9,000 VND gets you from Noi Bai toward My Dinh on Bus 90
Bus 90 runs as a public city bus from Noi Bai Airport toward My Dinh and Kim Ma, taking about 60–80 minutes into Hanoi depending on traffic and where you hop off. It’s more of a local route than the 86 airport bus and doesn’t go to Hoan Kiem, so it suits people whose hotel or apartment is already along its corridor.
The bus stops outside both T1 and T2; look for the blue city buses marked 90 rather than the orange 86s. Tickets cost roughly 9,000–10,000 VND (about $0.40–0.50) and you usually pay a conductor in cash on board. Frequency sits around every 20–30 minutes during the daytime, with gaps longer in late evening.
Expect a standard Hanoi city bus: same seats, same grab bars, and usually no luggage racks, similar to Bus 7. Reddit regulars describe 90 as “just a normal bus,” which means carry-on bags are manageable but big 23 kg suitcases can be awkward in the aisle on a crowded run. If the bus is very full, drivers sometimes roll past the stop without boarding more people.
Signage and announcements are mostly in Vietnamese, with stops called out over a basic PA and shown on local apps more accurately than on any printed map. TripAdvisor threads flag this as the main issue for tourists, especially at the airport stop where it’s harder to confirm direction compared to the clearly signed 86. Have your stop name in Vietnamese ready on your phone to show the conductor.
Locals who actually pick 90 usually do it because they live around Kim Ma, My Dinh, or along its inner-city stretch and track the bus in Google Maps or local bus apps in real time. Many stand by the middle door a stop early so they can step off quickly when the bus hits a crowded curb around Kim Ma or My Dinh bus station.
Step-by-step from Noi Bai to town on Bus 90:
- 1. After exiting T1 or T2 arrivals, walk to the airport bus stops and find the sign or bus showing route number 90.
- 2. Confirm with the driver or conductor that the bus is heading toward your planned stop (for example, Kim Ma or My Dinh) by showing the name on your phone.
- 3. Board through the front or middle door, keep your smaller bags with you, and move away from the doors if the bus is already busy.
- 4. Pay the conductor about 9,000–10,000 VND in cash when they come down the aisle, and keep the paper ticket until you get off.
- 5. Track the ride in Google Maps, matching the bus’s blue dot to upcoming stops, and get ready to move toward the door one stop before yours.
- 6. Press the stop button or stand near the door as you approach your stop; most rides run 60–80 minutes from the airport depending on where you exit.
Tip: if you’re not already familiar with Hanoi buses or don’t speak Vietnamese, default to Bus 86 and only pick 90 when your hotel sits directly on its route.