Ha Long to Cat Ba: Ferry, Bus & Car Options (2026)

Featured image: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Quick answer: the fastest Ha Long to Cat Ba route

Fastest on paper is a private car driven to Tuan Chau and rolled onto the car ferry, at about 1.5 hours in total. Most foot passengers take the Tuan Chau ferry instead. Tuan Chau pier sits about 10 km from Bai Chay Beach in Ha Long City, roughly 30 minutes by road. From the Gia Luan landing, Cat Ba Town is about 30 minutes further. Add a 30-minute early arrival at the pier plus a wait for the next sailing, and 2 to 3 hours is a realistic plan. Still on your way to the bay? Start with our guide to reaching Ha Long Bay.

• Ferry foot passenger: ₫80,000 and a 40 to 50 minute crossing.
• Bus plus speedboat: about 1 hour 15 minutes at about ₫300,000.
• Private driver: about ₫600,000 per day, plus the car ferry.

Ha Long to Cat Ba at a glance: time and cost by route

Fares below are operator-reported figures, with prices and hours checked November 2026. Sources disagree on several numbers, so ranges appear where they do. Cost climbs from the cheap foot ferry to the pricey private car, while time falls the other way.

Option 1: Tuan Chau ferry to Gia Luan

Tuan Chau ferry terminal is on Ngoc Chau Road in Tuan Chau Ward, Ha Long. Boats cross to Gia Luan pier on Cat Ba in 40 to 50 minutes, and a faster high-speed boat is reported at about 30 minutes. Summer service from April 30 to September 30 runs about 5 trips a day. Winter service from October 1 to April 29 drops to about 3. Reported summer departures from Tuan Chau are 7:30, 9:00, 11:30, 13:30 and 15:00. Winter boats leave at 7:30, 11:30 and 15:00. Another timetable starts at 7:00 and lists 5 to 7 trips, so timetables shift by season and the operator has the final word. Return sailings leave Gia Luan at 9:00, 11:30, 13:00, 15:00 and 16:00 in summer. An adult pays ₫80,000 and a child ₫50,000. Gia Luan lies about 25 km from Cat Ba Town, so budget for a taxi, bus or hotel pickup for the last 30 minutes. Do not confuse it with Ben Beo, which is Cat Ba Town's day-boat pier, 2 km from the centre and a 20-minute walk. Sailings are affected by weather and tide, especially off-peak.

• Rider with motorbike: ₫90,000.
• Car of up to 9 seats: reported between ₫400,000 and ₫600,000, with ₫480,000 also listed.
• Van of 9 to 15 seats: ₫520,000.

Option 2: Bus combo tickets

Combo tickets bundle a coach with either a ferry or a speedboat in one booking. Bus plus ferry runs over the Tan Vu–Lach Huyen Bridge to Got Pier in Hai Phong, then crosses to Cai Vieng. Expect about 2 hours and a price between ₫180,000 and ₫330,000, depending on the seller. Bus plus speedboat is quicker at about 1 hour 15 minutes for about ₫300,000. A direct bus from Bai Chay Bus Station takes about 1 hour 30 minutes at about ₫336,000. One booking platform lists Ha Long departures at 7:40 and 12:45, and Cat Ba departures at 7:30 and 12:30. Baolau and Bookaway both list Cat Ba ferry tickets for advance booking. Arriving from the capital? Our Hanoi bus to Ha Long notes cover the first leg.

Option 3: Private car, driver and the Hai Phong road route

Hiring a self-drive car costs about ₫1,500,000 per day, and a driver about ₫600,000 per day. Roads are narrow and busy in places. Three vehicle routes connect Cat Ba and Ha Long. Via Gia Luan is quickest. Both Hai Phong routes cost more time, but they keep working when weather cancels Gia Luan sailings. Hai Phong city to Got Pier takes about 40 minutes by road. Cai Vieng can be slow on Fridays and Sundays, with peak windows of 8:00 to 10:00 and 13:00 to 16:00. Weekend crossings there can stretch to 90 minutes.

