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(04/3886 6527), 35km north of the city, is equipped with several exchange bureaux and ATMs, as well as a tourist information desk (8am–midnight). By far the cheapest option for getting into town are the #7 and #17 city buses (2hr; 5000đ), which depart from outside the arrivals hall every fifteen to twenty minutes from 5.30am to 10.30pm; #7 takes you to Kim Ma bus station, to the west of centre, and #17 to Long Bien station on the northern edge of the Old Quarter. Note that you may be charged extra for bulky luggage. Quicker are the shuttle buses run by Noi Bai Minibus and Airport Minibus (45min–1hr), which also leave from outside the terminal and drop you near the Vietnam Airlines office just south of Hoan Kiem Lake; these should cost $2, though you may have to haggle. Taxis cost a fixed-rate $15 for the 45-minute ride into town; always insist on being taken to your chosen hotel, as some drivers will try to direct you elsewhere in order to gain a commission. This is a serious problem with some budget and mid-range hotels in the Old Quarter; the safest option is to get your hotel to send a taxi to meet you.

Hanoi’s train station is roughly a kilometre west of centre, on Le Duan. Arriving from Ho Chi Minh City and all points south or from China, you exit the main station onto Le Duan. However, trains from the east and north (Haiphong, Lang Son and Lao Cai) pull into platforms at the rear of the main station, bringing you out among market stalls on a narrow street called Tran Quy Cap.

Hanoi’s three main long-distance bus stations are all located several kilometres from the centre, and you’ll need to catch a city bus ((See "City buses") for details of routes) or hop on a xe om. Buses from the south generally terminate at Giap Bat station, 6km south of town on Giai Phong, while those from the northeast (Lang Son, Cao Bang, Ha Long and Haiphong) usually arrive at Gia Lam station, 4km away on the east bank of the Red River. However, some Ha Long and Haiphong services, including the through bus from Cat Ba operated by Hoang Long company, drop you at the more central Luong Yen bus station on the eastern edge of the French Quarter. Services from the northwest (Son La, Mai Chau and Lao Cai) arrive at either Giap Bat or the new My Dinh station, about 10km west of centre. Note that some buses from Mai Chau and Hoa Binh terminate in Ha Dong, a suburb of Hanoi also roughly 10km west on Highway 6; jump on one of the waiting city buses for the forty-minute ride into town. Open-tour buses stop at various points around the Old Quarter.

For details of moving on from Hanoi, see "Moving on from Hanoi".

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Hanoi and around | Arrival and information |

Tour agents

Over the years, Hanoi’s tourist-service industry has become increasingly sophisticated and now comprises a dizzying array of dedicated tour agents. The situation is further complicated by the tendency for newcomers to adopt the same name as a successful rival, or something that sounds similar; there are dozens of outfits claiming to be affiliated to Ho Chi Minh City Sinh Café, for example. To be on the safe side, it’s best to go to one of the longer-established and more reliable agents such as those listed below.

Buffalo Tours 94 Ma May 04/3828 0702, www.buffalotours.com. Long-established experts in organizing tailor-made private tours throughout Indochina, with a particular focus on adventure and special interest holidays; prices are a little high but the service is extremely professional.

Ethnic Travel 35 Hang Giay 04/3926 1951, www.ethnictravel.com.vn. Popular operation with a genuine passion for low-impact, environmentally-conscious travel; a maximum group size of six also makes for a more personal adventure.

Exotissimo 26 Tran Nhat Duat 04/3828 2150, www.exotissimo.com. One-stop travel shop offering all travel-related services from visas and ticketing to tours aimed at the middle market and above. It’s a highly professional operation, with a strong focus on adventure tours and responsible tourism.

Explore Indochina 2 Tran Thanh Tong 0913 524658, www.exploreindochina.com.