Hoi An’s Bus Stations

At first glance, travelling by bus in Vietnam can seem a bit overwhelming.  Booking a ticket seems to be more complicated than it should be, prices between companies vary, reservations are often needed and overcharging is common. Couple this with the fact that the Hoi An Bus Station is used only by local buses, traffic is chaotic and road rules seem non-existent and you might have second thoughts about travelling by bus altogether!

However, at some point in your journey, you’re likely to discover that travelling by bus is the best available option for you. Vietnam has an extensive network of buses that reach even the most remote corners of the country. Bus travel is often the cheapest, most flexible and efficient way to travel.

In this guide, Hidden listed everything about the Hoi An Bus Station.  We look at transit time and stops for your journey into the UNESCO World Heritage Site, including: Where does the bus stop? Where can you eat? What’s nearby? How can you get to your hotel? What is the best way to get to the Old Town?

With our help and a bit of preparation on your part, we can make your arrival into Hoi An easy and hassle-free. Here are our tips on what to expect when arriving at the Hoi An Bus Station.

Shuttle at the Hoi An bus station
A shuttle carrying passengers at the Hoi An bus station

Contents

Reaching Hoi An by Bus

A bus is the only mass transit option that will take you directly into Hoi An. Trains and planes arrive at nearby Da Nang, 30 kilometres north of Hoi An.  From there, you’ll still need to take a bus, taxi, or private car to reach Hoi An. You can read more on how to get from Da Nang to Hoi An in our article here.

Public Bus (Line #1)

Location

The Hoi An Bus Station can be found on the corner of Le Hong Phong and Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, a 15-minute walk from central Hoi An. There’s no official ticket office, and most of the bus drivers don’t speak English, so it looks a little chaotic if you don’t know where to look for schedules and prices. As such, most travellers never visit the local bus station in Hoi An, they prefer to stick to other more convenient, tourist-friendly options, but there is nothing really to be afraid of. This bus station is by far the cheapest way to reach Hoi An from Da Nang.

Hidden Hint: Hoi An Bus Station is used only by local buses. If you are travelling on an intercity bus, then you will be dropped off either at their offices in Hoi An or in a public parking lot one kilometre outside the city centre.

Hoi An bus station (local)
Hoi An local bus station and the yellow ‘Number 1’ bus route

Route

The Hoi An bus station serves only one route, Line #1, which runs from Hoi An to Da Nang and vice-versa. From Hoi An Bus Station – Le Van Hien – Ngu Hanh Son – Nguyen Van Troi Bridge – Bach Dang – Phan Dinh Phung – Yen Bai – Le Duan – Dien Bien Phu – Ton Duc Thang – the Centre of Da Nang Bus Station.

Fare

Although the bus fare from Da Nang to Hoi An station is 20,000 VND (0.87 USD), bus drivers will usually try to charge foreigners 50,000 VND (2.17 USD) or more. You basically have two options: pay the tourist price, considering you’re indeed not a local, and it is only about an extra dollar; or give exact change as per what the website states: 20,000 VND (1 USD) and accept your 4,000 VND loss (0.20 USD). If you decide to take option 2, then point out the sign posted inside the front door of the bus, and give the driver the exact amount.

Bus Schedule

Yellow buses run every 20 minutes from 5:30 a.m to 5:50 p.m., and the trip takes roughly an hour.

Hidden Hint: Get off at Ngu Hanh Son to visit the famous Marble Mountains.

What’s Nearby?

The Hoi An Bus Station is quite far away from the city centre and you don’t have a lot of options available nearby. On-site you will find a bunch of street food vendors to grab a bite to eat. There’s also a motorbike rental store, in case you would like to rent a bike instead of taking a taxi. From here, it’s easy to find a taxi to drop you off at your hotel or the Old Town. A motorcycle taxi ride (Xe Om) to the Old Town costs around 15,000 – 20,000 VND (0.7- 0.9 USD). Although Hoi An is rather small, we wouldn’t suggest walking to the city centre. The route is not that appealing; instead, save your energy for walking around the small picturesque alleys of the Old Town.

Hoi An to Da Nang bus route map: Hoi An bus station
A map of the bus route from Hoi An to Da Nang.

Open Tour and Intercity Buses

If you’re on an open bus tour or just an intercity bus and are planning on stopping in Hoi An, then you will not be dropped off at the Hoi An bus station. You will probably be dropped off somewhere on the outskirts of the city. It is difficult and in some areas prohibited for buses to traverse the city centre. There are myriads of companies that run on the main highways. Two of the most popular options are Sinh Tourist and Hung Thanh Travel.

Sinh Tourist

Sinh Tourist buses arrive in Hoi An from 6:00 a.m to 5:15 p.m, from both the north and the south. If you’re coming from Hue or Da Nang you’ll be dropped off at Bai Do Xe Co Thu Phi, around one kilometre (a 14-minute walk) from the Old Town. On-site, there’s a local street food vendor and a public restroom. Right across the street, you will find a big electronics store where you can buy a local sim card. There are a lot of ATM’s along this same stretch of road, and don’t worry about finding a cab in this area—it will find you!

