There are several ways to get to one of the bays or Cat Ba Island, and here we will list the most commonly used ones.

FROM HANOI TO HALONG BAY

Budget Options:

-    The local bus runs from Hanoi Gia Lam bus station to Mien Tay Bus Station in Ha Long City. The ticket price is currently around $3USD, however no one at the station or in the bus are likely to speak English, so you will have to use body language and translation to purchase a ticket.

-    An open bus also leaves from Gia Lam or Luong Yen Stations, which arrives at Ha Long Bus Station and costs 100,000VND each way.

-    There is also a train running between Hanoi and Halong City, leaving from Gia Lam Railway Station in Hanoi and arriving at Halong Train Station 4km away from the Bai Chay tourist wharf. Tickets are $20USD. There is also a cheaper option on the cargo train, which only offers hard sleepers and is frequently delayed and cancelled which costs $10USD one way.

-    Halong Wonders operates a shuttle bus every morning from the Old Quarter in Hanoi, which is the most comfortable public option and costs $20USD per person each way. The shuttle bus carries 14 people and leaves Hanoi around 8am from the Old Quarter every day, and arrives at the dock at around noon. The service can pick you up from a hotel in Old Quarter or the meeting point.

Private Options:

- You can rent a car from Noi Bai Airport, which is a service we offer that costs a little less than $100USD each way. Note that this rate includes parking, tolls, petrol as well as the driver and car.

-   You can also rent a car from Hanoi to Halong Bay for 2 days, 1 night, which costs $150USD per car which has 16 seats.

FROM HANOI TO CAT BA ISLAND AND LAN HA BAY
 
To get to Cat Ba Island you generally have two options.

You can use the above transportation to Halong and then arrange a local bus and ferry to Cat Ba Island from Ha Long, or you can take the bus directly from Hanoi with Hoang Long Bus Company, which includes a ferry ticket. The combined ticket costs 170,000VND to 200,000VND and the trip takes about 4.5 hours.

The buses depart at 5:20AM, 7:20AM, 11:20AM and 1:20PM, and you should plan on arriving at Luong Yen Station at least 30 minutes early. The station itself is a 15 minute drive from Old Quarter.

Tickets can be purchased at the station (recommended) or on the bus.