Hanoi to Hoi An: fly, ride the train, or take the bus
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Hanoi to Hoi An is one of the most common legs in Vietnam, and Hoi An has neither an airport nor a station. Every option runs through Da Nang, 30 km up the coast. The real choice is between a flight that takes half a day and an overland trip that takes a night.
How do you get from Hanoi to Hoi An?
The options from Hanoi to Hoi An are a flight to Da Nang, the train to Da Nang, or a direct sleeper bus. The flight is fastest by a wide margin. The train is the comfortable overland choice, and the bus is the cheapest.
| Option | Time on the move | Rough cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fly to Da Nang, then car | About half a day door to door | 40 to 90 USD plus the car | Short trips |
| Overnight train to Da Nang, then car | About 16 hours plus the transfer | A soft sleeper berth plus the car | Replacing a hotel night |
| Direct sleeper bus | A day and a night | The cheapest | Tight budgets |
| Stop in Hue on the way | Two legs over two days | Varies | Anyone with the time |
The distance by road is about 800 km, which is why the flight wins on almost every trip shorter than three weeks.
Can you fly from Hanoi to Hoi An?
No airport serves Hoi An, so the flight from Hanoi lands at Da Nang, 30 km up the coast, and takes about an hour and 20 minutes. Vietnam Airlines, VietJet and Bamboo all fly the route many times a day, and a one-way fare booked ahead runs roughly 40 to 90 US dollars.
Add the ends. Getting to Noi Bai airport from the Old Quarter takes 40 to 60 minutes, and domestic check-in wants two hours. From Da Nang airport a car to Hoi An costs 350,000 to 450,000 dong and takes 45 minutes to an hour. Door to door the trip is about half a day.
Is the train from Hanoi worth taking?
The train from Hanoi to Da Nang is worth taking as an overnight journey in a soft sleeper, and hard to justify as a day ride. It takes about 16 hours on the Reunification line, and a berth replaces a night in a hotel.
Book the four-berth soft sleeper and a lower berth, which cost little more and decide whether you arrive rested. The train guide explains the classes. From Da Nang station, Hoi An is 30 km by car or bus, and the Da Nang to Hoi An guide prices every way to cover it.
What about the sleeper bus?
Sleeper buses run directly from Hanoi to Hoi An and take the better part of a day and a night. They are the cheapest option and the most tiring, with reclining berths that suit people of average height and not many others.
The bus drops passengers in Hoi An itself, which saves the transfer from Da Nang. On a route this long that is a small benefit against the hours. The sleeper bus guide covers berths, luggage and what to book, and it makes the case for the train on the coastal line.
Should you stop in Hue on the way?
Stopping in Hue on the way from Hanoi to Hoi An is the best version of the trip for anyone with two extra days. Hue sits on the rail line and has flights from Hanoi, and it holds the imperial city and the royal tombs.
A stop in Hue also changes the last leg. From Hue to Hoi An the road and the railway cross the Hai Van pass, the finest stretch of coast in the country, and a car or the train does it by day. The Hue to Hoi An guide sets out the pass, the train and the private car.
Which option should you book?
Book the flight for a trip of two weeks or less. It saves a full day, costs little more than the alternatives once a hotel night is counted, and leaves Hoi An's first evening intact. Book early for Tet and the summer months, when fares rise.
Take the overnight train if the journey is part of the appeal or if a hotel night needs saving. Take the bus only on a strict budget. For anyone with the time, stop in Hue and cross the pass by day. The ten-day itinerary and the north to south guide show where this leg fits a full route.
FAQ
What is the fastest way from Hanoi to Hoi An?
Fly from Hanoi to Da Nang, which takes about an hour and 20 minutes, then drive the 35 km from Da Nang airport to Hoi An in 45 minutes to an hour. Door to door, with check-in and the transfer, the whole trip takes about half a day.
Is there a train from Hanoi to Hoi An?
Not to Hoi An itself, which has no station. The Reunification line runs from Hanoi to Da Nang in about 16 hours, and the last 30 km to Hoi An is a car or a bus. An overnight train with a berth is the way to make that leg worthwhile.
How much does a flight from Hanoi to Da Nang cost?
Roughly 40 to 90 US dollars one way when booked ahead with Vietnam Airlines, VietJet or Bamboo, and more close to the date or around Tet. Several airlines fly the route many times a day.
Is there a direct bus from Hanoi to Hoi An?
Yes. Sleeper buses run directly from Hanoi to Hoi An, and they take the better part of a day and a night on the road. They are the cheapest option and the most tiring, and the train is the more comfortable way to cover the same distance overland.
Should you stop in Hue on the way from Hanoi to Hoi An?
If the time allows, yes. Hue sits on the rail line and on the flight routes, and breaking the trip there adds the imperial city and lets you cross the Hai Van pass between Hue and Hoi An by day, which is the best stretch of the whole coast.