I. BUS IN HANOI
In Hanoi, bus is the cheapest and most convenient means of transportation for foreign travellers, since the bus system has been well-developed and covered almost every part of the country. If you are stuck on the very first steps such as how to find a bus or which route to go, stay calm and read the following guide.
Local bus stations or terminals are often packed with people and it may seem overwhelming at first to navigate your way around. This might even be more of a problem in larger city like Hanoi where the volume of traffic is rather intimidating. Ignoring the call and wave of motor taxi men, you should always walk straight to the main building where you can find ticket booths and waiting area.
However, the problem you might encounter while get on a bus is that it is very crowded at peak hours. You should always keep one hand to cover your purses or place your backpack at the front, since crowded bus in Vietnam is an ideal place for pickpockets.
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Here are some essential bus routes in Hanoi:
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Some tips for you
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Looking for a bus online
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Destinations in English
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Monthly tickets
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Before going out, you can find the most suitable buses and tracks for you on Google Maps or you can go to timbus.vn which provide three options: Shortest road, lowest number of buses, lowest walking distance.
On your mobile phone, you can download BusMapHN or Tìm Buýt which can be easily found on Google Play or AppStore. |
To help you to find the correct destinations, here are some Vietnamese names of national hospitals, well-know universities and research institutes in medicine in Hanoi:
- National hospitals:
- Bach Mai Hospital: Bệnh viện Bạch Mai
- Viet Duc Hospital: Bệnh viện Việt Đức
- National Pedicatric Hospital: Bệnh viện Nhi Trung ương
- National hospital of obstetrics and gynecology: Bệnh viện Phụ sản Trung ương
- National Hospital of Tropical Diseases: Bệnh viện Bệnh Nhiệt đới Trung ương
- 108 Military Central Hospital: Bệnh viện Trung ương Quân đội 108
- Well-known university:
- Hanoi Medical University (HMU): Trường Đại học Y Hà Nội
- Hanoi University of Science and Technology: Đại học Bách khoa Hà Nội
- Vietnam National University (VNU): Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội
- Research institutes in medicine:
- Dinh Tien Hoang Institute of Medicine (DTHIM): Viện Nghiên cứu Y học Đinh Tiên Hoàng
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE): Viện Vệ sinh Dịch tễ Trung ương
- National Institute of Nutrition (NIN): Viện Dinh dưỡng Quốc gia
Q: How to save your money when travelling by bus?
A: Make a monthly ticket.
Q: How to make it?
A: Bring your IDENTITY CARD, Visa to the nearest bus station and offer a monthly ticket. Remember that this ticket is only used for a certain route so that it is suitable to buy it if you have to go on ONE bus route daily.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: Depends. From 5$ to 10$
A: Make a monthly ticket.
Q: How to make it?
A: Bring your IDENTITY CARD, Visa to the nearest bus station and offer a monthly ticket. Remember that this ticket is only used for a certain route so that it is suitable to buy it if you have to go on ONE bus route daily.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: Depends. From 5$ to 10$
II. TAXI AND MOTOR TAXI
TAXI
Taxi services in Vietnam can be divided into two main types: “official” and “unofficial” taxi. “Official” taxi refers to taxi corporations with high, consistent quality and a reasonable price. They are credible, safe, apparent in calculating fee and somehow cheaper.
There are some well-know taxi companies in Vietnam that should be on top when you look for one. They include: Mai Linh Taxi: This is one of the most popular taxi brands in all over Vietnam with cab in many tourism destinations. There services are safe and flexible, Mai Linh Limousine (Tel: 38.36.36.36). Taxi Mai Linh often has the cover of two main colors: white and green. Hanoi Taxi (Tel: 38.53.53.53): One of the pioneers in taxi services from 1993. The cab of Hanoitaxi is painted with purely white color |
The other type of taxi is “unofficial” taxi, which often belongs to individual drivers. This type of taxi is poor in quality and services, unreliable and vague in fee calculation, or they don't even have meters. Also, the safety of these taxis is also a problem, as the “unofficial” taxi drivers tend to run rapidly and carelessly.
- Do not use “unofficial” taxi
- Call the company to make sure that you catch the right taxi
- Check the available of the meter on the taxi and make sure that it still working well
- For safety: Note the taxi brand, driver’s name and number of the taxi.
