How To Get From Ninh Binh To Hue & Vice Versa

Ninh Binh and Hue are two of the most attractive destinations in Vietnam now and usually opted as must-visit-places in Vietnam discovery tours by many tourism companies or highly recommended by tourists.

If Ninh Binh has its reputation for the beauty of majestic nature with Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, which is regarded as Halong Bay in the land, Hue is very famous for its peace and quiet beauty of the old capital. Both of them make a great impression on tourists at first sight and it will be perfect if you are able to visit these sites on your next vacation. See the best ways on how to get from Ninh Binh to Hue and vice versa below!

I. How Far is it from Ninh Binh to Hue?

Ninh Binh is a small province belonging to Northern Vietnam. The main topographic of Ninh Binh is low mountains alternating with plains especially Tam Diep Mountain, which is regarded as a natural border to separate Northern Vietnam from the Central of Vietnam.

Hue was the capital of Vietnam in feudalism from the 18th century to the 20th century, now is a city belonging to Thua Thien – Hue, a province in the South Central Coast of Vietnam.

The distance between Ninh Binh to Hue is approximately 572 kilometers, equivalent to one-third of the distance between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. For such a distance, traveling by bus will be the best transportation option because of its cheap cost and time-saving.

II. How to Travel from Ninh Binh to Hue?

1. Getting from Ninh Binh to Hue by Bus

The cheapest and most popular transportation to travel from Ninh Binh to Hue is bus (sleeper bus). You can catch a sleeper bus in front of the Big C supermarket in Ninh Binh city or along 1A highway then spend about 10 hours on the bus before getting off in Hue. The ticket is only 300,000 VND ~ 360,000 VND per person and there are such full facilities in the sleeper bus that you can feel as comfortable as at home.

How to book a seat on buses? The safest way is that you search for famous bus companies such as Hoang Long, Kim Chi, etc. on the Internet and directly book on their website or call them directly. By this way, you can avoid being cheated or losing money.

Information about Ninh Binh Bus:

• Frequency: 1-2-3 times per day depending on companies
• Estimated time: 9 hours 45 minutes ~ 11 hours 15 minutes
• Estimated price: ~ $15

2. Getting from Ninh Binh to Hue by Train

Another cheap way to get from Ninh Binh to Hue you can consider is by train. Trains depart from Ninh Binh train station (in the Ninh Binh city) and stop in Hue train station. The total traveling time is about 11 hours, nearly equivalent to travel by bus. However, the price is a little bit higher, about 500,000 VND ~ 800,000 VND per person (cheaper for children). There are 3 types of seats including 1st class sleeper, 2nd class sleeper, and 2nd Class AC seats you can choose to book.

How to book a train ticket? There are two ways that you can use. One is that you buy online through websites. Second is that you buy directly in the ticket office in Ninh Binh train station. 

Information about Ninh Binh Train:

• Frequency: 4 times per day
• Departing time: 00:25 am, 08:17 am, 11:07 am, 21:42 am (from Ninh Binh to Hue)
• Estimated time: 10 hours 22 minutes ~ 11 hours 34 minutes
• Estimated price: $25 ~ $35

3. Getting from Ninh Binh to Hue by car

Getting from Ninh Binh to Hue by car, including by private car or by taxi, is really a bad idea. Why?

Going by car seems more time-saving than by other vehicles; however, this benefit is really too small when you have to face up with many risks. For such a distance, if you travel by taxi, it is very expensive. If you drive by yourself, it is very dangerous due to the long time riding on 1A highway where there is a huge amount of traffic including cars, container trucks, trucks, etc every day. In addition, you have to drive through Hai Van Pass to reach Hue, this pass is considered as one of the most dangerous passes in Vietnam that only professional drivers can be confident to drive through it.

Therefore, honestly, you should not choose the car as the vehicle to travel from Ninh Binh to Hue.

4. Getting from Ninh Binh to Hue by plane

Yes, you can get from Ninh Binh to Hue by airline but it is not really convenient. There is not an airport in Ninh Binh; therefore, there is not also a direct flight from Ninh Binh to Hue. 

If you still want to travel by plane, the only way is that you will go to Hanoi from Ninh Binh by bus (about 3 hours), then catch a flight from Noi Bai airport (HAN) to Hue airport (HUI) (about 1 hour 15 minutes). Ninh Binh is only 95 kilometers far from Hanoi so it is very convenient to go to Hanoi at a reasonable price.

Information about Ninh Binh to Hue by plane:

• Frequency: every day from 7:00 am to 17:00 pm (bus), not a fixed schedule for domestic flight routes until you actually book but there are two airlines you can choose including Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air.
• Estimated time: 3 hours by bus and 1 hour 15 minutes by plane (exclude waiting time).
• Estimated price: ~ $4 (bus) and $30 ~ $60 (plane)

V. Frequently Asked Questions