Hai Phong to Cat Ba Island: Speedboat, Ferry and Bus

Getting from Hai Phong to Cat Ba Island is one of the easiest ways to reach Cat Ba. Hai Phong is the closest mainland gateway to the island and is located only about 30 km away by sea. The journey normally has three parts: travel from Hai Phong city or Cat Bi Airport to the coastal terminal, cross the water, then continue by road to Cat Ba Town.

In 2026, travelers choose between a passenger speedboat, the Dong Bai to Cai Vieng car ferry, the Cat Hai to Phu Long cable car, or a combined bus and boat service. The sections below compare all four, with prices, timings and the airport connection. Hai Phong is also the closest starting point for travelers joining a Lan Ha Bay cruise from Cat Ba.

Quick answer: The fastest sea crossing is the speedboat at roughly 8 to 15 minutes, while the cable car crosses in about 9 minutes and the Dong Bai to Cai Vieng ferry takes around 20 to 30 minutes. A ferry foot passenger ticket costs about 14,000 VND, and speedboat fares run roughly 110,000 to 220,000 VND depending on route and operator. From Cat Bi Airport, a taxi to Dong Bai takes about 30 to 35 minutes.

Hai Phong to Cat Ba: How to get there

The most important change for anyone reading older information about the Haiphong Cat Ba route is that the main ferry operation has moved. The old Got Pier is no longer the main passenger gateway, and the public ferry now runs from Dong Bai Pier on Cat Hai Island, beside the Sun World cable car station. Both the cable car terminal and the new ferry terminal are located in Dong Bai commune, which is why the two options share the same approach road.

Ben Binh Pier in central Hai Phong still matters. Passenger boats and combined transfers depart from there, and the long-established Ben Binh to Cat Ba high-speed connection reaches the Cat Ba tourist center in about an hour.

Published 2026 fares and travel times vary by operator, season and departure point, so treat these as practical reference figures rather than fixed universal prices.

Passengers traveling without a vehicle usually find the speedboat the most time-efficient choice. Anyone bringing a car needs the ferry, because passenger speedboats cannot carry private vehicles. The cable car suits travelers who want to skip the vehicle queue and do not need to take a vehicle onto the island.

Hai Phong to Cat Ba speedboat schedule and ticket price

The speed boat to Cat Ba Island is a popular option, because the sea crossing itself is short and it avoids the vehicle queues that build up around the ferry terminal on summer weekends.

Two different situations are worth separating. A passenger service from Ben Binh, in central Hai Phong, works best for travelers already staying in the city. A Cat Ba speedboat from Dong Bai, the main terminal on Cat Hai, works best for travelers coming from Cat Bi Airport or approaching by road. Some services sold as a Hai Phong to Cat Ba speedboat include a short road transfer before the actual crossing rather than putting the boat alongside the city-center ticket counter, so check what the ticket covers before booking.

Speedboat timetable

Ben Binh Pier is more convenient than Dong Bai for travelers already in the center of Hai Phong, because it avoids crossing the Tan Vu to Lach Huyen bridge and driving out to Cat Hai before boarding. Combined transfers from Ben Binh typically run in the morning and again around midday, connecting through Dong Bai before arriving on Cat Ba.

Operators change schedules by season, so the departure time should be checked for the travel date rather than taken from a timetable published months earlier. Arriving 20 to 30 minutes before departure is a sensible buffer, and most operators ask passengers to be at the counter 30 minutes ahead for boarding procedures.

Allow extra time on summer weekends and public holidays, because the road approaching Cat Hai gets congested even when the boat is running to schedule. This matters most when connecting from Cat Bi Airport, where a flight delay of 30 to 45 minutes can turn a comfortable connection into a scramble for the last departure.

Speedboat ticket price

Fares differ by operator and departure pier. Dong Bai speedboats generally sell from around 110,000 to 120,000 VND for adults, with the crossing taking roughly 8 to 15 minutes. Services starting from Ben Binh cost more, because the ticket usually covers the road transfer as well as the boat.

Tickets are safest bought at the official counter or from the operator named on the booking confirmation, not from people selling tickets outside the pier. The safest way to compare two prices is to confirm three things: the exact departure pier, the arrival pier on Cat Ba, and whether any road transfer is included.

Parking depends on the terminal. Travelers leaving a car on the mainland and crossing on foot can use the parking areas at Dong Bai and the adjoining cable car complex. A motorbike or car going to the island has to travel by car ferry instead, since the passenger speedboat cannot carry it.

Hai Phong to Cat Ba ferry schedule and ticket price

The Hai Phong to Cat Ba ferry is the option for anyone taking a motorbike, car or other vehicle across. From the city, the road route crosses the Tan Vu to Lach Huyen bridge, the longest sea-crossing bridge in Vietnam, opened in September 2017, and continues to Dong Bai on Cat Hai Island.

