Hanoi Noi Bai Airport Arrival Guide 2026: Terminal 2, Bus 86, Taxi and SIM
International flights land at Terminal 2. Bus 86 to the city costs 50,000 VND on the airport's own fare page, a metered taxi to the Old Quarter about 350,000 VND plus a 17,000 VND toll. SIM or eSIM, cash and the first QR payment, checked 3 November 2026.
Quick answer: International flights land at Terminal 2 of Hanoi's Noi Bai airport, and from there bus 86 runs to Hanoi Railway Station for 50,000 VND (the airport's own fare page, as of 3 November 2026). A metered taxi to the Old Quarter is about 350,000 VND plus a 17,000 VND toll (Dan Tri, June 2025), and Grab shows its price before you book.
Key takeaways
- T2 is international, T1 domestic. A free electric shuttle links them from 05:00 to 01:00, every 15 minutes between 07:00 and 23:00.
- Bus 86: 50,000 VND, 07:00 to 22:15. Local buses 17 and 90 cost 15,000 VND; the Hai Van shuttle 90,000 VND.
- Taxis charge 15,000 to 16,700 VND per km at the authorised brands. Take them from the rank, never from someone who walks up to you.
- Get data before the queue. Airport SIMs now need a face check; an eSIM installed at home works the moment you land.
The doors open into the T2 arrivals hall, the air is warm and wet, and three men are already asking "Taxi? Taxi?" before you have found the ATM. Your hotel is in the Old Quarter. Here is how that next hour goes well, with every price taken from a page I opened on 3 November 2026.
Which Hanoi airport terminal do international flights use?
Terminal 2. The airport's transfer page says Noi Bai has two terminals: T1 for domestic flights and T2 for international ones. Flying on to Da Nang or Phu Quoc? You clear immigration and collect bags at T2, then take the free shuttle to T1 and check in again. The shuttle leaves from Level 1, Lane 2, columns 11 and 12 at T2.
Before you fly, sort entry. The UK says British citizens get 45 days visa-free; if your passport needs a visa, apply for the e-visa only on the official site, evisa.gov.vn. Smartraveller says arrivals at Hanoi are encouraged to fill in a digital pre-arrival form within 72 hours of landing. Immigration queues vary a lot: travellers on r/VietNam report anything from 30 minutes to over two hours, so use the restroom and fill your water bottle before you join the line.
How do you get from Noi Bai airport to the Old Quarter?
| Option | Price, as of 3 November 2026 | Hours | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus 86 | 50,000 VND | 07:00 to 22:15 | Ends at Hanoi Railway Station; pay on board, carry small notes |
| Bus 17 | 15,000 VND | 05:10 to 22:00 | To Long Bien, at the edge of the Old Quarter; slow, local stops |
| Hai Van shuttle NB01 | 90,000 VND | Every 45 minutes | Route NB01 loops via Ring Road 2 |
| Authorised taxi | 15,000 to 16,700 VND per km (5 seats) | All flights | About 350,000 VND to the Old Quarter plus 17,000 VND toll (Dan Tri, June 2025) |
| Grab or Xanh SM | Shown in the app before you book | All day | Book inside the app only |
Bus prices and per-km taxi rates are from Noi Bai airport's transport page; the taxi total is from a Dan Tri report on a tourist charged 900,000 VND by a fake driver at T2. Authorised taxis (G7, Group, Mai Linh, HP-Noi Bai, Airport Taxi, Xanh SM) wait at T2 columns 5 and 16.
Should you buy a SIM card at Hanoi airport or use an eSIM?
Both work. The difference is when you get online. Carrier counters sit in the arrivals hall after baggage claim, but since 15 April 2026 new mobile subscriptions need facial biometric verification (VietNamNet, June 2026), so bring your passport and expect a few minutes at the counter. If you are staying months, a local SIM is the sensible buy.
For a trip of days or weeks, an eSIM installed at home before you fly means Grab, maps and your hotel's messages work as you walk off the plane, before the taxi touts. As of 3 November 2026, Fizen's catalogue lists Vietnam on its Asia plans, roaming on Viettel 4G and slowed to 128 kbps once the data runs out; check the eSIM tab in the app or fizen.io/esim for current plans for Vietnam. Most Fizen eSIMs cannot be topped up, so more data means a new eSIM. It is data-only: keep your home SIM in for bank codes. More in our Hanoi eSIM guide and airport SIM vs eSIM.
Should you change money at Noi Bai airport?
