Hanoi to Halong Bay on QL18 Highway

This article will provide a transportation guide from Hanoi to Halong Bay on QL18 Highway (Road 18). Halong Bay Cruises normally include transport to and from Hanoi city, meals, some drinks, accommodation, entertainment and excursions.




International visitors to Vietnam annually often cite charming Halong Bay as one of their favourite destinations. In order to get to Halong Bay, travelers need to fly to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Most the travelers will spend a day and explore the capital and travel to Halong Bay the next day. You can get from Hanoi to Halong Bay by the 3 main transports, which includes motorbike, shuttle bus and private car. Get started from Hanoi Old Quarter, follow Tran Quang Khai road - Tran Khanh Du road - Nguyen Khoai road to Thanh Tri Bridge (across the Red River) - QL1A Highway - Bac Ninh Province - Pha Lai Power Station (Quang Ninh Province) - Rest stop - Dong Trieu Ceramic and Pottery Village - Mao Khe Coal Mining Area and Halong Bay welcomes you. The traveling time from the Hanoi to Halong only 4 hours by car. So travellers, who have limited time still can visit Ha Long Bay from Hanoi and back in the same day. Here are 4 main transports, which includes motorbike, coach, shuttle bus, private car to get to Halong Bay.



By Shuttle Bus

A Convenient Means Of Transportation, when booking a Halong Bay cruise, you can ask the agent or a Halong bay cruise company for a shuttle bus service, It’s about 2.5 hour or more. They normally will offer combo package, which is cheaper than you book them separately. Sometimes, cruise companies will run special promotions and offer free transfer if you book a cruise with them. The cost will vary among different companies and different types of bus. But normal price will around 250-500 ($10-20) for a one-way ticket. It is easy and convenient because you don’t have to worry about pick-up and drop-off point. The bus will pick you at your hotel on request and take you to the cruise center where your cruise ship ports. After your Halong Bay trip, the shuttle bus will wait outside the cruise center and take you back to Hanoi.



By Private car - utmost privacy

If you do not want to share the trip from Hanoi to Halong Bay with strangers or wish to be totally flexible of your schedule, a private car is your best option. Our driver will come to hotel lobby and show the sign board with clients name then picks them and their luggage to the car for transferring to Halong Bay. Whether you are a busy businessman on holiday or go on a vacation with your family, a private transfer will ensure the best privacy for you. You can ask your tour or cruise operator to arrange this service for you or simply book a taxi. If you want to take a taxi to Halong Bay, make sure to confirm the total cost with the taxi driver. They may charge you more when they take a longer route than necessary.



By Local Bus (Coach)

For those who travel on a budget, this is an attractive option as it costs as low as 100,000 VND (less than $5). This means of transport usually has a lot of seats (the 45-seat type is quite common). It took only 3 hours to travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay by bus, thanks to the new Highway. Sometimes it took longer since local bus have to go around bus stops to pick their customers. If you want a premium to luxury bus (7-9 seats, air-conditioner, wifi…), there are also variety of options for you to choose. Of course, the price could be double or triple comparing with a budget bus. So, how to go from Hanoi to Halong Bay by bus? Firstly, choose a bus station and bus provider (Route Gia Lam - Bai Chay or My Dinh - Bai Chay). You will want to choose the route that stop closest to where your halong cruise company port. After getting off the bus, you need to catch a taxi, “xe om” (a kind of motorbike taxi), or simply order Grab via your smartphone.



By Motorbike

For adventurous, budget travelers who wish to explore local life and scenery, there is no better way than driving a motorbike from Hanoi to Halong, travelers like to travel by motorbike or scooter to get experience. It’s about four hour or more, depending on your speed. There are 2 routes for you to choose: Hanoi - Bac Ninh - Halong and Hanoi - Hai Duong - Halong. If your cruise’s port locates at Tuan Chau Island -> At the roundabout on QL18 Highway, take the 1st exit onto Tuần Châu. If your cruise’s port locates at Bai Chay -> Continue go straight to Halong city, then you will see an instruction to Ha Long International Cruise Port. Remember asking locals if you are unsure about the road.