The public Dong Bai ferry runs from Dong Bai Pier to Cai Vieng Pier on Cat Ba, so anyone following older websites should stop searching for the Got ferry without checking the current terminal. The crossing takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes, though the full journey runs much longer in peak periods because of the queue before boarding.

Online listings use several names for this sailing, including the Haiphong to Cat Ba ferry, but they all describe the same Dong Bai to Cai Vieng crossing.

• Foot passenger: around 14,000 VND one way.
• Motorbike: about 44,000 to 45,000 VND per crossing.
• Car under 9 seats: about 190,000 to 194,000 VND per crossing.

The Hai Phong to Cat Ba ferry generally operates from about 5:30 in the morning to 6:30 in the evening, with seasonal extensions toward 7:30 in peak summer. Intervals vary with demand and time of day, so the last departure is not a fixed year-round time. Anyone arriving late in the afternoon should check the same-day operating status rather than assuming an evening sailing.

From Cai Vieng, the onward road trip to Cat Ba Town runs about 20 km and takes roughly 30 to 60 minutes by bus, taxi, electric car or private transfer depending on traffic. Budget travelers should count this second stage when comparing the real cost and time of the ferry route.

Cat Bi Airport to Cat Ba Island

Travelers searching Cat Bi Airport to Cat Ba Island are usually better off heading straight from the airport to Dong Bai Pier rather than going into Hai Phong city center first.

Cat Bi International Airport is the closest airport to the island. Dong Bai Pier is roughly 28 km away, about 30 to 35 minutes by taxi or Grab, at a fare of around 250,000 VND. From Dong Bai, travelers can take a passenger speedboat, the car ferry or the Cat Ba cable car.

The typical airport route runs airport, taxi to Dong Bai Pier, boat or ferry across to Cai Vieng or Phu Long, then a road transfer into Cat Ba Town. Passengers without a vehicle usually find the speedboat simplest, since the crossing is short and taxis, buses and electric cars wait on the other side. Anyone arriving with a rental car needs the Dong Bai ferry instead.

What if my flight lands late?

This is the timing issue that catches most people on the Haiphong airport to Cat Ba route. The regular final ferry from Dong Bai leaves around 6:30 in the evening, with later sailings only during parts of the peak summer season.

Go directly to the pier when a Cat Bi flight lands late in the afternoon, and do not assume that reaching Hai Phong city center first is the better plan. When the arrival falls close to the last crossing, a pre-arranged private transfer removes the risk of losing time hunting for a taxi at the terminal.

Cat Ba to Hai Phong and Cat Bi Airport for the return trip

Going from Cat Ba Island to Hai Phong follows the same structure in reverse: Cat Ba Town, then Cai Vieng or another island departure point, then Dong Bai, then the city or the airport. Enough time is needed to get from the hotel to the departure point, because the island road transfer takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on traffic and terminal.

The ferry Cat Ba to Hai Phong runs from Cai Vieng on the island side, with the first departures from around 5:00 in the morning in the regular period and extra early sailings in peak season.

Cat Ba to Hai Phong

The Cat Ba to Hai Phong route is the simplest option for anyone continuing to the city center, the railway station or another mainland destination. A private taxi or pre-booked transfer collects travelers at the hotel, drives to Cai Vieng, crosses on the ferry and continues from Dong Bai into Hai Phong.

Independent travelers can do the same journey by public transport for less, though it needs more coordination between the road and sea sections. The Cat Ba to Hai Phong ferry itself is the cheapest part of the trip.

Cat Ba to Cat Bi Airport

A generous buffer is needed when a flight is involved, rather than working from the nominal crossing time alone. A private transfer from a Cat Ba hotel to Cat Bi Airport takes around 2 hours in total, including roughly 30 minutes on the ferry and a vehicle change at the mainland terminal. Beka Travel arranges a private car from Cat Ba to Cat Bi Airport for 80 US dollars for 2 guests, arriving at the airport at 14:00.

The sequence for the Cat Ba Island to Cat Bi Airport run is hotel pickup, Cai Vieng, ferry, Dong Bai, road transfer, airport. The legs are the same whichever name the transfer is sold under, so the timing is what matters. On an international flight or an important domestic connection, leaving Cat Ba earlier beats relying on the last sailings of the day, which is the single most common cause of missed flights on this route.

Speedboat, ferry or cable car, which one to choose

The right choice depends on luggage, vehicles and how much speed matters.

• Choose the speedboat when traveling without a vehicle and wanting the shortest crossing. The hydrofoil Cat Ba services and modern passenger boats both fall into this category.
• Choose the ferry when bringing a motorbike or car, or when the lowest ticket price matters more than crossing speed.
• Choose the cable car when traveling light, wanting an aerial crossing and preferring to skip the ferry queue.

The Cat Hai to Phu Long cable car opened in June 2020 and runs 3,955 meters across the sea between Dong Bai and Phu Long communes. It uses 60 cabins carrying 30 passengers each, moves at up to 8 meters per second and handles 4,500 passengers an hour. One of its pylons stands 214.8 meters tall and is recognized by Guinness World Records as the tallest cable car pylon in the world. The line cuts the crossing from about 20 minutes by ferry to roughly 9 minutes.