• Via Gia Luan: Cat Ba Town to the pier 30 min, car ferry 40 min, then Ha Long 20 min. Total about 1.5 h.
• Via Tan Vu–Lach Huyen Bridge: Cat Ba Town to Cat Hai 1 h, Hai Phong 20 min, Highway 18 to Ha Long 1 h 30 min. Total about 2.5 h, with a ₫35,000 toll.
• Via Cai Vieng: ferry from Got Pier (₫100,000, 15 to 30 min), then Highways QL5B and QL10. Total 2.5 to 3 h.

Which route should you choose?

Match the route to your luggage, budget and deadline. Light packers on a budget do well with the foot ferry. Families with suitcases juggle bus, ferry and taxi, so a driver saves effort. Short on time? A seaplane flight option can shorten the Hanoi-side leg, though it is not a Cat Ba service. International arrivals should read about Noi Bai airport transfers before booking onward tickets.

• Booking the last sailing before an onward flight or night train.
• Mixing up Ben Beo, the town's day-boat pier, with the Gia Luan ferry landing.
• Assuming Tuan Chau is in central Ha Long, when it is about 30 minutes out.
• Trusting an old timetable photo from a different season.

How to book and what to do on the day

Buy tickets at the Tuan Chau or Got ferry counters, or pre-book online through Baolau or Bookaway. Counters can sell out at weekends and peak hours. Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. Ferries have left up to 40 minutes early, and low-load trips have been cancelled. Gia Luan peaks at 8:00 to 9:00 and 14:00 to 15:00. Skip the last departure if an onward connection depends on it. Pack a jacket, because sea wind turns chilly in winter. Pick a window or balcony seat, and bring motion-sickness remedies if you need them. Keep bags beside you and note your vehicle plate on the car deck. For notices on current services, try the Quang Ninh tourism portal.

Ha Long Bay vs Cat Ba: are they the same place?

No. Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage seascape of limestone karsts, best seen from the water. Cat Ba is an inhabited island of about 260 km² in Cat Hai district, Hai Phong. It has a national park, beaches and a town. Lan Ha Bay wraps around its coast, and day boats leave from Ben Beo. For wider trip planning, see Vietnam's national tourism site.

• Pick Ha Long Bay for an overnight cruise with transfers handled.
• Pick Cat Ba for hiking, beaches and flexible day trips.
• Combine them with a cruise first, then a short stay on Cat Ba.

Cat Ba to Ha Long and the return trip

Reverse the route, then work backwards from your departure. Cat Ba Town to Gia Luan takes 30 minutes by road. The first Gia Luan sailing leaves at 9:00, so a 8:00 start from town fits the 30-minute early arrival. Tuan Chau comes about 50 minutes later, near 9:50. Ha Long City follows around 10:20, by our arithmetic. Hanoi is 2 to 2.5 hours away on the expressway, so a Noi Bai flight before about 16:00 is a gamble. Door to door from Hanoi to Cat Ba, plan on 3.5 to 4.5 hours. Pad every leg, and shift a day when seas turn rough.

Can a Lan Ha Bay cruise replace the ferry?

A Lan Ha Bay cruise can sometimes double as your transfer to Cat Ba, particularly if your Ha Long stay already includes a bay itinerary. Check the embarkation and disembarkation points before booking. A cruise may finish at Cat Ba or arrange a Cat Ba-bound transfer, but others return passengers to Tuan Chau.

Compare its arrival point with the standard ferry plan. The Tuan Chau to Gia Luan crossing takes about 40 to 50 minutes, then Gia Luan is about 25 km from Cat Ba Town. That last road leg takes roughly 30 minutes, so a cruise ending at a remote pier may still need a transfer.

This option suits travellers who want sightseeing built into the journey. It is less suitable when you need a fixed onward connection. Confirm luggage arrangements, drop-off location and weather policy before relying on a cruise as transport.