5 Best Ways on How to Get from Hue to Hoi An & Vice Versa

Hue and Hoi An are two famous tourist attractions in Vietnam. It is convenient to visit both of them as they are so close to each other. If you are wondering how to get from Hue to Hoi An and vice versa, these 5 options would be useful for you.

I. Distance from Hue to Hoi An

Hoi An Ancient City is located in the downstream area of Thu Bon River, Minh An Ward, Quang Nam Province. It is in close proximity with Hue and is easily accessible after passing Hai Van Pass and Da Nang City. The distance from Hue to Hoi An is just about 130 km, so you can opt for many ways to transfer between them.

Here are 5 common ways to reach the vibrant city of Hoi An from Hue. Based on their merits and demerits, you can decide on the most suitable transportation for your journey.

II. How to Get from Hue to Hoi An?

1. Travel from Hue to Hoi An by Train

Travelling by train enables you to contemplate the scenery on the road, but you have to take an extra bus transfer from Da Nang to Hoi An as Hoi An has no railway station.

Booking: You can purchase train tickets online on website Vietnam-Railway. Vietnam Railways has about 7 trains every day departing from Hue to Hoi An with 3 options: hard seat, soft seat and soft berth. You can also buy tickets directly at Hue Railway Station (Address: 2 Bui Thi Xuan Street).

Route: The train will go through Hai Van Pass to head to Da Nang Railway Station (address: 791 Hai Phong), from which you need to take a bus / taxi to reach Hoi An.

Duration: The train ride may take you about 2.5 hours to get to Da Nang Station. Then the bus will take you around 1 hour to arrive in Hoi An.

Cost:

• train ride: 100,000 – 120,000 VND ($3-5)/one-way ticket
• bus ride from Da Nang to Hoi An: 150,000 – 200,000 VND ($5-8)/one-way ticket

Pros and cons: Going by train is rather cheap and safe, also very interesting as you can see a little of Hai Van Pass from the train’s windows. However, being time-consuming is the biggest disadvantage of this method. In addition, the travel process is somehow complicated and tiring (book tickets, catch a bus/taxi). If you bring your children along, maybe it will be uncomfortable because the train is often noisy and shakes a lot.

2. Travel from Hue to Hoi An by Open Bus

This is considered the cheapest and among the most common ways. Today, there are a lot of modern buses and vans travelling directly from Hue to Hoi An. If you go in a big group and want to have a lively talk to each other, this will definitely be your cup of tea.

Booking: There are many reliable companies which offer bus services. Some highly-recommended ones are Thu Sinh Tourist, Camel Travel, Phuong Trang Travel, Hanh Cafe, Hoi An Express. You can check the information on phone numbers, prices and types of bus on their websites. Remember to arrive 30 – 60 minutes earlier than the departure time at the bus stop.

Route: The bus will not stop half-way but get directly to Hoi An.

Duration: Travelling to Hoi An from Hue by open bus will take you about 1.5 hour, much faster than going by train.

Cost: 115,000 – 185,000 VND ($4.80-8)/one-way ticket

Pros and cons: In terms of advantages, this method is budget-friendly and time-saving. There are also a wide range of company options varying in service quality, so you are free to choose any type of bus that suits your financial condition. 

Nevertheless, bus travelling remains little privacy for passengers. As a result, sometimes you may be affected by the noise of people and encounter disorganizing situations on the bus.

3. Travelling from Hue to Hoi An by Motorbike

With a distance of just over 100 km, you can completely conquer Da Nang – Hoi An route by a motorbike. Especially if you have adventure blood, this will be a once-in-a-life-time journey. On the route, you will see the spectacular Bach Ma Mountain and amazing Hai Van Pass.

Booking: If you would like to hire a motorbike instead of travelling on your own one, you may need to note down some of the agents for motor renting, such as MotorVina or Hue Motorbike Rental.