One detail matters: the cable car does not reach Cat Ba Town. It lands at Phu Long, and a road transfer is still needed into the central tourism area, so it shortens the sea crossing rather than removing onward transport.

What bus services run from Hai Phong to Cat Ba?

Several bus and combined-transfer options serve travelers looking for a bus to Cat Ba from Hai Phong.

Beka Travel currently sells a combined bus and speedboat transfer at around 13 US dollars per person one way, with morning and afternoon departures, designed so the road and sea connections come as a single booking. Other local operators sell combined services from the Ben Binh area. The Cat Ba Island Resort and Spa bus costs around 190,000 VND for adults and 120,000 VND for children, departing from 41 Ben Binh. Van Tai Du Lich Cat Ba costs around 180,000 VND, with departures from Ben Binh and some airport pickup arrangements from Nguyen Binh Khiem Street.

These services suit travelers who would rather not work out every transfer themselves. One distinction is worth understanding: a combined Cat Ba Island bus service rarely means a single city bus driving continuously onto the island. It is a coordinated road and sea journey, which for anyone staying in central Hai Phong is easier than taking a taxi the whole way to Dong Bai.

Practical tips for traveling from Hai Phong to Cat Ba

The transport map has changed, and that is the thing to remember. Older guides still send travelers to Got Pier, so confirm whether your booking uses Ben Binh, Dong Bai or another current terminal before leaving your hotel. Cat Ba can be reached by high-speed boat, road, ferry and cable car, with Phu Long acting as the gateway where the road network, the ferry and the cable car all connect.

Traveling on a summer weekend means allowing extra time for the road section before Dong Bai. Hai Phong introduced traffic-management measures on the ferry approach in 2026, including restrictions on outbound cars and trucks during certain peak periods, so drivers should check the restrictions before departure. The passenger speedboat and cable car are unaffected, because neither carries your vehicle.

Families with children and anyone carrying heavy luggage are usually more comfortable on a combined transfer or private car than making several independent connections. Backpackers get the lowest-cost sea crossing on the ferry, while a direct passenger boat to Cat Ba Island balances cost against time for those traveling light. Travelers coming from the capital can compare the same options on the Hanoi to Cat Ba Island route.

Which route is best for each traveler?

The decision comes down to four choices. Take the passenger speedboat for the fastest crossing without a vehicle. Take the Dong Bai ferry when carrying a motorbike or car, or when cost matters most. Take the cable car to skip the queue and get the view. Take a combined bus and boat transfer when one ticket for the whole journey matters most.

The route from Hai Phong to Cat Ba is simpler than older online information suggests. What decides how smoothly it goes is knowing which terminal the service uses before leaving the city.

After the crossing, Cat Ba Island opens up the beaches, Cat Ba National Park and the bay.

Beka Travel lists current departures, transfers and prices for Cat Ba island tours, with pickup from Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Ha Long.

FAQ

Is Cat Bi the closest airport to Cat Ba Island?

Yes. Cat Bi International Airport in Hai Phong is the closest airport to Cat Ba Island, roughly 28 km from Dong Bai Pier, or about 30 to 35 minutes by road in normal traffic.

That makes the Hai Phong airport to Cat Ba Island connection considerably more convenient than flying into Hanoi when Cat Ba is your final destination.

How much is a taxi from Cat Bi Airport to Dong Bai Pier?

A standard taxi or Grab costs around 250,000 VND and takes about 30 to 35 minutes in normal conditions.

The exact fare varies with vehicle type, traffic and the ride-hailing service you use.

Which crossing from Hai Phong is fastest?

The passenger speedboat gives the shortest sea crossing at roughly 8 to 15 minutes, and the cable car crosses in about 9 minutes, while the car ferry takes around 20 to 30 minutes on the water.

Total travel time still depends on where you start. A boat from Dong Bai is not automatically faster door to door than a direct passenger service from Ben Binh when you are already in central Hai Phong.

What is the last departure from Hai Phong to Cat Ba?

The final Dong Bai to Cai Vieng ferry usually runs at about 6:30 in the evening, extending toward 7:30 during peak summer operations.

Scheduled passenger boats and combined bus services normally stop earlier than the last ferry, and timetables shift by season, so confirm the same-day schedule when arriving late.

Does Beka Travel pick up from Hai Phong hotels or Cat Bi Airport?

Only on request. Pickup from Hai Phong is not a standard option on this route, so it needs to be arranged with Beka Travel before travel. For an airport arrival, a taxi or Grab to Dong Bai is usually the simplest connection.

For the return trip, Beka Travel arranges a private car from Cat Ba to Cat Bi Airport for 80 US dollars for 2 guests, arriving at the airport at 14:00. Pickup is also available on the Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Ha Long services.

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