Hanoi, Vietnam

Getting around Hanoi

How to travel around Hanoi — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-08

1. Grab bike

Motorbike taxi booked by app, the fastest way through the Old Quarter's lanes.

Cost: VND 15,000–40,000 for short trips

Watch outStreet xe om riders quote several times the app fare and change the price on arrival.

2. Metered taxi

Reliable with the established operators, much less so otherwise.

Watch outTampered meters running several times the correct rate are a well-documented Hanoi problem, particularly on airport routes.

3. Walking the Old Quarter

The 36 streets are genuinely best covered on foot.

Tip: Cross the road by walking steadily and predictably. Stopping suddenly is what causes accidents.

4. Cyclo

Cycle rickshaws, now largely a tourist experience rather than transport.

Watch outAgree the price and duration in writing before boarding; mid-ride renegotiation is common.

5. Airport taxi and shuttle

Fixed-price counters and the minibus shuttle, roughly 45 minutes from the centre.

Cost: VND 250,000–400,000 by car

Watch outUnofficial drivers inside the terminal quoting fares far above the counter rate.

Booking apps in Vietnam

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

Grab

The most widely used ride-hailing app in Vietnam, covering cars and motorbike taxis.

Coverage: All major cities; thinner in rural provinces.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.

Be

Vietnamese ride-hailing operator with cars, bikes and intercity coach booking.

Coverage: Strong in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.

Xanh SM

All-electric taxi and ride-hailing fleet, metered and app-bookable.

Coverage: Expanding across the major cities.
Why it helps: A metered fleet with fixed rates, which avoids the tampered-meter problem common in street taxis.

12Go

Books trains, sleeper buses and ferries including the Hanoi–Hue–Da Nang corridor.

Coverage: Nationwide.
Why it helps: Removes the street-agent middleman who sells downgraded or non-existent seats.