Situated 35 kilometres north-east of Hanoi City Centre, Noi Bai International Airport is the largest in Vietnam. It’s the country’s main aerial gateway and the hub for national carrier Vietnam Airlines, along with the new low-cost carriers Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific. A recent recipient of Skytrax’s World’s Most Improved Airport Award, Noi Bai International has flights to destinations as far-flung as Moscow, Dubai, Istanbul, London and Paris.
International flights arrive and depart from Terminal 2, a modern facility that opened in 2014. This new terminal has a large immigration facility, which has slashed the waiting time for international travellers arriving in Vietnam. ATMs and a visitor information centre can be found immediately after customs. Domestic services operate from the original Terminal 1, heading out to over a dozen destinations around the country.
With the opening of the new terminal came a new dedicated bus service, from the airport to Hanoi City Centre and the central bus station. Along the way, it stops close to the Old Quarter at the Post Office on Hoan Kiem Lake. From the domestic terminal, it’s also possible to take a local bus to Long Bien in the Old Quarter. In addition, shuttle buses leave when full and provide door-to-door transport to hotels across the city. A whole range of taxis can be found outside the terminal.
Noi Bai International Airport has seen a rapid rise in passengers. The first terminal building was only operational in 2001, and it was 2005 before international flights arrived.