Hanoi to Ninh Binh by Train, Bus, Private Car or Motobike?

Ninh Binh is still a must-see after visiting the capital of Vietnam. This province is located 95kms from Hanoi and it takes 1.5 to 2 hours to go from Hanoi to Ninh Binh. How do you go about it on your own? Here are some guidelines for finding your best way.

From Hanoi to Ninh Binh by Train

There are many trains from Hanoi to Ninh Binh. Hanoi station is not very far (2kms) from downtown Hanoi, at 120 Le Duan. If you are in a hotel in the old quarter, you only have to pay around 2.5$ for a 7 seater taxi. A train ticket costs around 12$ and you can buy it 1 month before your departure.

The train just arrives at Ninh Binh town and from there, tourists should take a taxi to Trang An, Tam Coc or other sites. It takes about 20 minutes for this trip.

Here are the timetables for trains Hanoi – Ninh Binh and vice versa:

Hanoi – Ninh Binh		Ninh Binh – Hanoi
SE7	6:00 – 8:17	SE2	3:20 – 5:30
SE5 (recommended)	9:00 – 11:20	SE18	5:50 – 8:30
SE9 (recommended)	14:30 – 17:16	SE20 (recommended)	9:25 – 11:55
SE3 (recommended)	19:30 – 21:47	SE6 (recommended)	16:50 – 19:12
SE19	20:10 – 22:25

I recommend a few trains (as above) because of the comfort and the schedule of the train that will suit your route.

From Hanoi to Ninh Binh by Bus

Taking the bus from Hanoi to Ninh Binh is a comfortable and inexpensive way to do this route. For local buses, you can go to Giap Bat, My Dinh and Nuoc Ngam bus stations.

Giap Bat Bus Station: Km6 Giai Phong Street, Hoang Mai, Hanoi
My Dinh Bus Station: 20 Pham Hung Street, My Dinh 2, Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi
Nuoc Ngam Bus Station: 01 Ngoc Hoi, Hoang Liet, Hoang Mai, Hanoi
Ninh Binh Bus Station: 207 Le Dai Hanh, Thanh Binh, Ninh Binh

The favorable way to go from Hanoi to Ninh Binh or vice versa that I highly recommend is an open tour bus or a tourist bus. Here are some advantages:

These buses welcome you in the city center, especially in the old quarter or at your hotel therefore quickly accessible, as for the bus stations are far from the city center so it takes time and the cost of a taxi. Buses also often drop you directly at your destination and nearby points such as Tam Coc, Trang An, Hoa Lu, Bai Dinh …
These buses are managed by a professionalism offering a correct comfort for your journey.
It is easy to book these buses at your hotel or directly on their website or by phone.

Here are some bus companies that you can find on the Internet with our comments:

Sapa SSB Bus

Departure: 20 Hang Muoi / 15 Luong Ngoc Quyen
Arrival: The Long hotel (near Tam Coc pier)
Duration: 3 hours
Frequency: 3 buses / day (8.15am – 9.45am – 3.45pm)
Price: 11$ / pax

However, I do not recommend it to you because according to the passengers, the bus is often late and the seats are not comfortable.

Hoang Long Bus

Departure: Nuoc Ngam Station (Ngoc Hoi, Hoang Liet, Hoang Mai)
Arrival: Ninh Phong, Ninh Binh (11km from Trang An or Tam Coc)
Duration: 1.5 hours
Frequency: 4 buses / day (7 am – 1 pm – 8 pm – 9 pm)
Price: 9$ / pax

The driver and staff do not speak English or French and the bus has no room for luggage.

The Long Travel

Departure: 31 – 33 Hang Dong (in the old quarter)
Arrival: The Long hotel (near Tam Coc pier)
Duration: 4 hours
Frequency: 4 buses / day (6.20am – 8am – 9.45am – 4pm)
Bus type: 29-seater bus
Price: 7$ / pax

Although the bus is a bit of a backpacker, most of the passengers don’t have bad reviews so I recommend it if you would like to get to Ninh Binh by bus.

From Hanoi to Ninh Binh by Limousine

This is a very comfortable 9 seater minibus with wifi available, a bottle of water for each passenger and you can charge your laptop on the road. 2 limousines that I recommend are Ninh Binh Excursion Transport and Trang An Limousine.

Ninh Binh Excursion Transport departs from 32 Bat Su and Trang An Limousine from 72 Tran Nhan Tong (the National Circus). Both of these stations are not far from the old quarter and the 2 limousines will drop you off at the must-see sites in Ninh Binh (Tam Coc, Emeralda Resort, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Trang An, Hoa Lu – it depends on your request).

Limousines depart every hour and prices vary between 7$ to 10$ depending on the destination. Highly recommended as limousines are not only comfortable but also favorable for tourists.

From Hanoi to Ninh Binh by Private Car

A private car is undoubtedly the most practical and comfortable means if you want a pleasant journey. Here is the price for the route Hanoi – Ninh Binh and vice versa per day. To book this service, you can contact the travel agencies in Vietnam.

CAR	CAR TYPE	PRICE
7 seats	Toyota Innova, Mitsubishi	1.480.000 VND
16 seats	For Transit	1.650.000 VND
29 seats	Huyndai	2.280.000 VND
34 seats	Thaco, Huyndai	2.600.000 VND

From Hanoi to Ninh Binh by Motobike

Rent a motorbike and go from Hanoi to Ninh Binh by yourself, why not? From Hanoi city center, take Giai Phong road and take Phap Van – Cau Gie highway then continue towards Cau Gie – Phu Ly – Ninh Binh. It takes 1h30 – 2h on the 95km road. Some shops to rent motorcycles in Hanoi:

Phung Motorbike: 13 Ngo Huyen, Hoan Kiem – 090 425 3491
Flamingo Travel Vietnam Motorbike Rentals: 66 Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem – 091 221 4554
Style Motorbikes: 40 Nguyen Sieu, Hoan Kiem – 091 513 9796

You can easily find these stores which are located in the old quarter. The rental cost ranges from 9$ to 20$ for small cylinder motorcycles (100 – 125cc) and around 60$ for large motorcycles (over 175cc).

Note: You can contact at your hotel in Ninh Binh for assistance about Hanoi – Ninh Binh transportation. Most of the hotel provides this service (La belle vie, Nam Hoa, Hidden Charm…).

Have a great trip!