250,000 VND (about $6 to $10) per Paradise Vietnam; buses from $9 on 12Go | Coaches from My Dinh or Gia Lam bus stations, then a taxi to the pier | Tight budgets |
| Private car | About 2.5 to 3 hours | 2 to 3 million VND per car (about $76 to $115) per Paradise Vietnam; from $46 on 12Go | Door to door, any time | Families, early or late cruises |
| Bus and ferry to Cat Ba (for Lan Ha Bay) | About 3 hours | From about $10 to $11 on 12Go | Bus, then ferry or speedboat | Lan Ha Bay cruises and Cat Ba stays |
How long does each option really take?
Count on 2 to 3 hours by road from the Old Quarter, and up to 4 hours on a public bus.
Cruise shuttle and limousine van: 2 to 3 hours
Paradise Vietnam's own page puts its limousine van at around 2 to 2.5 hours via the expressway, from 550,000 VND one way or 900,000 VND return, with pickup in Hoan Kiem district. Independent vans on 12Go started at about $15 and were timed at about 3 hours. For 14 October 2026 the site listed more than 390 van departures, many from the Old Quarter, 204 Tran Quang Khai or AEON Long Bien, run by companies such as DK Limousine, Ha Lan Limousine and Halong Travel Limousine. A van from Noi Bai airport at 04:45 was timed at 3.5 hours.
Public bus: 3.5 to 4 hours
Paradise Vietnam lists public buses from My Dinh and Gia Lam bus stations at about 3.5 to 4 hours and 150,000 to 250,000 VND. That is the cheapest fare, but you pay for a taxi to the bus station and from the bus station in Ha Long to your pier.
Private car: 2.5 to 3 hours
Paradise Vietnam quotes about 2.5 to 3 hours and 2 to 3 million VND per car one way. On 12Go, private transfers started at $46, a 4-seat minivan from Hanoi was $92 for about 2.5 hours, and a 3-seat car from 204 Tran Quang Khai to Tuan Chau International Port was $72 for 2 hours 40 minutes.
Is the seaplane still running?
No. Dan Tri International reported on 6 March 2026 that Hai Au Aviation would end its Ha Long Bay seaplane service on 1 April 2026, citing a change in business direction. Some cruise and booking pages still describe the seaplane, including Paradise Vietnam's transport page when we checked, so ask for written confirmation before paying for one.
What about trains?
Not for Ha Long itself. Vietnam Railways' timetable showed no train from Hanoi to Ha Long station on Friday 16 October 2026. The rail option that does work is Hanoi to Hai Phong, for Cat Ba and Lan Ha Bay, below.
How do you get to Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba instead?
If your Lan Ha Bay boat leaves from Cat Ba Island, get there on a through bus-and-ferry ticket or by train to Hai Phong and a boat from there. Check your boat's departure pier before you book any transfer.
- Through ticket from Hanoi: 12Go listed 330 options for 14 October 2026, including bus-and-ferry combinations from 128 Tran Nhat Duat in the Old Quarter that reach Cat Ba in about 3 hours from $11. Some arrive at the Cai Beo ferry terminal.
- Train to Hai Phong: Vietnam Railways' timetable for 14 October 2026 lists HP1 at 06:00 arriving 08:25, LP3 at 09:25 arriving 12:00, LP5 at 15:15 and LP7 at 18:10, a 102 km trip of 2 hours 25 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes. The LP trains also call at Long Bien station. On LP3 a soft seat cost 124,000 to 154,000 VND (about $5 to $6).
- Hai Phong to Cat Ba: 12Go listed bus-and-ferry or bus-and-speedboat connections of about 1.5 to 2.5 hours, from $11 to $35 (about 288,000 to 916,000 VND).
Tip: If your cruise company sells a combined bus and boat transfer to its own pier, consider it. One traveler review on 12Go described a Hai Phong connection where neither the passengers nor the driver knew which ferry to take.
Where do shuttles and vans drop you?
Drop-off depends on the operator, so match the van to your pier. 12Go's arrival points for Hanoi vans included Tuan Chau International Port, the Ha Long international cruise port, the Quang Ninh Museum area and hotels in the city. If you are staying in Ha Long before a cruise, ask the van company to drop at your hotel, and arrange the pier transfer the next morning.
Tips for luggage and timing
Pack light if you are spending a night on a boat.
- Ask your cruise company whether you can leave a large bag at its office or in Hanoi.
- Shuttles are timed to your boat's boarding, so be in your hotel lobby before the pickup time.
- Book the return van when you book the outbound trip, timed for after your boat is due back.
Going the other way: Ha Long Bay to Hanoi
The same kinds of vans, buses and cars run back to Hanoi in about 2 to 3 hours. Some cruise lines sell the return with the outbound trip, such as Paradise Vietnam's round-trip van at 900,000 VND. If you are flying out the same day, leave a generous gap before your flight. For more trips from the capital, see our routes from Hanoi, the Hanoi to Ninh Binh route, and the wider guide to getting around Vietnam.
Key facts at a glance
- Cruise operator's limousine van: about 2 to 2.5 hours, from 550,000 VND one way, per Paradise Vietnam.
- Public buses from My Dinh and Gia Lam bus stations: about 3.5 to 4 hours, 150,000 to 250,000 VND, per Paradise Vietnam.
- Hanoi to Ha Long on 12Go for 14 October 2026: buses from $9, vans from about $15, private cars from $46, per 12Go.
- Seaplane service by Hai Au Aviation ended on 1 April 2026, per Dan Tri International.
- Hanoi to Hai Phong by train: 2 hours 25 minutes on HP1, soft seats from 124,000 VND on LP3, per Vietnam Railways.
Limitations
These are listings seen on 2 October 2026, mostly for 14 October, and prices change by date, vehicle and season. A cruise operator's transport page reflects that company's own service, which may not match what another cruise includes. Paradise Vietnam's page and the March 2026 news report also disagree on the seaplane; we follow the news report and treat the service as ended.
Weather is the biggest risk on this route. Vietnam's tourism authority describes June to August in Ha Long as stormy and notes that tropical storms can sometimes cause cruise cancellations (Vietnam National Authority of Tourism). Around Tet, transport is at its busiest: Vietnam Railways' Tet 2027 travel period runs from 23 January to 25 February 2027, per Bao Lao Cai, so book vans and cruises for those weeks early. Before you go, confirm your pier, your pickup time and your cruise's weather policy.
