Last updated 17 October 2026 by the Ava Travel team in Hanoi. Car prices are Ava Travel's 2026 prices for a private car with a local driver, including fuel, tolls, parking and the driver's costs.
The short answer, using Ava Travel's own prices: a private car with driver in Vietnam costs about $65 for a full day around Hanoi, $115 for a day trip from Hanoi to Ninh Binh and back, and $415 for 3 days from Hanoi to Sapa and back with the car staying with you. An airport transfer in Hanoi is $35. That is for a car taking 1 to 3 people with luggage; a 16-seat minivan for 4 to 9 people costs about 15 percent more. The driver drives; the driver is not a guide.
Book online: every route in the tables below can be booked and paid on Ava Travel's private car booking page, with photos of the cars. Pick the route, the date and your hotel, and we confirm the driver within 1 hour.
Private car with driver: prices in the north
Per vehicle, not per person. Car = 7-seat car for 1 to 3 guests with luggage. Minivan = 16-seat van for 4 to 9 guests.
| Trip | Length | Car (Ava Travel) | Minivan (Ava Travel) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noi Bai airport to or from Hanoi Old Quarter | one way | $35 | $40 |
| Hanoi city, full day (up to 4 stops) | about 8 hours | $65 | $75 |
| Hanoi to Ninh Binh (Hoa Lu, Tam Coc) and back | 1 day | $115 | $130 |
| Hanoi to Trang An and Bai Dinh and back | 1 day | $120 | $140 |
| Hanoi to Halong Bay (Bai Chay) and back | 1 day, no cruise | $150 | $180 |
| Hanoi to Pu Luong | one way | $105 | $120 |
| Hanoi to Sapa, 1 day touring, back to Hanoi | 3 days, car stays with you | $415 | $485 |
| Hanoi to a Halong Bay or Lan Ha Bay cruise pier and back | 2 days, cruise night in between | $165 (sedan, 1 to 3) | $180 (MPV, up to 6) |
The cruise transfer is the price we charge when you add a private car to a cruise at checkout; the shared shuttle is $20 per person one way. Details in Hanoi to Halong Bay transport.
Private car with driver: prices in central Vietnam
| Trip | Length | Sedan, 1 to 2 (Ava Travel) | Car, 1 to 3 (Ava Travel) | Minivan, 4 to 9 (Ava Travel) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Da Nang airport to or from a Hoi An hotel | one way | $20 | $20 | $30 |
| Hue airport to or from a Hue hotel | one way | $20 | $20 | $30 |
| Hoi An to Hue over the Hai Van Pass | one way, with stops | $100 | $105 | $130 |
| Hoi An to My Son and back | 1 day | $50 | $55 | $65 |
| Hoi An to Ba Na Hills and back | 1 day | $70 | $80 | $90 |
| Hue, full day | about 8 hours | $45 | $50 | $65 |
In Saigon and the Mekong Delta we price the car with the trip, because most routes there combine a car with a boat. Ask and we quote it within the hour.
What the price includes
- The car and a licensed driver for the trip in the table
- Fuel, expressway tolls and parking on the route
- The driver's meals and, on multi-day trips, the driver's room
- Bottled water in the car
- VAT, and card payment through a secure online payment link with no card surcharge
Not included
- A guide. Most drivers speak only a little English; they drive and wait, they do not explain the sights
- Entrance fees, boats and meals for you
- Tips, which are your choice
- Changes on the day that add distance, for example an extra town on the way, which we price before the trip
Car only, or car with a guide?
A car and driver is the cheaper way to get door-to-door comfort if you are happy to read up on each place yourself. A private guide adds the explanation, the ordering at lunch and someone to solve problems. With hotels included, a private tour with guide and driver costs about $127 per person per day with Ava Travel for two people sharing; see how much a private Vietnam tour costs.
A common mix is a car only on transfer days (airport, Hoi An to Hue) and a guide on the busy sightseeing days (Hanoi, Hue Citadel, the Mekong).
How to plan the driving
- Keep road days under 6 hours. Hanoi to Sapa or Ha Giang is about 6 hours, so nothing else fits that day.
- Do not drive Hanoi to Hue or Hoi An. It is over 700 km. Fly to Hue or Da Nang in 1 hour 15 minutes and use a car at each end.
- Hue to Hoi An is the drive worth doing. 3 hours over the Hai Van Pass, with stops at the top and at Lang Co beach.
- The car does not need to follow you everywhere. In the north the price includes the car's return to Hanoi; for a 3-day Sapa trip it is cheaper to keep it than to book two one-way trips.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a private driver cost per day in Vietnam?
With Ava Travel, about $65 for a full day around Hanoi and $50 for a full day in Hue, for a car taking 1 to 3 people, including fuel, tolls and the driver's costs. Day trips out of town are priced by distance: Hanoi to Ninh Binh and back is $115.
Can I hire a car and driver in Vietnam without a guide?
Yes. Ava Travel books a car and driver on its own for transfers or whole days. The driver does not guide, and most speak only a little English, so plan where you want to stop before you set off.
How much is a private car from Hanoi to Sapa?
With Ava Travel, $415 for a car taking 1 to 3 people for 3 days: Hanoi to Sapa, a day touring around Sapa, and back to Hanoi, with the driver's room and tolls included. A 16-seat minivan is $485.
How much is a private car from Hoi An to Hue?
With Ava Travel, $105 for a car taking 1 to 3 people, one way over the Hai Van Pass with stops, or $100 for a sedan for 1 or 2.
Is a private car better than the shuttle bus to Halong Bay?
For two people the shared shuttle ($35 each return) is cheaper than a private car ($165 return). From five people a private MPV ($180) costs about the same as the shuttle and leaves when you want.
Send your route and dates. We reply within 1 hour with the car, the driver and the price.
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