Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh: Ultimate Guide to Transfer

In the past, there was no bus transfer directly from Cat Ba to Ninh Binh. Travelers normally had to come back to Hanoi then go to Ninh Binh. But until now, thanks to the developments of the tourism industry, there are several options of transportation to go between 2 places.

Covering the 123 km (76 miles) from Cat Ba to Ninh Binh takes around 4.5 hours by bus. You can consider some sorts of transportation for your journey such as bus, private car or motorbike since there’s no train or airport in both destinations. The information we provide below will help you have more details about each means of transportations and make the best choice for your Cat Ba - Ninh Binh trip. 

There are several ways to travel from Cat Ba to Ninh Binh by bus, car, or motorbike, lets learn detail each transportation type with us below:

Cat Ba to Ninh Binh private car

Despite the high price, a private car is the best transportation that we would recommend to you. Traveling by private car, you will never have to worry about missing the bus or transport in bad weather, and your huge luggage doesn’t matter at all. You can travel from Cat Ba directly to Tam Coc or anywhere you want, stop by any place you adore, and move at any convenient time.

Depending on different car brands and your pick-up requirements, drop off and stop-by locations, the price ranges from 130-150 USD for a 4 seat car. Actually, this price is quite affordable; it’s only considered high compared to the bus price in Vietnam. So you can consider your budget and contact BestPrice Travel for the best private car service with many great deals.

Cat Ba to Ninh Binh bus

Currently, several bus companies provide the Cat Ba - Ninh Binh bus service, so you can easily choose a bus brand with a suitable itinerary with your plan. These buses are so convenient that Traveling from Cat Ba can choose your drop off at any famous attractions like Trang An, Tam Coc, Bai Dinh, Mua cave….

Hub in Ninh Binh city, The Long Travel provides the bus service only serving foreign tourists. There will be a nice, quiet and clean bus with an experienced driver and an English-speaking guide on the bus to contact you and give directions of the tourist attractions if you need some advice. The bus of The Long Travel departs twice a day from Ninh Binh in the morning, and depending on your plan, the early bus arrives on time for you to catch a cruise tour to visit Lan Ha Bay, at around 10h30am. The late bus drops you off around 12h30 pm, right before the hotel checks in time. The latest bus leaves Cat Ba at 1 pm and a ticket to travel by The Long bus is around 17USD for your information.

From Cat Ba island, Good morning Cat Ba Express, Cat Ba Discovery Travel, Cat Ba Express bus are 3 bus companies you can consider choosing for this route. These buses depart quite regularly, so it’s very convenient for you to arrange your plan. Departing from Cat Ba, buses will leave at 8:00 am, 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 4:00 pm. This itinerary will cost you about 5 hours and 15USD per ticket, including both bus and ferry fees, so you absolutely don’t have to pay any extra for it.

Cat Ba to Ninh Binh motorbike

People always say that the best way to discover Vietnam is to travel by motorbike and immerse in the local life. Hiring a motorbike and driving on the most beautiful coastline of North Vietnam is such a wonderful experience that you should not miss. 

However, not many people choose to adventure this route by motorbike because it’s not yet a bike rental company with hubs in both destinations, you will have to return the vehicle where you rent it. 

Normally, travelers will rent the bike in Hanoi, then go to Cat Ba, Ninh Binh and head back to the capital. Some buy an old motorbike that is not too expensive and sell it when the journey ends. So if you really want to ride a bike from Cat Ba island to Ninh Binh, these are options you can think about.

- Traveling by motorbike in Cat Ba, there are not many gas stations on the island, so it’s really important to know at least 1 place to fill your bike.

- Private car is the most convenient way to travel from Cat Ba to Ninh Binh since traveling by regular bus, you will have to transfer a lot between bus, ferry or speedboat then bus again and sometimes, some of your luggage can be missing during your transfers. 

- On the way from Cat Ba island to Ninh Binh, some stop-overs are selling a lot of local cuisine of the province you pass by. Try some of them if you don’t want to leave, regretting that you missed some amazing things.

- It takes around 4.5-5 hours to travel by bus for this route, so don’t forget to prepare some food and snacks if you are hungry.

You have learned in all detail how to travel from Cat Ba to Ninh Binh with us. Hope you could find a suitable transfer option. If you are looking for a tour that combines Ninh Binh and Cat Ba, please do not hesitate to contact us or visit our Vietnam tours page to find the best one.

Hue Pham

Image source: Internet