6 ways to get to Ninh Binh, Vietnam

1. How to get to Ninh Binh?

a. Take a tour to Ninh Binh – Great option for inexperienced travelers

If you’re a new traveler or don’t have a lot of experience, a tour might help you ease into traveling and save time. With a tour, the itinerary is well-prepared before. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about what to see, where to eat or how much time to spend in any one place. There are four options for you: 

• 1-day tour
• 2-day – one-night tour
• 3-day – 2-night tour
• 4-day – 3-night tour

It takes you a few hours to explore the Old Quarter in Hanoi, but you can’t even scratch the surface of the beauty of Ninh Binh on the one-day trip. Therefore, try to stay at least 2 full days to truly feel the essence of Ninh Binh. You can book a tour online here.

Or else, meet the front desk workers in your hotel and ask for their help. Almost all hotels in Hanoi’s Old Quarter do cooperate with other travel operators. We all know that the hotels will receive the commission from both travel operators and their guests. Therefore, prices are always higher. The strong point of this way is that the car of the operator will pick you up directly at your hotel and drive you to the right place. You also book a tour offline by yourself. When wandering Hanoi’s Old Quarter, drop in The Sinh Café Tourist which is one of the most reliable travel agencies.

All about Ninh Binh, Vietnam: https://journeyonair.com/ninh-binh-vietnam

b. Travel to Ninh Binh by train – Best way for people love sightseeing

Why travel by train to Ninh Binh?

Ninh Binh Railway Station is a regular one on the North-South Express train route. From Hanoi, train leaves at 6:00, 9:00, 13:10, 19:30, 20:10 and 22:10. You can do this at your hotel, and they’ll settle it all for you. Or, if you’d rather do it yourself, you just show up at the train station and purchase them at the ticket counter. You can also book them on some following websites (they’re all available in English), which might actually be cheaper.

• www.dsvn.vn (the official website of Vietnam Railway Corporation)
• www.vietnam-railway.com
• www.vr.com.vn 

These websites all offer an e-ticket option and seat selection service. It takes you about 2.5 hours to travel to Ninh Binh, therefore it’s not necessary to choose a cushioned. Note that online tickets cannot be purchased outside of Vietnam.

Read more:  Weather & Best time to travel to Ninh Binh, Vietnam

The new train station which is around 1 kilometer to the south of the old one started operating in June 2015. And trains only stop there. Take it into account because other posts you read might make reference to hotels or restaurants in the old train station area.

c. Take an open bus to Ninh Binh – The cheapest way

Why travel by open bus?

Taking an open bus is the most economical and convenient way to get to Ninh Binh. You can ask the receptionists at your hotel to help you purchase tickets. They will book an open tour bus for you through other company but it’s not an actual tour. Therefore, make it clear whether you want to book a tour or an open bus. Or else, they will misunderstand you. The advantage of taking this route is that the open bus will pick you up directly from your hotel. The average cost is about VND 100.000/person.

Alternatively, you can purchase the tickets directly at bus stations. The cost is from VND 70.000 to VND 150.000 per person depending on the quality of the bus. Note that you might have to pay at least VND 20,000 for the extra luggage. At the weekend and on holiday, the number of the passenger often increases significantly. This fact will push you into a terrible disaster. You might get cranked in a tiny seat inside a heavily overcrowded bus. Thus, I don’t recommend getting an absolute cheap one. Instead, choose a bus offering comfortable sleeper seats and equipped with air-conditioner. The price, as a result, is definitely is higher. It’s from VND 130.000 to VND 150.000.

What to pay attention to?

The bus is a popular means of transport in Vietnam. In addition, Ninh Binh is a favorite destination. As a consequence, there is a considerable number of operators. They take different routes, offer different services, have different quality and charge different prices. Therefore, when taking a bus, especially when booking it online, you have to pay attention to some following things:

Read more: 3 ways to get around Ninh Binh, Vietnam

Pick-up Place

There are a few buses offering a pick-up service for your convenience. Instead, they often require the passengers to gather at the bus station or in front of their office. Check the pick-up place carefully and be present at this place at least 15 minutes earlier. Or else, you might miss the bus because of the traffic jam.

Drop-off place

There are 5 bus stations in Ninh Binh: Tam Diep, Con Thoi, Kim Son, Nho Quan, and Ninh Binh. Be sure that you take a bus to Ninh Binh Bus Station. (the address and contact information are below).

Quality & Service

In the case of Vietnam’s bus, the cheap price often equates to poor quality. Many bus operators carry a heavy load of goods inside the bus together with a huddle of people. Getting cranked in a tiny seat inside this kind of bus is a really terrible nightmare, especially in summer. Thus, check the total seats and type of seat before getting on the bus. Don’t forget to check whether the air-conditioner, wi-fi, and cool water are available.

Book Tickets Online

There are also many websites allowing you to book bus tickets online but only a few of them are reliable. I highly recommend this website: www.vexere.com because it’s available in English and provides details about the open buses. It also displays the rating point so that it’s easier for you to choose.

d. Take a limousine to Ninh Binh – The most convenient way 

Why travel by limousine?

From my personal experiences, taking a limousine is the best option for you, especially when you want to skip staying in Hanoi. They offer the service to pick you up right from the airport. Moreover, the price is really reasonable. The average price is only from VND 130.000/person The quality of the limousine is much better than most open buses. Last but not least, they will drop you off at popular destinations.

Note that these prices include VAT and travel insurance fare.

e. Travel to Ninh Binh by motorbike – The coolest way 

If you are an experienced backpacker, riding a motorbike is a way to go. Traffic in Hanoi is absolutely crazy which might make you stressful. However, don’t let it upset you. Riding motorbike across both urban and rural sights with wind blow blowing in your face will be an unforgettable experience.

f. Travel to Ninh Binh by taxi – The pricy but most comfortable way

Hanoi transport department has prohibited taxi on multiple streets in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Consequently, it might be a bit difficult to take a taxi. It’s better to use a ride-hailing app on your mobile phones such as Grab and Uber. In Vietnam, Grab is much more popular. They partner with a lot of taxi companies, which gives you a lot of options. The average price from Hanoi to Ninh Binh is around VND 982.000.  If you travel in group 3 or 4 people,  you can share the price. Moreover, traveling by taxi is pretty safe and comfortable.