Travel: Flights to Hanoi from London Heathrow (lhr)

Most folks arrive at the Noi Bai International Airport, 35 km (45-60 minutes) north of the city.

Departure tax

As of November 2006, international departure taxes should be included in the price of your ticket.

Airlines

• Vietnam Airlines - the primary national carrier - 25 Tràng Thi (corner of Quang Trung) tel: (84-4)9349660 fax: (84-4)9349620

• AirAsia - low-cost airline with daily flights to Hanoi from both Bangkok in Thailand and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia - tel: +603 8660 4343

• Hong Kong Airlines - new carrier with daily flights to/from Hong Kong

• Lao Airlines - small airline with 4 flights a week to/from Luang Prabang in Lao

• Pacific Airlines - newer and smaller Vietnamese carrier - tel: (84-4) 9550550

• Tiger Airways - low-cost airline with daily flights to/from Singapore -tel: (84-4) 9454565

Any travel agent will book flights for you, but will usually charge a service fee. Given the English-speaking, friendly and capable personnel of the airline offices, you might as well book direct.

Airport transfers

• Taxis to downtown Hanoi can be hired at Noi Bai. The driver may try to deliver you to a hotel of his choosing so he can collect a commission, but if you insist on being taken to another place they usually give in. Taxis from the city centre to Noi Bai Airport charge a fixed rate of about USD15-20.

• Public buses to the city center from Noi Bai airport charge 5000 dong and take about an hour. Bus #07 crosses the Thang Long bridge and goes to the Daewoo Hotel on the western part of Hanoi. Bus #17 crosses the Chuong Duong bridge and goes close to the old quarter.

• Shuttle-buses to the airport depart from opposite the Vietnam Airlines Office on Quang Trung (see below). Tickets cost ~US$2 and are sold in the building in front of which the minibuses park. From the airport, the fare is US$4.