Another option is booking a motorbike tour to travel with other adventurers. You can consider a tour offered by Le Family Riders, in which you will be able to ride a motorbike under the guidance of a professional tour guide. Joining this tour, you will stop at 5 renowned spots for photo-taking and relaxing: Elephant Spring, Fishing Village, Hai Van Pass, Da Nang City and Marble Mountain.

Route: 

• The route through Hai Van Pass: You can take a rest when reaching the middle of the pass. From here. You will have a chance to admire the stunning beauty of Lang Co and Hai Van Quan. However, you should be careful when travelling on this road to avoid robberies and traffic danger, especially at late night or in the early morning.

• The route through Hai Van Tunnel: When you nearly reach the tunnel, you had better park your motorbike at the office of Hai Van Tunnel’s management board. Then you will go on a transfer car while a truck transfers your motorbike to the opposite side of the tunnel. After receiving your vehicle at the other side, you can continue your itinerary.

Duration: If you choose to go on your own, it can take about 3-4 hours. In case you choose to go on tour, it will be a whole-day trip lasting for around 8 hours.

Cost: The cost of renting a motorbike in Hue ranges from 185,000 – 347,000 VND ($8-15)/person. Going on a motorbike tour may cost you approximately 1,500,000 VND ($58).

Pros and cons: The most appealing experience when travelling this way is that you can take short breaks to capture beautiful landscapes. Thus, this journey is extremely risky as it requires great physical strength and mental health to conquer the dangerous Hai Van Pass. You need to possess remarkable driving skills to solve unexpected problems on the road as well. Besides, in comparison with the above ones, travelling by motorbike is costlier and more time-consuming.

4. Travelling from Hue to Hoi An by Taxi/Private Car

Thanks to its convenience, travelling to Hoi An by taxi or private car from Hue will worth every penny. Today there are so many luxurious minivans and taxis that provide high-quality services, ensuring the utmost comfort during your journey. Moreover, if you make a request in advance, the car will stop half-way for scenery exploration.

Booking: Dichung Taxi is a reliable company specializing in transport service. You can book a transfer service on website dichungtaxi.com, and a booking confirmation email with a unique ticket code will be sent to your email address.

Route: The taxi/private car will stop at these locations for soaking up the landscape: Elephant Spring, Cau Hai Lagoon, Lap An lagoon, Lang Co Bay, Hai Van pass and Marble Mountain.

Duration: It will take you about 2-3 hours to get to Hoi An.

Cost: ranging from 1,700,000 – 2.200,000 VND ($75-95)/car

Pros and cons: This is a perfect idea for safe, comfort and privacy. Another bonus point of moving by taxi/private car is that you can avoid extreme weather on hot summer days or rainy days. The best thing is, you can chill out at several stops, either by taking some photos or savoring yummy seafood along the coast.

However, this method has some minor drawbacks. Firstly, it will be a bit pricey if you are a lone traveller. Secondly, you cannot feel the wind and penetrate into fresh air.

5. Travelling from Hue to Hoi An by Seaplane

Travelling by seaplane is the fastest, but the most expensive way. 

Booking: Hai Au Aviation is the name that should cross your mind first when considering travelling by seaplane. You can go on its website at seaplanes.vn to book a flight from Hue to Hoi An.

Route: It is a straight flight. It will depart at Phu Bai International Airport (Address: Zone 8, Phu Bai Ward, Huong Thuy District, Thua Thien Hue Province) and will be landing at Danang International Airport (Address: Duy Tan Street, Hoa Thuan Tay Ward, Hai Chau District, Danang City).

Duration: Travelling from Hue to Hoi An by seaplane will take you about 40 minutes.

Cost: about 3,500,000 VND ($155)/one-way ticket

Pros and cons: This travelling method is wonderful in its way as you can see breathtaking views from above. The only demerit is that the price is a little bit high.

With these 5 suggestions, we hope that you can make a wise decision on your upcoming Hue – Hoi An trip.