Hai Phong is the closest mainland city to Cat Ba — and the cheapest starting point for the crossing. If your overnight train or domestic flight lands in Hai Phong, you can be sitting on a Cat Ba terrace by lunchtime for under 150,000 VND. Here's how the route actually works in 2026, plus what to skip.

Aerial view of Hai Phong city rooftops with the coast in the distance — Hai Phong from above — the port city that connects Hanoi to the bay.

The fast version

Distance: ~50 km (mainland to Cat Ba Town)
Door-to-door time: 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours
Easiest option: Speedboat from Ben Binh harbour in central Hai Phong — direct to Cat Ba Town.
Cheapest option: Public ferry from Got Pier — costs a fraction but takes longer with the road transfer added on.

Option 1 — Speedboat from Ben Binh (recommended)

The simplest way to get from Hai Phong city center to Cat Ba is the Cat Ba speedboat that leaves from 27 Ben Binh in Hong Bang district. The departure point is a 5-minute taxi or Grab ride from Hai Phong train station and most hotels in the old quarter.

The boat heads across the bay, weaves between limestone islands of Lan Ha Bay, and pulls in directly at Cat Ba Town pier — about 45 minutes on the water. From the Cat Ba pier, most hotels are walking distance; a few are a short xe ôm (motorbike taxi) ride away.

Departures from Ben Binh (Hai Phong → Cat Ba):

07:00
10:00
13:00
15:00

Pricing. 140,000 VND/person. One bag included. Book on our Hai Phong → Cat Ba transport page — we run this route as a connecting leg for travelers coming from Hanoi by train and for fly-in arrivals at Cat Bi airport.

Hai Phong coastline with boats on the water — The coastal edge of Hai Phong — where the speedboats and ferries depart.

Option 2 — Got Pier ferry (the budget route)

The Dong Bai – Cai Vieng ferry (locally just called the "Got ferry") is the workhorse crossing — it's how locals, motorbikes, cars, and most trucks reach the island. It's cheap, runs every 30–45 minutes, and is the only option if you're bringing a vehicle.

What you actually do:

Get from central Hai Phong to Got Pier (about 25 km, 30–40 minutes by taxi or local bus). Expect 150,000–250,000 VND by Grab/taxi, or a few thousand VND by public bus #3.
Buy a foot-passenger ferry ticket at the terminal — 14,000 VND/adult. Motorbike costs an extra 44,000 VND, car under 9 seats 194,000 VND.
Crossing takes 15–20 minutes. The boat lands at Cai Vieng pier on the Cat Ba side.
From Cai Vieng, it's another 25 km of paved road to Cat Ba Town. Take a local shuttle bus (~50,000 VND) or a taxi (~150,000 VND).

Total: roughly 250,000–500,000 VND per person depending on transport choices, and 2–3 hours including waits. Worth it if you're on a motorbike or driving a car. If you're a foot passenger, you're paying more in taxis than you'd pay for the direct speedboat — so just take the speedboat.

For the full 2026 schedule, prices for every vehicle class, and the peak-day vehicle restrictions, see our Dong Bai – Cai Vieng ferry guide.

The Bay View Cat Ba 03 ferry at Dong Bai – Cai Vieng terminal — The Dong Bai – Cai Vieng ferry — the workhorse crossing for vehicles.

Option 3 — Cable car via Phu Long

Sun World runs a cable car from Cat Hai across to Phu Long on Cat Ba. It's the most scenic crossing — a 10-minute aerial ride with bay views you can't get from the road or water. Tickets are around 300,000 VND/person.

Catch: the cable car drops you on the northwest side of Cat Ba Island, a 30 km drive from Cat Ba Town. There's no included shuttle, so you'll need a taxi or motorbike from the station. Best used if the view is the point and you don't mind the extra transfer.

Option 4 — Coming from Hanoi via Hai Phong?

If Hai Phong is just your connecting stop on the way from Hanoi, you have two cleaner choices:

Skip the layover. Take the combined Hanoi → Hai Phong → speedboat ticket directly — same speedboat, one fare, starting from your Hanoi hotel. See Getting to Cat Ba from Hanoi.
Train then speedboat.Hanoi's Long Bien station to Hai Phong by morning train (~80,000 VND, 2 hours, scenic), then a 5-minute taxi to Ben Binh, then the 10:00 or 13:00 speedboat. Cheap, atmospheric, easy to time.

Which option to pick

If you're a foot passenger: Ben Binh speedboat at 140,000 VND. Direct to Cat Ba Town, no transfers.

If you're bringing a motorbike or car:Got Pier ferry. The cable car doesn't take motorbikes.

If the view is the trip: Sun World cable car for the aerial crossing — then taxi to Cat Ba Town.

Limestone karst rising from emerald Lan Ha Bay water — Forty-five minutes from Ben Binh — and you're here.

Arrival tips

The Ben Binh speedboat terminal is small and informal. Arrive 15–20 minutes before departure — there's no priority boarding.
On rough sea days, the speedboat can be delayed or cancelled. The Got Pier ferry handles weather better.
Don't mistake Got Pier for Ben Binh — they're both "Hai Phong" but on opposite sides of the city, with different boat types.
Speedboats have indoor cabins. Sit by a window for the bay views, and bring a light jacket — the AC is aggressive.

Ready to cross? Book the speedboat on our Hai Phong → Cat Ba page, or message us if you're combining this with a Hanoi pickup or a Cat Bi airport transfer — we'll wire the timing for you.

Getting to Cat Ba from Hai Phong: Speedboat, Ferry, and Cable Car Options