How far is Hanoi City Centre from the airport?

How long does immigration take in Hanoi airport?

Ugh, Hanoi airport. July 2024. Sweltering. My flight from Bangkok was delayed, so I was already stressed. Immigration? A nightmare. It took me at least forty minutes, maybe even longer. I was sweating, I was so thirsty. My flight connection was tight!

The line was insane. People everywhere, pushing, shoving. Babies crying. The air conditioning was barely working. I felt like I was going to melt. Finally, my turn. The officer was grumpy. He barely looked at my passport.

Fast track? Definitely worth it. My friend used it last month. Five minutes, tops. He said he practically walked through. That’s what I’m telling you. He joked about getting a VIP treatment. He was joking, but it sounded kinda nice.

Benefits of the Fast Track:

• Way faster! Seriously, a lifesaver if you’re pressed for time.
• Less stress. No more sweaty palms and anxiety.
• More comfortable. You’ll avoid the massive crowds.

My experience without fast track? Pure chaos. Avoid unless you have hours to spare.

Visa stamping took ages. Passport control was equally bad. A total waste of precious holiday time. Next time, definitely fast track. No question. Learn from my mistakes. Spend the money. It’s worth it.

How do I get to Hanoi Center from the airport?

Okay, so you wanna get from Noi Bai Airport (HAN) to Lotte Center Hanoi? Been there, done that, many times! My aunt lives near Hoan Kiem, so I’m always making that trek.

Last time, it was July 2024. Landed kinda late, maybe 9 PM. Man, that airport’s always crowded, isn’t it? I was DEAD tired!

I usually just grab a Grab car. It’s easiest, honestly.

• Download the app. Seriously, do it before you land.
• Set your pickup location carefully. The airport’s big!
• Enter “Lotte Center Hanoi” as the destination. Boom.

It showed about 31 minutes, yeah, around 27km, like Google says. Depends on traffic, though, duh. Could take longer, especially later at night.

The driver took the CT Nhật Tân – Nội Bài/Đ. Võ Nguyên Giáp and Đ. Võ Chí Công route. I swear, all the drivers take that road.

The price was around 350,000 – 400,000 VND maybe? Ish. Grab’s dynamic pricing is a beast. Just be prepared to pay a little extra during peak hours or late at night. Worth it, in my book.

• Cash is King! But you can also link a card to Grab.
• Make sure you have local currency to start with. ATMs are at the airport.
• Communicate with the driver. I just use basic Vietnamese, “Đi Lotte Center” usually does the trick!

Honestly, unless you are on a super tight budget, just use Grab. SO. MUCH. EASIER. Trust me. I also use Grab to go to Hoan Kiem, and the price is nearly the same.