Hanoi is a major transportation hub in the north of Vietnam. Hanoi connects with international flights, domestic flights, trains from the south, and bus connections to every town in the north and central Vietnam.

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Flights to Hanoi

Hanoi has fewer direct international flights than Ho Chi Minh City.
Jetstar Airways, VietJet Air, and Vietnam Airlines connect Hanoi with destinations throughout Vietnam. Popular routes are Hanoi to Dalat, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc, all daily flights.

Buses to Hanoi

Hanoi has four major bus stations. They are fairly well organized, with ticket offices, fixed prices, and schedules. It is often easier to book through a travel agent. From Hanoi, there are buses to everywhere in Vietnam such as Sapa, Da Nang, Dalat, Hue, and Ninh Binh. Cao Bang and Ha Giang. Many open-ticket bus tours through Vietnam start or end in Hanoi.
Tourist minibusses can be booked at most hotels and travel agents. Popular destinations are Halong Bay and Sapa. Prices are usually about 30% to 40% higher than those of the regular public bus but include a hotel pick-up service.

Trains to Hanoi

The train station is in the center. You can buy tickets for trains that can take you all the way south to Ho Chi Minh City, or north to Sapa and across the border to China.

Hanoi’s taxis have meters, but not all drivers want to use them. The problem with taking a taxi is that they cannot all speak English well. The most reliable taxis are Hanoi Taxi, Mai Linh Taxi, and Taxi CP. A good alternative is to use the Grab taxi app.
Metro: Hanoi is working hard to build a metro network. It is expected that the first connections can be used by 2021.
Cyclo is Hanoi’s bicycle taxi. Passengers drive in the front cabin, while the driver is behind the passenger. Cyclo cabins are made for two passengers and are ideal for exploring short distances in the center of Hanoi.
Xe Om is a Hanoi motorbike taxi. You will find them, especially on street corners. The best way to use a Xe Om is with the Grab app.

Itinerary 2 days in Hanoi

Looking for great things to do in Hanoi in 2 days? The below itinerary gives you a short indication of what you can see and do per day.

Day 1

• Explore Old Quarter (by cyclo optionally)
• Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake
• Watch a water puppet show
• Enjoy street food (by food tour)
• Have a beer at Bia Hoi Junction

Day 2

• Walk to Hanoi Cathedral
• Visit Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton)
• Walk around the Temple of Literature
• Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
• Visit the Imperial Citadel
• Watch a show at Hanoi Opera House

More tips for traveling in Hanoi

Where to go next?

As mentioned last in our list of best things to do in Hanoi, the city is a great base to explore the whole north of Vietnam. Wherever you want to go, there is always a bus from this city. The most famous destinations that travelers go to are Sapa, for trekking through the terraced rice fields, Halong Bay, for a cruise through the beautiful bay, and Ninh Binh, for boat and bicycle rides through the rice fields. The destinations you can go to Mai Chau, for rice paddies and ethnic minority villages, and Ha Giang, with Southeast Asia’s most impressive mountains.

Hanoi with kids

Hanoi is not the most child-friendly city in the country, with heavy traffic and narrow sidewalks used as parking spaces for scooters and motorcycles. It is certainly a place that will leave a huge impression and that children will never forget.
if you are in Hanoi with kids, we recommend visiting some of the museums, going around the lake by cyclo, and definitely doing a street food tour.

Language

You can easily get along with English in the city. In most hotels and restaurants it is spoken nicely or at least the basis you need to order or check-in. Menus and signs for tourists are also often available in English

How to dress

Hanoi is used to tourists and is not that conservative when it comes to clothing. If you plan to visit temples in the city, make sure you are properly dressed. This means that you do not wear a short skirt or shirt.
In the summer it gets very hot and there is regular rainfall. In winter it is dry, but it can get quite cold. Keep this in mind with what kind of clothing you are bringing.