The winners
1) Grab (car): $10-14, 40-55 minutes, book from arrivals hall after buying a SIM. The clear winner for solo and pairs. 2) Airport bus 86: $1.60, 60-75 minutes, runs 5am-10:30pm every 25 minutes, drops at Hanoi Railway Station and along Tran Nhan Tong — perfect if you don’t have huge luggage. 3) Vietnam Airlines minibus: $2.50, similar timing to the bus but drops direct at Vietnam Airlines HQ on Quang Trung (short Grab from there).
The middle options
4) Hotel pre-booked transfer: $18-25, 40 minutes, name-boarded — worth it for late-night arrivals or families with kids. Book direct with your hotel, not through Klook (30% markup). 5) Official taxi rank (Vinasun, Mai Linh): $16-22 by meter, 40 minutes, safe but 40% more than Grab. Only use the official rank inside the terminal, never accept a hovering driver's fixed price.
What to avoid
6) Any driver approaching you inside arrivals: guaranteed scam, will quote $40-60 and add fake toll charges. Ignore. The ride-hailing pickup point at Noi Bai Terminal 2 is on the P3 parking level (follow signs) — do not accept a Grab pickup at kerbside, drivers get fined and cancel. Terminal 1 (domestic) is a 5-minute shuttle from T2; if connecting, allow 90 minutes minimum. Airport is $2 SIM at Viettel counter, 30 GB for 30 days.
Questions, answered
Hotels in Hanoi
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