Hai Phong to Cat Ba Island — 2026 Transport Guide

Last updated: July 22, 2026

Getting from Hai Phong to Cat Ba Island is a three-step journey: a land transfer to the coast, a sea crossing, then a short road transfer into Cat Ba town. Total travel time is roughly 1.5 to 2 hours. Costs run from about 14,000 VND for a foot-passenger ferry ticket up to around $13 per person for a bundled bus-and-speedboat service.

What are the three steps of the journey

Cat Ba is an island with no bridge to the mainland, so every route through Hai Phong follows the same chain.

1. Land transfer — from Hai Phong city centre or Cat Bi Airport out to the coast at Dong Bai Pier.
2. Sea crossing — by car ferry, passenger speedboat, or the cable car from Cat Hai to Phu Long.
3. Island transfer — a short road leg from the landing point into Cat Ba town.

Where the options really differ is step two, so that is worth choosing deliberately.

Which crossing should you take

Peak season tip: on summer weekends between May and August, the queue for the car ferry can stretch to one or two hours. If you are travelling on foot or by motorbike, skip the vehicle line and take the passenger speedboat instead — tickets are sold at the pier window on arrival.

How do you get from Cat Bi Airport to Cat Ba

Cat Bi International Airport in Hai Phong is the closest airport to Cat Ba Island, sitting roughly 28km from Dong Bai Pier — considerably closer than Noi Bai in Hanoi.

• Cat Bi Airport to Dong Bai Pier: a Grab or standard taxi costs around 250,000 VND and takes 30 to 35 minutes via the Tan Vu Bridge.
• Hai Phong city centre or train station to Dong Bai Pier: a taxi runs roughly 300,000 to 400,000 VND depending on your pickup point.

Timing warning worth taking seriously: the final ferry of the day leaves Dong Bai Pier at 18:30, extended to around 19:30 in the peak summer months. If your flight lands at Cat Bi after 16:30, collect your bags straight away and take a direct taxi to the pier so you do not miss the last sea crossing.

What bus services run from Hai Phong to Cat Ba

Several operators run the Hai Phong to Cat Ba route as a bundled bus-and-boat ticket, with morning and afternoon departures.

Beka Travel runs this route too, at $13 per person one way. The fare bundles the road transfer and the faster speedboat crossing rather than the car ferry, and drops you at Cat Ba town's central bus station, a short taxi or walk from most hotels. Departures run morning and afternoon — confirm the exact time and the pickup point when you book, as there is no hotel or airport pickup inside Hai Phong.

Contact Beka to book your Hai Phong to Cat Ba transfer — seats are arranged by message rather than an online checkout, so send your travel date and the number of passengers and the team will confirm availability and the pickup point.

Independent operators running the standard car ferry charge anywhere from about 15,000 VND for a no-frills seat up to 300,000 VND for a sleeper or private-cabin coach. Bundled tickets that include the faster speedboat crossing sit at the upper end of that range — you are paying for the time saved, not a nicer bus.

Book ahead: three to five days on weekdays, and at least two weeks during holiday periods, to get a seat at the lower fare.

Is it easier to travel via Hanoi instead

For many international visitors starting in Vietnam's capital, yes. A single-ticket combo bus from Hanoi covers the highway drive, the sea crossing and the island transfer under one reservation, so you are not negotiating separate taxis or buying individual ferry tickets with luggage in hand. The Hanoi to Cat Ba transport guide breaks that route down in full.

Worth knowing about Beka's own services: Beka Travel sells the Hai Phong to Cat Ba transfer at $13 per person, and also runs direct pickup and transport from Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ha Long and Cat Ba town. The one thing it does not offer is hotel or airport pickup inside Hai Phong itself — you make your own way to the departure point, which the team confirms when you book.

Frequently asked questions

What time does the Hai Phong to Cat Ba ferry run

The Dong Bai to Cai Vieng ferry operates daily from 05:30 to 18:30. During the peak summer months from May to August, service is often extended to around 19:30 to handle evening traffic.

Does the Cat Ba cable car run every day

No. The cable car operates 09:00 to 16:00 with last ticket intake at 15:45, and closes every Tuesday for weekly maintenance.

Is Cat Bi the closest airport to Cat Ba

Yes. Cat Bi International Airport is about 28km from Dong Bai ferry terminal, making it much closer than Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport.

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

A direct taxi or Grab ride costs approximately 250,000 VND and takes around 30 to 35 minutes.

Which crossing is fastest

The passenger speedboat, at 8 to 10 minutes compared with 20 to 25 minutes on the car ferry. It also lets you bypass the vehicle queue on busy summer weekends.

Ready for the bay? Explore with Beka Travel

Once you are on the island, Beka's boats depart daily from Ben Beo Pier in Cat Ba town, running day cruises and multi-day trips into the lagoons, quieter beaches and kayaking spots of Lan Ha Bay. If you are booking the $13 transfer anyway, it is worth asking about a tour at the same time so both are held on the same dates.

Browse the Lan Ha Bay day tour, plan around the seasons with the best time to visit Cat Ba guide, or read the full Cat Ba Island travel guide.

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