XE OM (MOTORTAXI)
Most tourists on their trip in Hanoi often choose taxi as a safe option for transportation. High quality services, English-speaking driver make for great convenience, but of course the catch is that it comes with a price tag which can be a little over the top sometimes. So if one travels solo or with just one partner, why not try the locally-grown special transportation service - “xe om”?
In every street in Hanoi, one can easily find this service with the driver hanging a sign reads “XE OM” in front of the motorcycle. Or to make it even easier, just appear lost and the over-friendly driver will reach out to offer his service soon enough. Normally, the same driver will wait at the same corner every day, and he is willing to take one wherever he wishes to go in (and out of) the city with a very reasonable price, you should ask the drivers carefully about the fare.
In every street in Hanoi, one can easily find this service with the driver hanging a sign reads “XE OM” in front of the motorcycle. Or to make it even easier, just appear lost and the over-friendly driver will reach out to offer his service soon enough. Normally, the same driver will wait at the same corner every day, and he is willing to take one wherever he wishes to go in (and out of) the city with a very reasonable price, you should ask the drivers carefully about the fare.
Some tips for you
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Taxi
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Motor Taxi
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As derivative of GrabTaxi, nowadays GrabBike's motorcycle service rides can be found in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam. These cities have heavy traffic jams, so using a motorcycle can be faster than using other transportation mode. GrabBike also provides medical insurance for the passengers and the drivers.
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MOTOBIKE RENTAL
When coming to Vietnam - land of motorbikes, many visitors would love to experience the thrilling feeling of riding on the “iron horse” and explore all the corners of the country by themselves. Dreaming of becoming a hero on the road with your own motorbike? Vietnam is definitely your dreamland!
Price and procedures
As this is a competitive market, the renting fare inside one city is not much different among shops, but depends on motorbike’s types and quality. Typically, it will cost $12/day for an automatic motorbike and $10/day for a semi-automatic one, with gasoline included. One will get a discount about 20% if he decides to fill the gasoline on his own and hire the bike for more than one day. Remember to ask for a helmet and lock which are often attached with the bike. In smaller cities such as Hue, the rental cost is cheaper, of about $6 per day without gasoline.
It is not complicated to rent a motorbike as a foreigner in Vietnam. All one needs to do is to submit a hard copy of his passport together with one type of identity papers having photograph like driving license or passport at the shop. Some shop owners also require customers to deposit an amount of money which is equal to 50-70% of the bike’s value. Travellers will be responsible for any incidents and damages of the bike.
Other tips
It is advisable to test the bike’s condition carefully before signing the contract and pay deposit. Brake, light, horn and lock are among the most important things for safety reasons.
Observe thoroughly to check whether there are any scratch or corrupt on the bike or not, and inform the owner about them. Normally, the newer the bike is, the more secure it is. For your information, Wave RS is considered the most popular and easiest one to ride!
If you plan for a long trip, be well-prepared with a map, a motorbike repair set and do not forget to ask the location of the gas stations!
Price and procedures
As this is a competitive market, the renting fare inside one city is not much different among shops, but depends on motorbike’s types and quality. Typically, it will cost $12/day for an automatic motorbike and $10/day for a semi-automatic one, with gasoline included. One will get a discount about 20% if he decides to fill the gasoline on his own and hire the bike for more than one day. Remember to ask for a helmet and lock which are often attached with the bike. In smaller cities such as Hue, the rental cost is cheaper, of about $6 per day without gasoline.
It is not complicated to rent a motorbike as a foreigner in Vietnam. All one needs to do is to submit a hard copy of his passport together with one type of identity papers having photograph like driving license or passport at the shop. Some shop owners also require customers to deposit an amount of money which is equal to 50-70% of the bike’s value. Travellers will be responsible for any incidents and damages of the bike.
Other tips
It is advisable to test the bike’s condition carefully before signing the contract and pay deposit. Brake, light, horn and lock are among the most important things for safety reasons.
Observe thoroughly to check whether there are any scratch or corrupt on the bike or not, and inform the owner about them. Normally, the newer the bike is, the more secure it is. For your information, Wave RS is considered the most popular and easiest one to ride!
If you plan for a long trip, be well-prepared with a map, a motorbike repair set and do not forget to ask the location of the gas stations!
After all information above, you should ponder for the smart option! Have a safe trip in Vietnam.