Two of the most spectacular ways to arrive on Cat Ba island have nothing to do with buses: a cable car strung across the sea on the world's tallest cable pylon, and a car ferry that sails straight out of Ha Long's Tuan Chau marina into the island's wild northern harbor. Both got updated prices and timetables for the 2026 season, and both generate more confused questions at our office than almost anything else. So here it is — the complete, current guide to the Cat Ba cable car and the Gia Luan ferry, checked against the official 2026 price boards.
The Cat Ba cable car (Cat Hai – Phu Long)
The Sun World cable car crosses nearly four kilometers of open water between Cat Hai island and Phu Long on Cat Ba's northwest corner — an 8–15 minute glide with mangroves, fish farms and the bay spread out below. Its middle pylon stands 214.8 meters tall, certified by Guinness as the tallest cable car pillar in the world, and on a clear day the view from mid-span is genuinely worth the trip on its own.
Tickets and hours in 2026
| Price / time | |
|---|---|
| One-way ticket | 70,000₫ |
| Round trip | 120,000₫ |
| Children under 1m | Free |
| Operating hours | 09:00–15:45 (midday break 11:30–13:30) |
| Weekend / event nights | Extended, at times up to 22:30 |
| Weekly closure | Tuesdays (scheduled maintenance) |
| Last boarding | 15 minutes before close |
Three things trip travelers up, in order. First, the Tuesday closure — plan around it. Second, the midday break: arrive at 11:45 expecting to ride and you'll wait until 13:30. Third, the standard day ends at 15:45 — evening extensions happen on weekends and event dates, not every day. Hours flex with the season, so check on the day if your connection is tight.
From the Phu Long station it's still 20-something kilometers to Cat Ba town: a free electric shuttle covers the station area, and public buses (13,000–40,000₫) or taxis run the cross-island road. The station sits near the Cai Vieng ferry terminal — the same corner of the island served by the Dong Bai – Cai Vieng ferry from Hai Phong.
Is it worth it as transport? Sometimes — it beats queueing for the car ferry on peak Saturdays if you're on foot. Is it worth it as an experience? On a clear day, absolutely. Ride it one way, bus back, and you've seen the island's mangrove coast from two angles for less than the price of lunch.
The Gia Luan ferry (Tuan Chau ⇄ Cat Ba)
This is the route that connects Ha Long directly to Cat Ba — a roughly 50-minute car ferry between Tuan Chau marina and Gia Luan harbor on the island's north shore, sailing through the karst scenery the whole way. If you're coming from a Ha Long cruise or heading there after Cat Ba, it's the move; we wrote the full route guide here.
Official summer 2026 timetable (April 25 – September 5)
| From Tuan Chau | From Gia Luan (Cat Ba) |
|---|---|
| 07:30 | 09:00 |
| 09:00 | 11:30 |
| 11:30 | 13:00 |
| 13:30 | 15:00 |
| 15:00 | 16:00 |
Five sailings a day each way in high season. Outside these summer dates the frequency drops, so re-check if you travel in autumn or winter. The last boat waits for no one — if you're aiming for the 16:00 out of Gia Luan, be on the pier at 15:30.
Official summer 2026 fares
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Foot passenger | 75,000₫ |
| Rider with motorbike | 100,000₫ |
| Car (4–8 seats) | 320,000₫ |
| Bus 9–23 seats | 380,000₫ |
| Bus 24–29 seats | 430,000₫ |
| Bus 30+ seats | 480,000₫ |
| Light trucks (by tonnage & cargo) | 420,000–620,000₫ |
| Return combo — foot passenger | 120,000₫ |
| Return combo — motorbike | 160,000₫ |
Two quiet bargains in that table. The return combos save you 30–40,000₫ against two singles — buy the round trip if you know you're coming back this way. And for groups planning something special, the ferry company sells full-boat charters: 26,000,000₫ per crossing in the peak months of May–August, 18,000,000₫ the rest of the year. We've used charters for wedding parties crossing with their whole convoy; it's more attainable than it sounds when forty people split it.
From Gia Luan harbor, buses and taxis meet the ferries for the 30-minute run across the National Park road to Cat Ba town. Riders: the cross-island road is one of the best motorbike stretches in northern Vietnam — jungle, karst walls, zero traffic lights.
Cable car or ferry — which one should you take?
They solve different problems. Coming from Ha Long or an overnight cruise, the Gia Luan ferry is the only direct line — take it. Coming from Hai Phong on foot, the cable car is a scenic alternative to the Cai Vieng crossing, with the Tuesday-and-midday caveats above. Have a car or motorbike? Ferry, full stop — the cable car carries people, not vehicles.
And if your plan is bigger than logistics — if the crossing is the start of boat days on the water — the arrival is just chapter one. The bay you glide over from the cable car and churn through on the ferry is the same one we run day cruises and kayak trips into every morning. Check the full fireworks schedule too — time the 15:00 ferry right on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, and you'll be standing on the Cat Ba waterfront when the sky lights up at 20:30.
Prices and times above are the official summer 2026 season figures (valid April 25 – September 5 for the ferry; cable car hours as posted July 2026). Both operators adjust off-season — when in doubt, ask us before you travel.
