After exploring the busy city life in Hanoi, it’s time to enjoy nature. Ninh Binh is a gorgeous province with lots of great viewpoints, mountains, temples and pagoda’s to explore. And best of all, go on a boat tour, following a river through the rice paddies surrounded by karst mountains.
Ninh Binh makes a perfect trip from Hanoi as it’s located only 94 km outside of the capital.
Ninh Binh is also a good place also for a one day trip from Hanoi.
How to get from Hanoi to Ninh Binh?
This article is a comprehensive transportation guide to travel from Hanoi to Ninh Binh is by train, bus, limousine and private car.
More than 90 km south of Hanoi, located on the north-south arterial road, you will lose about 2 hours to Ninh Binh.
From Hanoi to Ninh Binh you can travel by train, bus, limousine, minivan or private taxi. Yes, sure, you can also travel by motobike.
But, ..
The best way to get from Hanoi to Ninh Binh is to travel by train or bus/limousine (train and bus tickets are very cheap). In my opinion - transfer by Bus/Limousine to Ninh Binh is the best solution how to get to Ninh Binh.
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| Photo by Viault |
1. Hanoi to Ninh Binh Train
Traveling from Hanoi to Ninh Binh by train is a recommended option for travelers as you can enjoy stunning landscape along the way.
Timetable
A journey from Hanoi to Ninh Binh by train takes approximately 2.5 hours with Vietnam Railways.
There are 6 trains daily from Hanoi to Ninh Binh. The earliest departure time from Hanoi is 6 am, and the latest one is 8:10 pm. We recommend taking the early train from Hanoi to explore Ninh Binh in the morning.
Seat types and ticket fares
Hard seat
Soft seat
Hard berth (6 berths per cabin)
Soft berth (4 berths per cabin)
Ticket price starts at 70 000 VND ($3) for a hard seat. If you travel from Hanoi in the early morning (6 am), you should book a berth if you’d like to relax.
Train stations
The railway from Hanoi train station to Ninh Binh station is about 115 km
Hanoi Railway station: 120 Lê Duẩn, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội
Ninh Binh Railway station: 1 Hoàng Hoa Thám, Thanh Bình Ward, Ninh Bình
As Ninh Binh train station is located in the center city, you can get to other attractions easily.
Once you arrive at Ninh Binh Railway station, you can take a taxi to get to Tam Coc (6 km away) or Trang An Complex (9.1 km away)
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| Photo by Prince Roy |
2. Hanoi to Ninh Binh Bus/minivan - How to catch a bus from Hanoi to Ninh Binh
The tour buses are also a reasonable choice to travel from Hanoi to Ninh Binh. It’s really easy and convenient to book a bus Hanoi to Ninh Binh ticket, you can buy the ticket online, with a phone call, at the bus stations or at bus agencies. The price and the range of bus are wide, you can choose what suit you the most.
The ride on the bus Hanoi - Ninh Binh will be approximately 2 to 3 hours, depending on the traffic. Some bus agencies provide pick-up service (they will pick you up and drop you at the arranged destinations), but you can also catch a bus yourself at the bus stations.
In case you want to go to the bus station, here are the addresses of bus stations in HanoiThe tour buses are also a reasonable choice to travel from Hanoi to Ninh Binh. It’s really easy and convenient to book a bus Hanoi to Ninh Binh ticket, you can buy the ticket online, with a phone call, at the bus stations or at bus agencies. The price and the range of bus are wide, you can choose what suit you the most.
Giap Bat bus station at 6 Giai Phong street, Hoang Mai district
Yen Nghia bus station at Highway 6, Ha Dong district
Nuoc Ngam bus station at 1 Ngoc Hoi road, Hoang Mai district
My Dinh bus station at 20 Pham Hung
As mentioned, the price varies a lot. You should be expected to pay:
Around 100.000 VND/person or 5 US$ for a seat in a berth-seat bus
From 100.000 VND/person or 5 US$ to 150.000 VND/person or 7 US$ for a seat in a soft-seat bus (the price changes depending on the types of the car or bus).
Traveling from Hanoi to Ninh Binh on a bus can save time and money, but it has some disadvantages. Drivers can try to get as many customers as possible on a bus, so often the buses are cramped and uncomfortable. Also, some not-so-good drivers can try to charge tourists more than the normal rate. Make sure you ask for the price before getting on a bus!
