Hanoi to Halong Bay
A private car from Hanoi to Halong Bay covers about 160 km in about 2.5 to 3 hours on the expressway. It goes door to door, from your Hanoi hotel to your hotel or cruise port in Halong Bay or on Tuan Chau Island. Prices start at 1,500,000 VND (about 58 USD) for the whole car.
Quick facts
| Distance | ~160 km |
|---|---|
| Drive time | ~2.5–3 h |
| Price | From 1,500,000 VND (about 58 USD) for the whole car |
| Pickup | Your hotel door, or any address you send us |
| Included | Car, driver, fuel and tolls. VAT included |
| Booking | One way, whole car. Same price for the way back, or 30% off if you return the same day |
| Cars | 5 to 29 seats |
Choose your car
Included with every car
- Free drinking waterBottled water in the car for the whole trip
- Free change of carA similar car keeps the same price. If you choose a different class, you pay the price of that class
About this route
Built around your cruise: tell us the port and check-in time on your ticket, and we work out when to leave Hanoi. One car for your group and your bags, with tolls included.
Timing your morning drive
- Allow 2.5 to 3 hours on the road, plus a rest stop. Much depends on how fast you get out of Hanoi.
- For a 12:00 cruise check-in, leave the hotel by about 8:30. Rush hour in Hanoi is the part that is hard to predict.
- We always take the expressway.
- Booked a Lan Ha Bay cruise? Many of them pick up at Tuan Chau pier too. Tell us the pier on your ticket and we drive you right to it.
Seeing Halong Bay
- Halong Bay (Ha Long Bay) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its limestone islands. Most visitors see it by boat.
- A day cruise means a long day from Hanoi. An overnight cruise gives you more time on the water. Book the cruise before the car, so you know the port and check-in time.
- Storms in the summer months can change cruise schedules. Check with your cruise company before you leave Hanoi.
- Cruises leave from different ports, so check your ticket for Tuan Chau Marina or the international port in Bai Chay.
Cruise shuttle, limousine bus or private car?
| Cruise shuttle | Many cruises offer a shuttle from the Old Quarter, sometimes at extra cost. It collects guests from several hotels and runs on the cruise's schedule. |
|---|---|
| Limousine bus | Shared limousine vans run between Hanoi and Halong Bay through the day. They suit one or two travellers, with fixed departure times and pickup points. |
| Private car | Leaves your hotel at the time you choose, goes straight to your pier and can stop on the way. One price for the whole car, which works well for families and groups. |
One or two travellers with a shuttle in the cruise package? The shuttle is the easy choice. A private car suits groups, children, extra bags, or a plan that adds Ninh Binh or the airport.
What’s included
- Private car and driver, door to door.
- Tolls included in the fixed price.
- Driver name, phone and vehicle plate sent before pickup.
- VAT included: 8% for trips to 31 December 2026, 10% from 1 January 2027. Invoice on request.
Not included: hotels, entrance tickets and your meals.
Good to know
- Prices and payment are in Vietnamese dong (VND). We explain how to pay once your booking is confirmed.
- One fixed price for the whole car. Tolls are included.
- Stops under 30 minutes are free. A stop of 30–60 minutes costs 50,000 VND, then 50,000 VND for each further 30 minutes.
Read our full prices and policies or see how booking works.
Frequently asked questions
It can be, but it is a long day: about 2.5 to 3 hours each way, plus the cruise. If you come back the same day, the way back is 30% off. An overnight cruise gives you more time on the water.
With us it starts at 1,500,000 VND (about 58 USD) for the whole car, tolls included, fixed before you go. Larger cars cost more, and each car's price is shown on this page.
Yes, tell us the port and the time your boat returns. The way back costs the same as the way there.
Yes. Send us your hotel or cruise port and we plan the drop-off.
Yes. Halong Bay to Noi Bai Airport has its own fixed price, the same in both directions. Tell us your flight time and we tell you when to leave.
For a family, a group or anyone with luggage, a private car door to door is the simplest: about 2.5 to 3 hours on the expressway, leaving at the time you choose, with one price for the whole car. Book your cruise first, so you know the port and check-in time.
For most visitors, yes. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with some 1,600 limestone islands and islets, and it is best seen from the water. An overnight cruise gives you far more time there than a day trip.
One night on a cruise is the most common choice. A day trip is possible but long, with 2.5 to 3 hours on the road each way. Two nights give you a full day on the water without rushing.
No. The price covers the car, the driver, fuel and tolls, and tipping is not expected in Vietnam. If you want to thank your driver, that is up to you.
Yes. Tết, the Lunar New Year, falls on 6 February 2027. Roads out of Hanoi are busiest in the days just before and after the holiday. Book as early as you can.
Yes, by boat. If your boat to Lan Ha Bay leaves from Hai Phong, we drive you from Hanoi to the pier there, from 1,200,000 VND (about 46 USD) for the whole car. Many Lan Ha Bay cruises pick up at Tuan Chau pier in Halong Bay instead, and that drive is this route, from 1,500,000 VND (about 58 USD). For a Hai Phong pier, type the pier name from your ticket as the drop-off address. For Cat Ba Island itself, see our Hanoi to Cat Ba Island route: hotel to hotel with the car ferry, from 2,000,000 VND (about 77 USD) for the whole car, ferry tickets not included.
Yes. Shared limousine buses run through the day, and many cruises offer their own shuttle from the Old Quarter. Both run on fixed times. A private car leaves when you choose and takes you straight to your pier.
Related routes
- Need a car back to Hanoi after the cruise?Halong Bay to Hanoi
- Flying in? Go straight from the airportNoi Bai Airport to Halong Bay
- Adding the inland karst to your trip?Hanoi to Ninh Binh
- Flying out from Hanoi at the end?Hanoi to Noi Bai Airport
Written by Alotrips, with AI assistant Huyen My. Reviewed by Pham Ngoc Chien, Director, on 9 November 2026.
Updated 9 November 2026. Distances and times are estimates and depend on traffic. Check opening hours and rules with each site before you travel. Sources: UNESCO: Ha Long Bay · UNESCO: World Heritage sites in Viet Nam.