Comment se rendre à Hanoï : vols, visas et transferts aéroport (2026)

Getting to Hanoi is easier than the internet makes it look. One airport, one honest bus, one e-visa website and — once you are here — a city that unfolds on foot. This is the arrival playbook we hand our guests at Hôtel Rey Hanoi: how flying into Noi Bai works, the 2026 e-visa in plain language, every sensible way to get from the runway to the Old Quarter, and the shortest route from there to a bed at 14 Ly Nam De. Prices below were checked as of late 2026. And if you have not booked a room yet, start with our guide to where to stay in Hanoi — location is the one decision that shapes the whole trip.

✈️ Flying into Noi Bai (HAN)

Almost everyone arrives at Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), about 27–30 km north of the Old Quarter — call it a 30–45 minute drive depending on traffic. The airport has two terminals: one for domestic flights and one for international arrivals, a short shuttle ride apart. Signage is bilingual throughout, and the walk from gate to arrivals rarely exceeds fifteen minutes. Airlines vary by market — budget regional carriers, full-service flag carriers and long-haul connections all use HAN — so whatever your route, the arrival routine is the same: immigration with your e-visa in hand, baggage claim, then straight into the options below. If your itinerary connects through Ho Chi Minh City, the domestic hop up to Hanoi takes about two hours and lands at the domestic terminal — the two halls are easy to tell apart.

Two small truths from our front desk: evening landings meet the heaviest traffic into town, and the arrivals hall currency booths give better rates than the ones by the exit — but both are fine for a first small stack of VND. From there, you have three good ways to reach the Old Quarter, and one bad way we will help you avoid. One more note for late arrivals: the airport runs around the clock, so a midnight landing changes your transport arithmetic but nothing else — and the front desk at Rey Hotel runs 24 hours too.

🛂 Visas in 2026: The E-Visa in Plain Language

Most nationalities now enter Vietnam on the e-visa, which could not be simpler on paper: US$25 for a single-entry visa valid 30 days, US$50 for multiple entries, processed in about three working days. Apply only through the official government portal at evisa.gov.vn — we regularly hear from guests who paid lookalike agencies triple the price for the same document. Apply at least a week before you fly, and print the approval letter or save it offline as well as on your phone; immigration officers accept the printed copy most smoothly. Keep a digital copy on your phone as well, in case the paper one goes the way of all paper.

The process itself is entirely online: you fill in the form on the official portal, upload a scan of your passport page and a photo, pay the fee by card, and the approval letter arrives by email — typically within three working days, though applying a full week ahead leaves room for any hiccup. Check every letter of your name and passport number against your passport before paying; a single mistyped character is the most common cause of airport delays we see, and fixing it on the portal is far easier than arguing it at immigration. Children need their own e-visas too — there is no family form — so apply for everyone on the booking at the same time.

Your passport should have at least six months’ validity beyond your arrival — that is commonly required — but rules change, so double-check the current requirements for your nationality on the official portal before booking. If your e-visa is still processing close to departure, contact us; after years of watching guests arrive, our front desk knows what to ask and can tell you honestly when to relax and when to call the airline.

🚌 From the Airport to the Old Quarter

Bus 86 is the budget hero: an air-conditioned airport express that costs 45,000 VND (about US$2), runs roughly every 30 minutes and takes 45–55 minutes to a stop close to the Old Quarter’s edge. There is space for luggage, the route is air-conditioned comfort, and it drops you close enough that most guests walk the final stretch or hop in a short Grab. For two people, the bus saves you about US$10–14 per journey — for one person arriving midday, it is our default advice. Buy the ticket at the booth in the arrivals hall or on board, keep your luggage claim, and let the driver know your stop — announcements are in Vietnamese, so showing the address card from our front desk works perfectly. The ride itself is a gentle first tour of the city’s northern suburbs: four lanes of new Hanoi before the old streets begin.

UN Grab or metered taxi runs about 300,000–450,000 VND (roughly US$12–18) and takes 30–45 minutes depending on traffic. After a long flight, door-to-door comfort has real value; just use the official queue or book through the app rather than following touts. Ride-hailing pickup points at the airport are signed and orderly, and your app will walk you to the right bay. Prices inch up in peak traffic, so the same ride can vary by around 100,000 VND depending on when you land. The third option is our own car: a fixed price agreed before you fly, a driver tracking your flight number, and someone holding a sign with your name on it. If you want that, message our team through the contact page a day or two before arrival.

🚆 Arriving by Train

Not everyone lands at HAN. Hanoi’s main railway station (Ga Hanoi) connects the capital by overnight sleeper to Lao Cai for Sa Pa in the northwest, and along the coast to Hue and Da Nang — some of the classic Vietnamese journeys, best booked a few days ahead for a soft-sleeper cabin. If your route into the capital is overland, the station is only about a 10-minute ride from Rey Hotel; tell us your train number and we will know exactly when to expect you. Book sleepers a few days ahead in high season, choose a soft-sleeper cabin for the overnight runs, and keep your ticket for the platform check — the ritual is half the fun.

The same logic applies to onward travel: guests often do Hanoi first, then head south to the limestone country. Our Ninh Binh day trip guide covers Hoa Lu, Tam Coc and Mua Cave — about two hours from the city — and the front desk can arrange a driver the night before. Weekend sleeper berths sell out first, which tells you everything about how these routes are loved.