Don’t be late, because the bus will leave at a fixed time. It would be best if you are present at the station 15 minutes to 30 minutes earlier. If you choose a pick-up bus, they will inform you of the date and time for pick-up. Make sure to note it down. And that's all you need to know about traveling by local bus Hanoi to Ninh Binh!
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| Photo by Vincent M.A. Janssen |
3. Travel from Hanoi to Ninh Binh by Limousine Car (Recommend)
There’s another choice for travelers who want to leave Hanoi for Ninh Binh. Limousine car service is quite comfortable and fast, and its price is still affordable (VND 160,000- 180,000 for a one- way ticket). Limousine car within 9 air conditioned seats is more comfortable and private than tourist bus.
There have been many tourists choosing our Ninh Binh tour package from Hanoi and using the full service throughout the exploration journey, if you are interested, please click here
Remember those limousine cars are more expensive than a normal car but they are the most comfortable ones.
4. Hanoi to Ninh Binh Private Car - Should you book a Private Car from Hanoi to Ninh Binh?
If you travel from Hanoi to Ninh Binh in a group, the best option for you should be rent a private car. It is a bit pricey if your group is small (under 10 people). But if you go in a large group (more than 15 people), it can be cheaper than traveling by bus.
There are many advantages of traveling by private car: flexible schedule, faster and more comfortable. You can arrange the pick-up location and time, the type of cars and so on. A huge number of car-renting agencies are operating in Hanoi, you can choose the most suitable one for you.
The price varies quite a lot, depending on the agency. It is usually a renting package for a round-trip.
You should check for the car and the contract carefully to avoid scam. Ask for a full package price, including insurance, fuel fee and other fees. Some agencies can try to overcharge you with these fees.
5. Hanoi to Ninh Binh by motorbike
If you are interested in adventure travel, riding from Hanoi to Ninh Binh by motorbike will be a part of your memorable experiences.
From Hanoi, you go along Giai Phong Street, skip Giap Bat Bus Station, keep going and turn left into the national highway 1A (QL1A).
Then turn right into highway Phap Van - Cau Gie (Hanoi- Ninh Binh), keep riding for 83 km and you will reach center of Ninh Binh city.
On the route to Ninh Binh, you can stop for places such as Perfume Pagoda (Chùa Hương). Hitting Ninh Binh city then it’s convenient for you to ride motorbike by yourself around famous attractions: Trang An, Tam Coc, etc.
Check Google Map out for the direction from Hanoi to Ninh Binh city. There are lots of motorbike rentals in Hanoi (1 day costs about $7 - 15/pp).If you are interested in adventure travel, riding from Hanoi to Ninh Binh by motorbike will be a part of your memorable experiences.
From Hanoi, you go along Giai Phong Street, skip Giap Bat Bus Station, keep going and turn left into the national highway 1A (QL1A).
Then turn right into highway Phap Van - Cau Gie (Hanoi- Ninh Binh), keep riding for 83 km and you will reach center of Ninh Binh city.
On the route to Ninh Binh, you can stop for places such as Perfume Pagoda (Chùa Hương). Hitting Ninh Binh city then it’s convenient for you to ride motorbike by yourself around famous attractions: Trang An, Tam Coc, etc.
Check Google Map out for the direction from Hanoi to Ninh Binh city. There are lots of motorbike rentals in Hanoi (1 day costs about $7 - 15/pp).
Small Tips Just For You to get to Ninh Binh from Hanoi
- A tip for tourists is at the peak season or at days around Tet holiday or other national holidays, booking transportation tickets can be hard. So the recommendation is to book in advance.
- And if you want to rent a car or a motorbike, you should check out the renting place by reading the review about it first. Moreover, remember to check the paper and the bike or car in advance in case of having any problem.
- You should also bring a map or mark the route before having a go.
- Remember to arrive on time at the bus stations or train stations, because the bus or the train will not wait for you.
- You should check the train ticket or the bus ticket to see whether it is a one-way or a round trip.
- Don’t rent a motorbike or a private car without any certification paper or at a too cheap price. Either the motorbike or the car will be in poor condition or there can be a scam.
If you are still not sure how to get to Ninh Binh, Tam Coc – Bich Dong and Trang An safely and enjoyable, feel free to contact us, the Vietnam Typical Tours for further information and advice. It is our pleasure to help you!