Hai Ba Trung bus depot: Hoi An bus station
Buses stopped at the Hai Ba Trung bus depot in Hoi An. This is where you will arrive on the Sinh Tourist bus.

What’s Nearby?

If you’d like to grab a coffee or something to eat, then keep in mind that you are only 100 metres away from the Hoi An Sports Bar, an unpretentious “gastropub” with a great quality menu, cold beers, and delicious cocktails. If you’re more into local flavours, then make a left turn into the small alley right before Hoi An Sports Bar, and try out Nha Hang Sen Viet. Its small and super cheap menu won’t disappoint.

Hidden Hint: If you’re leaving Hoi An by intercity bus, then ask to be picked up from your hotel. Most companies offer a free pick-up service in central Hoi An.

Coming from Nha Trang you will be dropped off at the Sinh Tourist Office in Hoi An, located at 587 Hai Ba Trung, just 700 metres from the Old Town. From here, you can either walk to the centre or ask the office to call you a cab. Right next to Sinh Tourist is Aloha Lotus, a charming Vietnamese restaurant with a nice quiet garden out the back Stop here for a refreshment or something to eat before heading to your destination. Along this main arterial route into the Old Town, you’ll also find mini markets, pharmacies, tour agencies and much more.

Hung Thanh Travel

Hung Thanh Travel will drop you off in front of their office at 105 Ton Duc Thang. This is rather far away from the city centre (1.3 kilometres / a 17-minute walk), with fewer shops and restaurants available. Nonetheless, right across the street, you can find La Maison Deli, an elegant garden restaurant serving Vietnamese cuisine with a culinary twist. For a quick coffee, try Ngo Ca phe, a charming local cafe, right across the street from La Maison Deli. The closest main street is Hai Ba Trung (70 metres), and you’ll find more food and drink options here, as well as a few grocery stores. We wouldn’t suggest walking around this area if you are tired from the journey as it’s rather spread out. Instead, take one of the queued taxis to your hotel or the Old Town.

Luggage being unloaded: Hoi An bus station
Luggage is unloaded from an intercity bus to Hoi An

Express Buses from Da Nang and Hue to Hoi An

The express bus services in Hoi An are mainly operated by Hoi An Express. This company offers two express routes: Da Nang to Hoi An and Hue to Hoi An.

Express buses from Da Nang run every hour from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. The journey takes an hour and 15 minutes and costs 110,000 VND (4.78 USD). From Hue, there are two daily express buses to Hoi An: 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. The transit time takes approximately three hours 30 minutes and costs 250,000 VND (10.87 USD).

Hidden Hint: Restaurants in Hoi An close early. If your bus arrives after 10 p.m., then make sure you get something to eat along the way.

These buses do not make as many stops as local and intercity bus services. However, their pick-up and drop-off services are a little more customised, so they end up operating on a similar time schedule. Make sure to check the route your bus is following into Hoi An. Even if your hotel is not on the way, it might be better for you to get dropped off on the highway and walk to your hotel, rather than waiting to be taken to the designated drop-off spot. Hoi An Express will drop you off anywhere along the route. Otherwise, they will drop you off at their offices in Hoi An, which are short walks from the Old Town.

What’s Nearby?

If coffee is your first priority on arrival, then look for “The Espresso Station”.  It’s tucked down an alley next to the Hoi An Express Office. Their cute garden courtyard is a perfect rest spot and they make some of the best, and most Instagram friendly, coffee in town. We’ve covered it in our article on Hoi An’s coffee shops here. For history buffs, the Hoi An History Museum is located just 150 metres away (a two-minute walk). If you decide to pay a visit, then make sure to get up to the top floor for both an amazing 360-degree view of the Old Town and a welcome breeze.

Hoi An Express mini bus: Hoi An bus station
One of Hoi An Express’ mini buses outside their office on Tran Hung Dao Street.

Hotel Shuttle Bus Services to Hoi An’s Old Town

Many hotels in Hoi An offer shuttle services from the bus station to the Old Town. Hotel shuttles usually run all day, for free or a minimal cost. Schedules and prices vary according to the hotel, so it’s best to talk to your host at check-in. Since Hoi An’s Old Town is only accessible on foot, bicycle or motorbike, shuttles will usually drop you off at either end of town, and from here, you can then walk through the Old Town’s lantern-lit alleys.

East End: Bebe Tailor

Bebe Tailor is the designated drop-off spot at the east end of town. It is probably the most popular out of the two due to its close proximity to everything. Sights, shops, cafes, bars, restaurants, ATM’s, taxis, cyclos, and markets are all literally right at your fingertips. This is the perfect spot to start exploring the Old Town.

What’s Nearby

Start with Bebe Tailor itself, this three-store empire has served more than 70,000 satisfied customers over the last 15 years and has a reputation of being the best tailor shop in Hoi An. If you consider that Hoi An is without a doubt the tailoring capital of the world, then this makes Bebe the top place to get your dream outfit tailor-made. Opposite Bebe, you’ll find the Tourist Information Centre, Heritage Attraction ticket booth, Hoi An Impressions Theme Park ticket counter, a local products store, and public restrooms.

