Last updated 16 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.
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.
Get a car priced for my route