Hanoi to Ninh Binh
A private car from Hanoi to Ninh Binh covers about 95 km in about 2 hours on the expressway. It goes door to door, from your Hanoi hotel to Tam Coc, Trang An or your hotel in Ninh Binh. Prices start at 1,300,000 VND (about 50 USD) for the whole car.
Quick facts
| Distance | ~95 km |
|---|---|
| Drive time | ~2 h |
| Price | From 1,300,000 VND (about 50 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
Close enough for a day out and worth a night if you have time. A private car lets you leave early and choose your own order of stops.
The drive south
- The route runs south on the Phap Van to Cau Gie expressway, then the Cau Gie to Ninh Binh expressway.
- For a day trip, leave Hanoi by about 7:30. Getting out of the city is the slow part, and you want to reach the boats before the midday heat.
- One boat trip plus one other stop fits comfortably in a day. Add a night if you want all of it.
Trang An or Tam Coc?
- Trang An: boats through limestone caves and valleys, about 2 to 3 hours, 250,000 VND for adults. The Trang An Landscape Complex has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014, listed for both nature and culture.
- Tam Coc: a river between rice fields, about 1.5 to 2 hours, 250,000 VND for adults or 350,000 VND with the electric car. Pick this one when the rice is gold.
- Both trips are long hours in a small rowing boat, so most people choose one. Bring a hat and water.
- Other stops: Hoa Lu, the 10th-century capital (20,000 VND); Van Long Nature Reserve (100,000 VND); Bai Dinh Pagoda, where a round-trip electric car costs 100,000 VND.
- Goat dishes are Ninh Binh's famous local specialty.
- Prices above are from the Ninh Binh tourism office's 2025 list. Check at the ticket desk, as they may have changed.
Train or private car to Ninh Binh?
| Train | Trains on the north to south line stop at Ninh Binh station, in the city, about 2 to 2.5 hours from Hanoi. Tam Coc, Trang An and most homestays are outside the city, so you still need a ride from the station. |
|---|---|
| Private car | From your Hanoi hotel to your door in Tam Coc or Trang An in about 2 hours. You choose the time, can stop at Hoa Lu or Bai Dinh on the way, and on a day trip the car can bring you back the same evening. |
The train is a pleasant short ride if you stay near the station. For day trips and for homestays among the rice fields, a car saves the extra transfer.
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
Yes. Leave Hanoi by about 7:30, do one boat trip and one other stop, and you are back in the evening. To add Mua Cave, Hoa Lu and Bai Dinh without rushing, stay a night.
About 95 km, about 2 hours by car on the expressway.
Yes. If you go and come back on the same day, the way back is 30% off. Tell us your plan when you book.
No. The price covers the car and driver. You pay for tickets and boats yourself at each site.
No. Your driver gets you there safely and waits as agreed. For a guide, ask at the site or at your hotel.
A private car is the most flexible way: about 2 hours from your hotel door, an early start before the boats get busy, and your own order of stops. If you return the same day, the way back costs less.
They are different rather than better. In Ninh Binh you are rowed along rivers between limestone hills and rice fields. In Halong Bay you cruise among limestone islands at sea. Both are UNESCO sites, and many visitors do both.
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. Pagodas such as Bai Dinh and the boat piers get very busy in the weeks after Tết. Book as early as you can.
Yes. Trains on the north to south line stop at Ninh Binh station, in the city, in about 2 to 2.5 hours. Tam Coc and Trang An are a short ride from the station, so you still need a taxi or a car at the other end.
Related routes
- Staying a night? Book the car back to HanoiNinh Binh to Hanoi
- Flying in? Go straight from the airportNoi Bai Airport to Ninh Binh
- Also seeing Halong Bay?Hanoi to Halong Bay
- Prefer mountain air on a short trip?Hanoi to Tam Dao
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: Trang An Landscape Complex · Ninh Binh tourism office: ticket prices, 2025 list.