Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh Private Car Transfer

Renting a private car from Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh will take you on a journey to explore two of Vietnam’s most photographed landscapes - the island’s limestone bay and the inland karst river valley - while connecting these two destinations without you having to lift a finger throughout the trip. If you were to organize this trip on your own, you’d have to navigate local transportation to the port, take a ferry or cable car with your luggage, and then face the challenge of finding a driver on the mainland willing to take you hundreds of kilometers to a province that most taxis rarely travel to in one go. Mui Ne Private Car will handle this entire complex process for you, arranging one driver on the island and another waiting on the mainland, so your only remaining decision is how you want to cross the sea.

Route map: Cat Ba Island (Hai Phong) → Ninh Binh (14 km to Cai Vieng Ferry Terminal, then 435 km from Dong Bai Ferry Terminal, approx. 7 hours 40 minutes of driving, plus the ferry or cable car crossing)

When you use our service, this private transfer from Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh is designed as a single booking, covering both vehicles and the water crossing along the route. The short drive to the ferry terminal or cable car station, the water crossing itself, and the long drive south to the limestone valleys of Ninh Binh are all arranged before you even check out of your hotel, so you don’t have to worry about arranging a second vehicle once you’re back on the mainland. Whether you’re looking for a private taxi familiar with the ferry process, a private driver experienced in long-distance driving, or a private driver who will take you directly to a hotel near Trang An or Tam Coc, all the necessary information to book this transfer service is provided below. 

Trip Snapshot

Why This Transfer Isn't Something to Wing

Cat Ba sits out in the bay with no bridge to the mainland, while Ninh Binh lies deep inland among the karst hills of the Red River Delta - two provinces with nothing resembling a direct route between them. Attempt this independently and you'll be stitching together a local taxi to the crossing point, a ferry or cable car ride with your own bags, and then a search on the mainland for a driver prepared to take on a multi-hour trip south. A private transfer closes every one of those gaps at once: one driver is with you for the island leg, a second is already positioned on the mainland, and the entire day's route is settled before you ever leave your hotel.

Mui Ne Private Car - Sales & Customer Service Department

Choose Your Crossing: Ferry or Cable Car

There are two ways to cross from Cat Ba Island to the mainland, and both are fully built into this private transfer. Choose whichever fits your travel style - just remember it has to be one or the other, since the ferry and the cable car are separate crossings that can't be combined into a single booking.

Please confirm your preferred option when booking, so we can position your second driver correctly and let you know exactly which ticket is included in your fare.

Choose Your Vehicle

Our full vehicle fleet

On the Road: Your Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh Private Transfer Journey

The first driver will pick you up at your hotel on Cat Ba Island, load your luggage into the car, and take you along the island’s coastal road to your chosen departure point - Cai Vieng Ferry Terminal if you’re taking the ferry, or the cable car station if you’re taking the cable car. This first leg of the journey takes about half an hour, winding along limestone cliffs and small fishing coves so you can take one last look at the island before crossing the sea.

Ferry passengers will board the ferry with their luggage while their driver remains on the island - tickets have already been arranged, so there’s no need to wait in line at the ferry terminal. The short sea crossing will traverse a corner of Lan Ha Bay, passing by scattered limestone islands before arriving at Dong Bai Ferry Terminal, where the second driver will be waiting. Guests who choose the Cable Car Experience will take the cable car on their own from Cat Ba Station, enjoying panoramic views of the bay from above before meeting their second driver upon landing.

From the mainland, the road turns southwest, passing through the outlying districts of Hai Phong and into the lowland provinces of Thai Binh and Nam Dinh, winding along rice paddies, brick kilns, and small towns on a long, flat stretch. This is the easiest section of the route and a natural stopping point for a rest along the way.

As the road continues south into Ninh Binh Province, the tranquil flatland scenery gradually gives way to the region’s distinctive karst limestone mountains, rising abruptly from the rice paddies near Tam Coc and Trang An. The final stretch narrows into quiet, winding roads that meander among towering limestone formations, with the pace slowing to harmonize with the increasingly majestic scenery.

The driver will take you directly to your hotel or the address you provided - whether it’s near Trang An, Tam Coc, or anywhere else in Ninh Binh - help you unload your luggage, and do a final check of the car to ensure nothing has been left behind before wishing you a memorable vacation amidst the limestone valleys.

Highlights of the Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh Private Transfer

Related Routes

Cat Ba Island and Ninh Binh both connect to other popular stops in the north - here's where travellers often continue their trip:

Pricing (Per Vehicle, Not Per Person)

Prices above apply to the Ferry Transfer option and already include the ferry ticket. If you choose the Cable Car Experience instead, the same per-vehicle price applies, but the cable car ticket is purchased separately by you at the station.

Inclusions & Exclusions

Payment

Mui Ne Private Car offers a range of secure, easy-to-use payment methods, whichever crossing you choose. Here's how payment works for this route.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

Ferry and cable car conditions can change on short notice, and Mui Ne Private Car keeps its cancellation terms clear so an adjustment to your plans doesn't complicate this island-to-province route.

Frequently Asked Questions