How to pay for buses in Hanoi — city buses and intercity buses to Ha Long, Ninh Binh, Sapa?
Based on 2 discussions with 3 participants · Last activity: 6 days ago
TL;DR
On Hanoi city buses you pay cash to the conductor (small bills of 10,000–20,000 VND work best); airport express bus #86 accepts cash only. For intercity trips (Ha Long, Ninh Binh, Sapa) use apps like Vexere or Futa, paying by Visa/Mastercard, or pay at the office before departure.
What the community said
For trips to Ha Long, Ninh Binh and Sapa, travelers typically book through apps like Vexere or Futa. Payment on Vexere is mostly via Visa/Mastercard; using non-Western cards (like Russian Mir) wasn't confirmed as reliable. If you prefer not to prepay, you can buy a ticket at the carrier's office right before departure.
7 days ago Vexere, Futa — intercity bus apps
On most Hanoi city buses, you pay cash directly to the conductor or driver on board. Bring small bills (10,000–20,000 VND) to avoid change issues. On some routes you can also pay with a transport card (including a virtual one via the Hanoi Transport Ticket Card app), but this isn't available everywhere.
20 days ago 10,000–20,000 VND in small bills
The airport express bus #86 accepts cash only from the conductor — you can't pay by card or app on this route.
20 days ago Bus #86 (airport route) — cash only
From July 2026 to June 2027, bus travel within Hanoi's Ring Road 1 is free. If you board inside the ring but get off outside it, you'll need to pay extra for the additional distance — the conductor will print a ticket and charge cash based on the actual distance traveled.
20 days ago Free within Ring Road 1 (July 2026–June 2027)
The new payment terminals on Hanoi buses work through an e-ticket app, but registration reportedly requires a local Vietnamese ID/passport — this option may not be available to foreign tourists, so it's safer to rely on cash instead.
22 days ago