Hanoi Airport Guide - All You Need To Know
This Guide to Hanoi Airport covers all you need to know when traveling to this incredible city. The Guide includes FAQ, getting to and from Hanoi airport, the facilities, lounges, sleeping at the airport, nearby hotels and more.
This guide is quite long so if you have a specific query you can use the contents box to jump to the relevant section.
Content
Getting to and from the Hanoi Airport
FAQ about Hanoi Airport
What is Hanoi airport called?
Hanoi Airport is called Noi Bai International Airport, which serves the capital city, Hanoi and is the largest airport in northern Vietnam. The Hanoi Airport ICAO Code is HAN. The airport welcomes over 15 million passengers each year.
Hanoi Airport address?
Phú Minh, Sóc Sơn, Hà Nội, Vietnam
What is the distance from Hanoi Airport to the city center?
Hanoi Airport is situated 28km from the city center in the Soc Son district. The journey from Hanoi Airport to the city center should take around 30-60 minutes by car. The journey by bus will take around 1 - 1.5 hours to reach the city center/old quarter.
What are Hanoi airport opening hours?
Hanoi Airport (Noi Bai International Airport) is open 24 hours a day and does not close.
How much cash can I bring into Vietnam?
You can bring up to a maximum of 5,000 USD (or the same value of other foreign currency) or 5 million VND into Vietnam without having to declare the cash to the immigration or customs office. If you are carrying more than these amounts then you need to declare the cash to customs.
What do I need to declare at Vietnam Customs?
Every passenger that arrives in Vietnam will have to complete a Customs Declaration if you have items to declare. You are permitted to import the following duty-free:
- A maximum of 200 cigarettes, 20 cigars or 250g. of tobacco;
- A maximum of 1.5 litres of alcohol strength over 22%, 2 litres of fortified wines or liqueurs or up to 3 litres of any other alcohol such as beer;
- Up to 5 kg of tea and up to 3 kg coffee; and
- Other goods for personal use with a total value of not more than 10 million VND
If you are importing more than those listed above, you need to ensure to declare these at customs.
How to get visa on arrival at Hanoi Airport:
In the immigration hall, join the line for ‘Vietnam visa on arrival’ desk.
Hand over your passport, two passport photographs, the Vietnam Visa Approval Letter and the completed entry-exit form. The officer will then review the documentation, while you wait.
Once your visa is ready, the officer will call your name and hold up one of your passport photographs.
Pay the visa fee - please note that this has to be by cash and they will only accept VND or USD.
You will then be passed a receipt for the fee and your passport with the visa. You now need to check the Visa carefully to ensure that the information is correct.
Once you are happy that your Visa is correct, then head to immigration control and then on to baggage claims and then finally customs.
The process of getting a visa on arrivals takes around 15 - 30 minutes but can take longer.
What is the fast track service at Hanoi Airport?
The fast track service means you don’t have to stand in line at the Visa desk. You will be greeted by a representative, who will meet you at the Landing Visa Counter and assist you with the necessary paperwork and help you obtain your visa.
The fast track service is helpful for first-time visitors to Vietnam, if you are traveling with a baby or large group, are disabled or in a rush. The fast track service costs 15-20 USD.
Getting to and from the Hanoi Airport
How to get from Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter?
Shuttle bus
Public bus
Private Transfers with Klook or Viator
Taxi or Grab
Your budget, travel style and time restrictions will impact on what mode of transport you choose to get from Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter. Whichever option you choose, the journey should be no longer than 90 minutes.
Bus from Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter
Getting the bus from Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter is cheap and easy. If you take a shuttle bus from Hanoi airport then the journey may take around 40-60 minutes and a public bus will take around 60-90 but both obviously depend on traffic.
Shuttle Bus from Hanoi Airport
There are various airlines that offer shuttle buses from Hanoi Airport, such as Jetstar, Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air. The shuttle buses leave from Terminal 1 & 2. The costs of a shuttle bus to the Old Quarter costs around 30 VND. The shuttle bus will drop you off in the center of the old Quarter and you will then have to make your way to your hotel. If your hotel is in the Old Quarter then you should be able to walk to it but if your hotel is too far to walk from the drop off point you won’t have a problem finding a taxi.
