How to get to Cat Ba Island

How to get to Cat Ba Island from Hanoi, Hai Phong, Halong, Ninh Binh

Cat Ba Island is getting more popular with all sorts of travellers, from backpackers on a budget to well-heeled honeymooners.

Along with them, solitary spa junkies and family holidaymakers, tourists come here in their millions.

How to get to Cat Ba from Hai Phong

I suppose you are not familiar with any of the places mentioned here so before we get down to the road of island - port – ferry terminal – flyover – etc., here are 3 parts of the journey with their associated spots:

(1) In Hai Phong City (mainland), we have a very important spot: Binh ferry terminal.

(2) Then we have the transit island called Cat Hai Island. In this island, please remember the Got ferry terminal.

(3) Finally, our final destination – Cat Ba Island. There’s two spots to remember: Cai Vieng ferry terminal and Phu Long port.

See the map below to have a better visualization.

Now it’s time to choose the route that fits you the best.

Option 1: You can take speedboat from Binh ferry terminal and go directly to Cat Ba Island (~250,000 VND – 60 mins). It’s fast but expensive.

Timeline of Binh speed boat

Binh to Cat Ba	Cat Ba to Binh
09h00	10h00
13h00	14h00

Option 2: You can go to the flyover called Tan Vu – Lach Huyen that connect the mainland to Cat Hai Island.

There’s a parking lot at the Got ferry terminal where you can park your motorbike/car or you can just bring them with you and pay some extra fees.

Then from Got ferry terminal in this island, you take ferry (12,000 VND – every 30 minutes from 5 AM to 19 PM - duration: 30 mins) or speedboat (80,000 VND – duration: 8 mins) to Cat Ba Island.

Depends of what means you choose, you will arrive in different places in Cat Ba Island. When you arrive in Cat Ba Island, take the bus to center town. Distance 23km.

Got Ferry price

Ticket type	Price
Traveler	12,000 VND / person
Motorbike	45,000 VND / bike
Under-9-seat car	190,000 VND / car
9-to-24-seat car	210,000 VND / car
24-to-32-seat car	240,000 VND / car
Over-32-seat car	330,000 VND / car

Timeline of Got speed boat

Time for Got	Time for Phù Long
7h30	7h20
9h30	9h20
10h30	10h20
13h30	13h20
14h30	14h20
16h30	16h20

Option 3: Bus Hai Phong to Cat Ba

Bus Hai Phong to Cat Ba

Price from:	150.000đ/ pax
Vehicle:	Car & Speed Boat

Timeline of bus

From Binh	From Cat Ba
Morning
5h45	5h30
9h00	8h50
Afternoon
12h20	12h10
14h00	13h50
15h50	15h50

Office address: 16 Ben Binh and 41 Ben Binh, Hong Bang, Hai Phong

How to get to Cat Ba island from Hanoi

The beating heart of the nation, Hanoi can seem chaotic, but respite can be found in an island just 3 hours away from the capital.

With the endless list of newest bus and tour services from Hanoi to Cat Ba or even from way further points like Sapa to Cat Ba and the other way around from Cat Ba to Sapa, it has just become easier to reach many must-go places of the alluring island – Cat Ba.

Cat Ba Express provides the best transportation in the area with just from: 14 USD for variety of choices of buses.

So the options of transportation to get to Cat Ba Island are: Junk boat, Ferry, Speed boat, Cable Car.

Travel with Cat Ba Express Bus

Route

Hanoi - Hai Phong	Hai Phong - Binh	Binh - Cat Ba Island	Cat Ba Island - Cat Ba Town
Train	Taxi	Speed Boat	Local bus

Note

• Departure time: 08:30
• Train ticket: 60,000 VND (~3 USD) / one way ticket
• Hydrofoil: 200.000 VND (~7.5USD) /one-way ticket
• Duration: 3 hours

With one combo package ticket (Bus, speed boat, water, snacks... ) Cat Ba Express will take care all the logistic of your journey from Hanoi to Cat Ba.

The advantage of this package is the pick-up at your hotel in Hanoi and transfer to Hai Phong city by Cat Ba Express (Eco Bus) before catching speed boat to Cat Ba town which make your trip more comfortable and faster.

For the return way, we will drop you at your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter area. This also aims to avoid taxi scams at local bus station in Hanoi.

Free hotel pickup at your hotel if you are staying in Hanoi Old Quater, otherwise please arrive at Cat Ba Express Offices: No. 106 Tran Nhat Duat, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Round-trip bus Hanoi to Cat Ba timetable

DEPART IN HANOI	ARRIVE IN CAT BA TOWN
7:45	11:00 - 11:30
14:00	17:15 - 17:30

DEPART IN CAT BA TOWN	ARRIVE IN HANOI
12:30	16:15 - 16:30
15:30	18:45 - 19:15

​How to book?

1. Book online with the booking box on this website. We will confirm your booking immediately
2. Book in our office at: No. 106 Tran Nhat Duat, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
3. Call our hotline to book: +84 84 824 4999
4. Send your request to: info@catbaexpress.com

Local bus – boat – bus package

Altenative way to get to Cat Ba Island: It used to be the most economical way to get to Cat Ba island as its bus station Luong Yen was located right in Hanoi old quarter but from 2017 but now it's been moved out of city to Yen Nghia bus station which is 17km away from down town.

Unless you would like to have real local experiences, otherwise we do not recommend this option any more.

Train (recommended for slow traveling)

Being built by French Colonial in the late 19 century, the railway system in Vietnam is used for transferring the natural resources back to France.

Nowadays this railway system is becoming a new travel experience for local and international tourist.

How to get to Cat Ba island from Halong

Get to Cat Ba from Ha Long

You will get to Cat Ba at Gia Luan ferry terminal from Tuan Chau, Halong. There are different options for you to choose to travel to Cat Ba Island.

1. - By 7 - to - 12 seat canoe: 120 - 150 USD / way
2. - By ferry from Tuan Chau Island to Gia Luan port: 3.5 USD / ticket​

Read more: → Lan Ha Bay one day from Cat Ba

Then you can rent a motorbike or a taxi to go to the center of Cat Ba town. This service is available at Gia Luan ferry terminal.

Summer schedule Tuan Chau ferry (30/04 - 30/09)

Tuan Chau – Gia Luan: 7:30, 9:00, 11:30, 13:30, 15:00

Gia Luan – Tuan Chau: 9:00, 11:30, 13:00, 15:00, 16:00

Winter schedule Tuan Chau ferry (01/10 - 29/04)

Tuan Chau – Gia Luan: 07:30, 11:30, 15:00

Gia Luan – Tuan Chau: 9:00, 13:00, 16:00

From Ninh Binh to Cat Ba Island

Travel to Cat Hai Island via highway 10, then take speedboat or ferry to Cat Ba Island. If you take the bus from Ninh Binh, it costs around 300,000 VND and takes 5 hours.

​Need help?

1. Come to our office at: 106 Tran Nhat Duat, Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
2. Call our hotline: +84 84 824 4999
3. Send your request to: info@catbaexpress.com

Enjoy your trip!

Read more →

1. Cat Ba Island, Vietnam - an unforgettable holiday
2. The top 15 hotels in Cat Ba Island
3. Lan Ha Bay – the forgotten paradise