🚏 Getting Around Once You’re Here

Here is the good news: once you have arrived, transport mostly stops mattering. Walking is king in the Old Quarter — from our door on Ly Nam De, the lake is seven minutes, Dong Xuan Market five, and nearly everything else in our à faire à Hanoï list is stroll-distance. nearly everything else in our à faire à Hanoï list is stroll-distance. Crossing the streets is the only skill to learn: walk slowly and steadily into the traffic and it flows around you, exactly as it does for every local — never sprint, and never step out while reading your phone. For longer hops, Grab bikes and cars are everywhere, cheap and cashless; a cross-city ride rarely costs more than a coffee back home.

For atmosphere rather than speed, flag a cyclo — the three-wheeled cycle rickshaws that still pedal the old lanes — for one slow loop of the Quarter. Negotiate the price before you climb in; expect roughly 200,000–300,000 VND per hour (approximate). For buses, taxis and the full in-city rundown, our getting around Hanoi guide covers every option in detail. And when your legs give out, any bar or café will let you sit a while — the Old Quarter runs on a seating generosity that surprises visitors.

📋 The Arrival Checklist

Six small preparations make the whole arrival smooth. This is the list we keep printed at the front desk:

1. Your e-visa, printed. Keep the approval letter in your passport; the printed copy moves fastest at immigration.

2. Small VND notes. Withdraw or exchange a modest stack of small notes — 1 US dollar is about 25,000 VND — because street vendors and bus conductors cannot change 500,000 VND bills.

3. A SIM or eSIM. Airport booths sell tourist SIMs in minutes; if your phone supports eSIM, buy the data pack before you fly and you are online at the gate.

4. Grab installed. Download the Grab app and add a payment card at home — it works the moment you step out of arrivals.

5. Our address card in Vietnamese. Ask at our front desk in advance or pick one up on arrival; showing “14 Lý Nam Đế” to any driver removes every language barrier. We hand these out at the front desk and can email one before you even fly.

6. Check-in from the airport. Message us when you land — the 24-hour front desk watches for delays and keeps your arrival flexible, so a late flight never costs you your room.

🌙 The First Evening: Our Suggested Plan

If you have followed the tip below, you will be checked in with daylight to spare — and the best first evening in Hanoi is a gentle one. Walk five minutes north and eat dinner near Marché de Dong Xuan, where the food streets are working kitchens rather than showpieces. Then drift south past the Old City Gate and follow the lanes towards the lake for one slow loop as the lamps come on around Turtle Tower — about three kilometres, flat the whole way, completely free. That is it: dinner, water, an early night — the jet lag loses, you win. Dinner need not be fancy: a bowl of pho near the market runs about 25,000–70,000 VND, and the ice-cream shop on Trang Tien street has been ending Hanoians’ evenings for generations if you fancy dessert on the walk.

From that first evening, everything else grows naturally: when you are ready for the full after-dark city, our guide to the Hanoi night market and beer street picks up exactly where this plan stops, and our complete Rey Hotel Hanoi guide helps you settle in properly. If Friday or Sunday happens to be your first night, the walking street will be glowing five minutes away — dip into it for one loop and let the jet lag decide bedtime.

However you arrive — by air, by rail or by a long road from elsewhere in Vietnam — the last kilometre is the one we care about most. Send us your arrival time, keep this page bookmarked, and let the front desk handle the details. Hanoi has been welcoming travellers for a thousand years; the city is very good at it, and so are we.

❓ Questions fréquentes

Do I need a visa to visit Vietnam in 2026?

Most nationalities do, and the e-visa is the standard route: US$25 for a single-entry visa valid 30 days or US$50 for multiple entries, processed in about three working days through the official government portal. Apply at least a week before flying, print the approval, and check the current passport-validity rules for your nationality before you book.

How far is Noi Bai Airport from the Old Quarter?

About 27–30 km north of the Old Quarter. In normal traffic the drive takes 30–45 minutes; in the evening rush it can stretch longer. The Bus 86 airport express covers the same route in roughly 45–55 minutes, departing about every half hour, and stops closer to the old streets than any other public transport.

How much does a taxi from Noi Bai to the Old Quarter cost?

A Grab or metered taxi runs about 300,000–450,000 VND (roughly US$12–18) depending on traffic and where in the Quarter you are going. The Bus 86 express costs just 45,000 VND per person, and a pre-arranged hotel car is charged at a fixed price agreed before you fly. Anything wildly above the taxi range is overcharging.

Is Bus 86 a good option with luggage?

Yes — it is an airport express with dedicated space for suitcases, air-conditioning and a fixed 45,000 VND fare, departing roughly every 30 minutes. The journey takes about 45–55 minutes to its stop near the Old Quarter, and from there most hotels are a short walk or a brief Grab ride. For one or two travellers it is our default advice.

What is the best way to book the Rey Hotel airport car?

Message or call our front desk at +84 39 911 1133 a day or two before you fly, or reach us through the contact page on our website, and send your flight number and landing time. We confirm a fixed price in advance and the driver tracks your flight, so a delay never leaves you standing at arrivals searching for a ride.