Public Bus from Hanoi Airport
The cheapest way to get from Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter is by public bus, but this option also takes the longest.
Hanoi Airport Express Bus 86 - This bus travels directly to the Old Quarter and terminates at the Hanoi Central Railway Station. The express bus 86 costs 30 VND and takes 50-60 minutes to the Old Quarter. This is the recommended bus if you want to take public transport.
Number 7 Bus - You can catch the Number 7 bus to Kim Ba Bus Station and then get a grab or uber to the Old Quarter. This would be a good option if you were staying on the Western side of Hanoi.
Number 17 Bus - The number 17 bus goes from the airport to the Long Bien Bus Station and then get a grab or uber to the hotel. If your hotel is on the Northeast side of Hanoi, then catching the Number 17 bus may work well for you.
Hanoi Airport Private Transfers & pick up service with Klook or Viator
If you prefer comfort and want the quickest option to the Old Quarter then a private transfer/pick up service from Hanoi airport will be your best option. The best thing about a private transfer is that you will be picked up with your bags and dropped off at your hotel door.
Private transfers are a good option if you are traveling in a large group. You can choose from a car or minivan depending on how many are traveling in your group.
We would recommend looking at Klook or Viator, who both offer private transports with meet and greet at the airport. The price varies on the size of the group etc, but you can check up to date costs here.
Grab or Taxi from Hanoi Airport
You can get a grab or uber from the airport which will be slightly cheaper than a normal taxi. You could expect to pay 250K-300k VND to get to the Old Quarter from the Hanoi Airport using a grab. If you want to get a normal taxi then there are various taxi companies who will be lined up outside and they will charge around 330k VND for a 4 seater taxi.
Hanoi Airport to JW Marriott?
JW Marriott Hotel in Hanoi is very popular but is not located in the Old Quarter and so we quite often get questions about traveling from Hanoi Airport to JW Marriott. Here are the three options you have to get to JW Marriott:
Catch the No.7 bus from Hanoi airport to Kim Ma Bus Station and then get a taxi (grab or uber) to JW Marriott.
Get a grab or uber straight from the airport to JW Marriott.
Get a private transfer with Klook or Viator.
Facilities
Hanoi Airport Food & Restaurants
There is a food court at Terminal 2 which has the following restaurants and cafes:
Hải Cảng Restaurant
Confetti Restaurant
Star Cafe
Burger King
Popeyes
Bigbowl
At Terminal 1 there is the following food choices:
Skyboss Cafe & Fastfood
Lucky Cafe
If you want to have some food before you enter the airport, then Green Restaurant which is opposite Hanoi Airport (and based in the Green Hotel) has a varied menu and is reasonably priced.
Is there an ATM or currency Exchange at Hanoi Airport?
There are various ATMs and currency exchange counters at the Hanoi airport but it will be more expensive to take out large sums of money. I would recommend that you take out what you need to get the transfer to Hanoi and then exchange your currency in the city/old quarter.
We have a guide with all you need to know about exchanging money in Hanoi which you can read here.
Is there a Western Union at Hanoi Airport?
No, unfortunately there is not a Western Union at Hanoi Airport but there is in the city. Using Western Union can be a bit more expensive but is secure if you are dealing with large amounts of money. You can see where the Western Union are based here.
Hanoi Airport Sim Cards
It's not hard to get hold of a sim card at Hanoi Airport. The largest phone providers in Vietnam are Viettel, Mobifone and Vinaphone and all three have counters in the arrivals area in Terminal 2. Just be warned that the price of buying a sim card at the airport is nearly double the price of buying a sim card in the city. You will need to pay with cash as they will only accept Vietnamese bank cards but they ATMs are close by.
Is there free wifi at Hanoi Airport?
Yes, there is free Wifi at Hanoi Airport. Search for networks and “Noi Bai Airport Free Wi-Fi”. After clicking on the network, you have to fill in your details and then you will be connected. The great thing about the free wifi at Hanoi Airport is that it does not have a time limit.
You can access the free Wifi through the airport, including the domestic or international terminal.