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HAN

Noi Bai International Airport

Hanoi, Vietnam

Where to start
Grab / Be / Xanh SM

Noi Bai is ~27-30 km north of Hanoi's Old Quarter, with Terminal 1 (domestic) and Terminal 2 (international) linked by a free shuttle. There's no Uber in Vietnam - use Grab, Be, or Xanh SM (VinFast's electric fleet), booking on the free airport Wi-Fi and meeting your car at the app-pickup zones (follow the green floor stickers; for Grab, go past Pillar 14). For a cab, use a trusted metered brand (Mai Linh, Vinasun, G7, Taxi Group, Xanh SM) and insist on the meter. Bus 86 is the best-value ride into the Old Quarter. Ignore anyone offering a ride inside the terminal - even holding a 'Grab' sign. Note all buses stop ~22:00-22:30.

Ride Options

Grab

rideshare

Main ride app; price shown upfront

AvailabilityWidely available
Pickup NoteBook on the free airport Wi-Fi and meet at the app pickup zone (follow the green floor stickers; for Grab, go past Pillar 14).
Convenience
Relative costMid cost
Visit Website

Be

rideshare

Local app, often a touch cheaper than Grab

AvailabilitySurges at peak
Pickup NoteBook in-app; same app pickup zones (green floor stickers).
Convenience
Relative costMid cost
Visit Website

Xanh SM

rideshare

VinFast's clean all-electric fleet

AvailabilityReliable and increasingly popular
Pickup NoteBook in-app and meet at the app pickup zone.
Convenience
Relative costMid cost
Visit Website

Metered Taxi (Trusted Brands)

taxi

Trusted metered brands only

AvailabilityMai Linh (green), Vinasun, G7 (white), Taxi Group, or Xanh SM; mostly cash
Pickup NoteFrom the official queue outside arrivals; insist on the meter or agree the price first.
Convenience
Relative costMid cost
Visit Website

Bus 86 (Tourist Express)

transit

Best public value into the Old Quarter

Availability~45-60 min; air-conditioned, Wi-Fi, luggage space; all buses stop ~22:00-22:30
Pickup NoteBoard Bus 86 outside arrivals; pay the conductor in small cash.
Convenience
Relative costLower cost
Visit Website

SIXT Ride — Pre-booked Airport Transfer

Private Transfer

Fixed-rate pre-booked door-to-door transfer

AvailabilityAvailable at Hanoi — book via SIXT app or website
Pickup NoteDriver meets you in arrivals with a name sign. Fixed price, flight tracking, up to 60 min free waiting.
Convenience
Relative costHigher cost
Book Transfer

Pickup Guidance

Rideshare

No Uber in Vietnam - use Grab, Be, or Xanh SM. Book on the free airport Wi-Fi and meet your car at the designated app pickup zones (follow the green floor stickers; for Grab, go past Pillar 14). Ignore anyone offering a ride inside the terminal, even holding a 'Grab' sign.

Taxi

Use trusted metered brands only - Mai Linh (green), Vinasun, G7 (white), Taxi Group, or Xanh SM - from the official queue outside arrivals. Insist on the meter or agree the price first; most prefer cash.

Shuttle

A free NIA shuttle runs between T1 and T2 every ~15-20 min; airline shuttle buses (Vietnam Airlines/Vietjet) run to central drop-off points.

Transit

Bus 86 (air-conditioned, Wi-Fi, luggage space) runs direct to the Old Quarter and Hanoi Railway Station (~45-60 min) - the best public value. All buses stop ~22:00-22:30.

Private Transfer

Pre-booked transfers and hotel cars meet you with a name sign - fixed price, flight-tracked; the least-stress option for late arrivals or families.

Travel Extras

Need a SIM?Need a lounge?Need a hotel?Need bag storage?

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Local Tips

  • There's no Uber in Vietnam - use Grab, Be, or Xanh SM (download on the free airport Wi-Fi before you leave the hall). They show the price upfront, so there's no haggling and no overcharge.
  • Find the app-pickup zone by the green floor stickers - the zones are poorly signed and easy to miss (for Grab, head past Pillar 14); confirm the meeting spot in the app chat if unsure.
  • Ignore anyone who approaches you inside the terminal offering a ride, even if they hold a 'Grab' sign - real app drivers stay with their car and never hold signs. Verify the plate matches your app. This is Noi Bai's number-one scam.
  • Bus 86 is the best-value ride into the Old Quarter - air-conditioned, Wi-Fi, luggage space, and it stops near Hoan Kiem Lake and the railway station. Keep small cash for the fare.
  • All buses stop around 22:00-22:30 - if you land later, your only options are a metered taxi, Grab/Be/Xanh SM, or a pre-booked transfer, so arrange one in advance for a late flight.
  • Confirm your airport before you book: Hanoi's Noi Bai (HAN) is in northern Vietnam and is NOT Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat (SGN), ~1,150 km south - they're a two-hour flight apart.

Tarmyq local tip

Skip Uber - it doesn't work in Vietnam; grab a Grab, Be, or Xanh SM instead (Xanh SM's the clean electric fleet), and use the free airport Wi-Fi to book before you head out. The pickup zones are badly signed, so follow the green floor stickers - for Grab, walk past Pillar 14. Here's the big one: at Noi Bai, ignore anyone who approaches you inside the terminal offering a ride, even if they're waving a 'Grab' sign - real app drivers never hold signs or leave their car, so just match the plate in your app. On a budget, Bus 86 is a genuinely good ride into the Old Quarter, but remember the buses stop around 10:30pm.