Just 100 metres away on Phan Chu Trinh Street is the famous Banh Mi Phương sandwich shop. Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain called the Banh Mi Phuong sandwiches the best in the world—and the world listened. Expect to find a queue here, but this 20,000 VND (0.87) Vietnamese baguette will be worth it. For more local delicacies, head to Hoi An’s Food Market, 300 metres southwest along Tran Phu Street. Here you’ll find famous local dishes at fixed prices. Head across the main corridor and sit at the second-to-last stall on your left. Trust us, this grandma makes some of the best pho and cao lau in town. Heavenly food for just VND 30,000 (1.30 USD).

Bebe Tailors: Hoi An bus station
A hotel shuttle bus drops tourists outside Bebe Tailors on the East side of Hoi An Old Town

West End: Royal Hoi An, Mgallery By Sofitel

At the other end of the Old Town, the Royal Hoi An is commonly used as a drop-off spot by many services. The Thu Bon River runs right behind the hotel; and if you’d like top-notch cocktails and panoramic city views, then head to Royal’s rooftop bar and pool area, The Deck, before heading to the Old Town. This has a feature in our Best Bars in Hoi an article, which you can read here.

What’s Nearby?

Follow Nguyen Du Street and then Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa Street. You’ll soon find yourself entering right into the heart of the Old Town. If you’re feeling a little hungry, then stop at Le Cabanon. This French eatery is a great place for a glass of wine and a casual bite by the river. If you’re looking for an eatery with more local flair, then try Mai Fish, a standout for traditional Vietnamese cuisine in Hoi An and the birth child of renowned Vietnamese chef Duc Tran. A few metres ahead is the Japanese Bridge, one of Vietnam’s most iconic attractions, dating back to the 18th century.

Buses outside The Royal Hoi An: Hoi An bus station
Buses lined up outside The Royal Hoi An on the west side of Hoi An Old Town.

Hidden’s Thoughts

At the outset, the thought of travelling to Hoi An by bus might be a bit off-putting. Especially if you don’t know what to expect. You may dwell on the thought of the long ride and frequent stop. Coupled with arriving at an unknown station, where you don’t speak the language. Then have to try to figure out how to actually get from the Hoi An Bus Station to your hotel.

Hidden’s article should alleviate your concerns so that travelling into Hoi An by bus doesn’t feel confusing anymore. With a bit of preparation, you’ll find that it’s both an affordable and extremely popular way to travel. Once you’re onboard, you can just sit back and enjoy the ride. Don’t forget that Hoi An is a small and welcoming city.  Just follow our tips, and you’ll be leaving the bus station and strolling down Hoi An’s colourful lantern-lit alleyways in no time!

4 thoughts on “Hoi An’s Bus Stations

  1. Hi!
    Could you help with precise instructions on taking bus to and from Tam Thanh Mural Village please? Bus Number (or direction name in Vietnamese script), bus frequency and timing of 1st and last bus service, bus stop name nearest to the village. Do I have to pay exact fare please?

    1. Hi MK, There is a bus that will take you a good chunk of the way to the mural village, but since this option is time-consuming and a tricky we really would advise against it.

      Having said that, if you are determined to take public transport this is the route you would follow:

      First, take a taxi/Grab to Vinh Dien—105,000 VND (5.25 USD), but prices vary—an area west of Hoi An where you’ll catch the government-operated yellow public bus. There are bus stop signs stationed along QL1A Highway, where you’ll need to wait for the yellow bus on Route 4 that travels between Đà Nẵng to Tam Kỳ (signed as such). The bus runs quite frequently (15 to 20 minutes), but you may need to wave it down to ensure that it stops for you. Once you board the bus, make sure to check the little sign above the door that lists the prices for each destination.

      From Vinh Dien to Tam Ky (and vice-versa) it costs 25,000 VND (1.25 USD), and the trip will take roughly two hours. Take the bus as close to the roundabout at Thanh Hoa and Phan Chau Thrinh, making sure not to go south of it. Most bus drivers will alert you when you should be getting off, but some may just tell you when you’re in the centre of town. We would suggest following along on your phone just to make sure.

      From here, you’ll need to find a taxi to make the 9.9 km drive east to the village. This taxi trip will cost between 118,800 VND to 148,500 VND (6 USD to 7.5 USD) for a one-way journey and will take around 15 minutes. We would suggest paying extra to have the driver wait for you at the village, as the chance of finding a taxi in Tam Thanh is rare.

      Warning: There are no Grab cars, Uber cars, or motorbikes to rent in the area. Even taxis can be hard to come by. We suggest to take a phone number for a taxi company or prearrange a taxi to meet you in Tam Ky.

    1. Hi Ülane, sorry we dont have information on that particular route as of yet. Please contact the bus companies directly.

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