How to get from Hanoi to Cat Ba?
Taking the bus from Hanoi to CatBa Island is much easier and also a faster option than taking the train. Another advantage is that the bus picks you up in the Old Quarter in Hanoi and brings you straight to the center of Cat Ba Island.

A combined bus and ferry ticket is a very convenient option and saves you the hassle of arranging a ferry ticket and getting to CatBa town.

The most common route for the combined bus ticket is Hanoi – Dinh Vu (Hai Phong ferry station) – Cai Vieng – Cat Ba Town.

We recommend traveling with CatBa Express since they offer the most luxurious buses. The company receives very good reviews and they operate with new buses (Feb 2017) which include free wifi and USB chargers.

Another option is to buy your ticket from one of the local agencies or hotels in Hanoi. These tickets include the bus ride from Hanoi to Hai Phong Harbour and the ferry ticket to CatBa Island. This ticket also includes a bus ride to Cat Ba town, when the ferry doesn’t stop at the harbour next to the main street.

Although a combined ticket from a local agent might be a bit cheaper, the buses will offer less comfort and often take longer than the buses of CatBa Express. Another advantage of CatBa Express is that they pick you up at your hotel when you are staying in the Old Quarter of Hanoi and drop-off at your hotel in CatBa.