Change or withdraw only enough for the bus and a first meal. Smartraveller says travellers have been robbed at ATMs and advises using machines inside banks, hotels and malls; one r/VietNam poster was approached by drivers right at the ATM by the arrivals gate. Change larger sums in the city, see where to change cash in Vietnam.
Your first bowl of pho will often come with a VietQR code on the counter. Visitors holding USDT can pay it with Fizen QR Pay: create or import your Fizen wallet, get USDT on Solana or BNB Chain into it, deposit from the wallet into QR Pay (KYC per wallet and per device), scan and confirm the amount in dong. US$800 per payment, US$1,000 per week, travellers and foreigners only. How it works on the street: paying in Hanoi with QR.
What do travellers who have landed at Noi Bai say?
- Ignore anyone who walks up to you. A March 2026 r/VietNam post describes a driver from outside the arrival gates who changed an agreed fare on a non-Grab app; commenters agreed: rank or app only.
- A verbal price protects nothing. Book in Grab or Xanh SM so the fare is fixed in the app, and check the plate.
- Order the ride once you have data, then walk to the pickup point instead of waiting in the hall where touts work.
- Late night? A hotel pickup costs more but removes the guesswork; one commenter paid about 450,000 VND.
The full list of tricks is in Hanoi scams to avoid and airport scams to avoid.
Frequently asked questions
Which terminal is international at Hanoi airport?
Terminal 2. Terminal 1 handles domestic flights. A free electric shuttle connects them from 05:00 to 01:00 the next day.
How much is bus 86 from Noi Bai airport?
50,000 VND per trip on the airport's own fare page as of 3 November 2026, running 07:00 to 22:15 to Hanoi Railway Station. Some older guides still say 45,000 VND.
How much is a taxi from Noi Bai to the Old Quarter?
About 350,000 VND plus a 17,000 VND toll, per Dan Tri in June 2025. Authorised taxis charge 15,000 to 16,700 VND per km for a 5-seat car.
Can I buy a SIM card at Hanoi airport?
Yes, in the T2 arrivals hall after baggage claim. Bring your passport: since 15 April 2026 new subscriptions need a facial biometric check.
Is Grab available at Noi Bai airport?
Yes. The UK FCDO names Grab and Xanh SM as apps that send licensed cars. Book the whole trip in the app and ignore drivers who claim to be from them.
Online before the taxi touts reach you
Exclusive to new Fizen app users: US$10 of eSIM credit the moment you join, which pays for up to 30% of each plan until it is used, plus more credit after every order, so the more you travel, the more you save. Install at home, land in Hanoi connected. Pay with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain, or by card via Stripe (Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay). Your money. Your freedom. No borders.
Terms and conditions
- Information only. This article is travel information about arriving at Hanoi Noi Bai airport. It is not an offer or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, legal or tax advice. Fares and rules change; check on the day.
- For readers in the United States. This article provides information only. It is not an offer, solicitation or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, investment, legal or tax advice. Fizen products and services are not offered to US Persons.
- Data only. Fizen eSIMs carry mobile data only, with no local phone number for calls or SMS. Keep your home SIM active for bank codes.
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- QR Pay availability. QR Pay is for cross-border use by travellers and foreigners in Vietnam and the Philippines only, and is not available to residents of those countries in their own country. It is funded only with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain; USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited. The Fizen wallet is self-custody; USDT you move into QR Pay is governed by the Fizen QR Pay Terms.
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Sources
- Noi Bai International Airport, Transport to and from the airport: bus fares and taxi per-km rates (read 3 November 2026)
- Noi Bai International Airport, Transfer flight: T1 domestic, T2 international (read 3 November 2026)
- Noi Bai International Airport, Free shuttle bus (read 3 November 2026)
- Dan Tri International, Foreign tourist overcharged for taxi ride from Noi Bai airport, 24 June 2025
- VietNamNet, facial authentication for SIM users, 15 June 2026
- Smartraveller (Australian Government), Vietnam: pre-arrival form, ATM safety (read 3 November 2026)
- UK FCDO, Vietnam entry requirements and safety (read 3 November 2026)
- r/VietNam thread, scammed by a driver at Noi Bai (archived snapshot, March 2026)
- r/VietNam thread on airport immigration queues (archived snapshot)
Bus fares, taxi per-km rates, terminal use and shuttle hours read on noibaiairport.vn on 3 November 2026 (the taxi rate sheet is marked as applying from 1 March 2025). The Old Quarter taxi total is from Dan Tri, 24 June 2025, the most recent dated report found; no official total fare is published. No verified Grab fare was found, so none is given. Fizen carrier and throttle from Fizen's own catalogue on 3 November 2026.
