The simplest cheap way from Noi Bai Airport to the Hanoi Old Quarter is Bus 86, which costs about 45,000 VND (under $2) and takes roughly an hour. Grab is the next step up at 250,000 to 340,000 VND, and a metered taxi is the most expensive of the three. Here is how each one works and when it is worth paying more.
How do you get from Noi Bai Airport to the Old Quarter?
You have three realistic choices: Bus 86 for about 45,000 VND, a GrabCar for 250,000 to 340,000 VND, or a metered airport taxi for 280,000 to 380,000 VND. The airport is around 30 km from the centre, so the difference between the bus and a car is roughly the price of a good dinner for two.
I would pick by arrival time and luggage first and look at price second. A bus works well if you land in daylight with one backpack. A car is easier at midnight with two suitcases and a hotel you have never seen.
How much is Bus 86 and where does it stop?
Bus 86 costs about 45,000 VND per person in 2026, runs from the airport to the Old Quarter and ends at Hanoi Railway Station. Schedules quoted in current guides run from early morning until about 10 PM, with a bus roughly every 30 to 45 minutes.
Older blog posts still quote 35,000 VND, so the fare has moved. Pay what the conductor asks, keep the receipt, and check the current fares on the official Noi Bai Airport transport page.
Outside the terminal, look to the left of the taxi area for the bus-stop sign. The sign is black now; older guides describe it as orange. The bus is air-conditioned with free Wi-Fi, and the conductor will ask roughly where your hotel is and tell you the best stop. Travellers report that the conductor even reminds you when to get off.
The honest downside is the last stretch. The bus drops you near the Old Quarter, so expect a short walk with your bags through narrow, busy streets, and if your hotel is deep in those alleys I lean toward the car, since that walk is where the saving melts away.
Is Grab or a taxi worth the extra money?
For two or more people, or for a late arrival, Grab is usually worth it. A GrabCar to the Old Quarter typically costs 250,000 to 340,000 VND and takes 35 to 55 minutes. Official metered taxis from Noi Bai Taxi or Mai Linh are about 280,000 to 380,000 VND.
Split between two people, the car narrows the gap with the bus to a few dollars each, and you get dropped at your hotel. My advice is to book Grab inside the arrivals hall on airport Wi-Fi and follow the pickup pin, because the pickup area is not always where you walk out, and hunting for it among waiting drivers eats the time the car was meant to save.
Stay with the official metered taxis at the marked rank. A driver who approaches you inside the terminal with a flat price is the classic overcharge. For the same comparison across Hanoi, Da Nang and Saigon, see our airport transfer prices guide.
Which other buses and the minibus run from the airport?
Beyond Bus 86, public bus 17 runs to Long Bien station near the Old Quarter for about 9,000 VND, but it takes 70 to 80 minutes. Buses 7 and 109 go to Cau Giay and My Dinh stations for about 8,000 VND, which suits you only if you are staying out west. A minibus outside arrivals costs about 35,000 VND and takes 45 to 60 minutes.
For a first visit, Bus 86 is the simplest because it is the one with a clear sign, air-conditioning and a conductor who speaks to foreigners. The cheaper buses make sense if you already know the city.
What goes wrong when you arrive late?
The usual problems are no dong in your pocket, a hotel reception that is closed, and a bus that stops running before your connection lands. If your flight arrives after 10 PM, the public bus may already be gone, and you are left with a taxi at whatever price is quoted.
Plan this before you fly. Change a small amount at the airport counter, compare two counters, and save your hotel address in Vietnamese on your phone. If your next leg is a sleeper bus out of Hanoi, for example to Sapa, check our Hanoi to Sapa sleeper bus price guide so you know the pickup point before you land.
So which option should you take?
Take Bus 86 if you land in daylight with one bag: it costs about 45,000 VND and you can find the stop yourself. Take Grab or a metered taxi if you land late, travel with luggage or split the fare between two or more people.
The costly mistakes happen on a late arrival: no dong in your pocket, the last bus gone and a driver quoting his own price. If you want that settled before you fly, Message me on WhatsApp with your flight number, your hotel and how many of you are travelling, and I will tell you which option fits and book the onward bus if you need one.
FAQ
Does Bus 86 run late at night?
Guides list departures until about 10:15 PM, so a flight landing after 10 PM usually means Grab or a metered taxi. Check the last departure on the day you fly.
Which option is best with two big suitcases?
A car. It drops you at the hotel door, while the bus leaves you a walk through narrow Old Quarter streets, and the saving shrinks once you split the fare between two.
Where do I book Grab at Noi Bai?
Open the app in the arrivals hall on airport Wi-Fi, set your hotel as the destination and follow the pickup pin, which is not always at the exit you used.
Which public bus goes to Long Bien station?
Bus 17, for about 9,000 VND. It takes 70 to 80 minutes, so it suits travellers who already know the city and travel light.