From the airport into town: Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat
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Two arrivals cover most trips to Vietnam, and they are opposites. Noi Bai is 35 km outside Hanoi across a river. Tan Son Nhat sits 8 km from District 1, inside Saigon, and the traffic makes the shorter one feel longer.
The transfer is straightforward at both airports. What varies is how much you pay and how much of a queue you join.
What does each option cost?
The same four choices exist at both airports at very different prices, and the spread is wider in Hanoi because the distance is. A bus into Hanoi costs about a seventh of a car; in Saigon the gap is closer to a tenth, on a journey a quarter as long.
| Option | Noi Bai to Hanoi | Tan Son Nhat to District 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Public bus | Route 86, ~45,000 dong, 50-70 min | Routes 109 or 152, 5,000-15,000 dong |
| Grab or Xanh SM | 250,000-350,000 dong | 80,000-150,000 dong |
| Airport taxi | 300,000-400,000 dong | 150,000-200,000 dong |
| Hotel car | 400,000-600,000 dong | 200,000-350,000 dong |
At roughly 26,000 dong to the dollar, the worst case in Hanoi is about 23 dollars and in Saigon about 13. The trip cost guide is the wider context; this is the one transfer nobody can avoid.
Which bus, and is it worth it?
Route 86 from Noi Bai is the one to know: a proper coach with luggage space that runs to the Old Quarter and the railway station for about 45,000 dong. Buy the ticket on board, in cash.
From Tan Son Nhat, route 109 costs a little more and stops at Ben Thanh; route 152 is cheaper and quieter. Both take about 45 minutes, and both are genuinely usable with a suitcase.
The bus is worth it when you arrive rested, in daylight, with one bag. It is not worth it at midnight after fourteen hours in the air, and the convenience store guide is a better friend at that hour than a bus timetable.
What about Grab and the ride apps?
Grab and Xanh SM both work at both airports, from marked pickup points that involve a walk. At Noi Bai it is the far end of the terminal forecourt; at Tan Son Nhat, across to the multi-storey car park. Follow the app's bay number rather than a person offering help.
The apps quote the fare before you accept, which removes the entire category of argument the scams guide is about. The motorbike taxi guide covers the two-wheel version, which is fine with hand luggage and wrong with a suitcase.
Which desks should you walk past?
The ones inside the terminal offering you a car. The official rank is outside, marked, and metered; the man with a laminated sign at the exit is selling a fixed price several times higher.
Two named companies run the reliable metered fleets in both cities, and a hotel will tell you which by name if you ask when booking. Failing that, use an app: a quoted fare is its own protection.
How long does it take going back?
Longer than you think, and the airports differ. Allow 60 to 90 minutes to Noi Bai from the Old Quarter, and 45 to 75 minutes to Tan Son Nhat from District 1 — the shorter distance, the worse traffic.
Add the airport itself on top: three hours before an international flight, two before a domestic one. The transport guide covers the internal flights those windows apply to, and Tet is the fortnight when all of these numbers stop meaning anything.
What about the other airports?
The provincial airports are easier, and two are unusually so. Da Nang's airport is inside the city, 3 km from the centre and 35 km from Hoi An — the Da Nang to Hoi An guide covers that leg in detail.
Cam Ranh serves Nha Trang from 35 km south, with an airport bus at 50,000 to 70,000 dong. Phu Quoc and Con Dao both put you 10 to 40 minutes from your bed. Only Hanoi and Saigon make the transfer a decision.
What is worth doing before you land?
Three things, and they take five minutes. Have the app installed and a payment method that works. Have your hotel's address in Vietnamese, screenshotted — the addresses guide explains why the number alone is not enough. And have small cash for a bus or a toll.
A SIM or eSIM sorted before landing makes all three work at once, and it is the difference between choosing a ride and taking whatever is offered.
FAQ
How far is Noi Bai airport from Hanoi?
About 35 km, and 40 to 60 minutes by road depending on the hour. The bridge into the city is the bottleneck, so allow the longer figure in the morning and late afternoon.
How far is Tan Son Nhat from central Saigon?
About 8 km to District 1, which is 20 minutes at night and can be 45 in traffic. It is the closest major airport to a city centre in the country and the traffic still ruins it twice a day.
What is the cheapest way into town?
The public bus at both airports: route 86 from Noi Bai at around 45,000 dong, and routes 109 or 152 from [Tan Son Nhat](/guides/tan-son-nhat-airport/) at 5,000 to 15,000. Both take cash and both stop near the tourist districts.
Is Grab cheaper than a taxi?
Usually, and it is quoted before you accept, which matters more. Expect roughly 250,000 to 350,000 dong from Noi Bai and 80,000 to 150,000 from Tan Son Nhat, against a little more on the meter.
Where do you meet a Grab at the airport?
At a marked pickup point rather than the kerb outside arrivals, and at both airports it involves a short walk, sometimes across a car park. The driver will wait; the app shows the bay number.
Should you book a hotel transfer?
For a late arrival, a family or a first night, yes. It costs more than Grab and removes every decision at the end of a long flight, which is worth something at one in the morning.
How early should you leave for a flight?
Three hours before an international departure and two before a domestic one, plus the transfer. From District 1 that means leaving four hours ahead in the afternoon peak, which sounds absurd until you sit in it.