Hanoi Metro Line 3 to Hanoi Station: Fares, Hours, and Visitor Tips for 2026

On 10 August 2026, Hanoi Metro Line 3's final 3.1 km underground extension from Cau Giay to Hanoi Station opened, ending the need to transfer at Cau Giay for the city centre. The full line now runs 12.5 km from Nhon in the west to Hanoi Station, with direct trains covering the entire route. Stations on the new section include Cau Giay, Van Mieu, and Hanoi Station; the Van Mieu exit may open onto construction zones, so check the official HMR app or station maps before exiting.

Trains operate from 05:30 to 22:30 daily, extending to 23:00 on weekends, with 6-minute intervals during peak hours. For visitors staying in the Old Quarter, Hanoi Station is about a 10-minute walk via Tran Hung Dao, and the station offers a direct transfer to national rail services.

A single ride costs between 8,000 and 15,000 VND (about $0.30–$0.60) depending on distance, so the full 12.5-km run from Nhon to Hanoi Station lands at the top of that range. For visitors, the Tourist Day Pass at 30,000 VND is sold at automated kiosks in every station and gives unlimited rides for one day; it breaks even after just two full-length trips, making it the simplest option if you plan to use the line more than once.

No cash is needed at any gate. Contactless Visa and Mastercard are accepted directly on the gate readers, and Vietnamese QR Pay works through major banking apps with the same tap or scan. Stored-value cards are available at station kiosks and HMR counters, and they offer discounted fares compared with standard single tickets; choose this if you want multiple rides but don't need unlimited travel. All fares are charged automatically at the exit gate, so you don't need to work out distance zones before boarding.

Line 3 trains run 05:30–22:30 daily, and the last train leaves Hanoi Station 30 minutes later on weekends, when service extends to 23:00. During weekday commuter peaks, trains arrive every 6 minutes; off-peak intervals may be longer, though HMR has not yet published exact headways. If you're riding in the first week after the 10 August opening, treat peak hours as 07:00–09:00 and 17:00–19:00, when passengers from the Nhon end and new Cau Giay underground stations create platform crowding. A 09:30 or 19:30 departure usually means a seat and a shorter wait at ticket gates.

The quietest windows are late morning (09:00–11:00) and after 20:00, especially useful for first-time riders still figuring out the bilingual signage and station exits. All trains have free 30-minute WiFi, so you can check the official HMR app for exit maps and any last-minute platform changes before you ride; the connection is stable enough for map loading but not ideal for video calls. If you're staying near the Old Quarter and using Hanoi Station as your endpoint, a post-19:00 ride also avoids the afternoon crush at the Tran Hung Dao exit.

Line 3's Hanoi Station terminus empties onto Tran Hung Dao street, a 10-minute walk south of Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter. Signs in English and announcements in both Vietnamese and English guide you from platform to exit; the transfer to national rail services is inside the same station building, so you can step off a metro train and board a Reunification Express service to Hue or Saigon without leaving the complex. If you are heading to the Old Quarter, use the Tran Hung Dao exit rather than the Le Duan side, which faces a construction zone and adds a short detour.

For trips along Ring Road 1—where taxis can sit through 45 minutes of evening congestion for 150,000 VND or more—the metro is a faster and cheaper alternative: a single ride costs 8,000–15,000 VND, and trains run every 6 minutes at peak. The 30,000 VND Tourist Day Pass covers unlimited rides and is sold at automated kiosks in every station. Because the metro now connects Hanoi Station to Nhon in the west, you can use it as the spine of a longer day: ride out to Cau Giay for street food, then return to Hanoi Station and continue by national rail to Ninh Binh or Haiphong without needing a taxi transfer. Check the HMR app for station exit maps, as some exits around Van Mieu still open onto active construction.

Bus routes 05, 14, and 22 have adjusted their stops to feed Hanoi Metro Line 3 stations following the 10 August 2026 opening. The changes mean you can now step off a bus and walk directly into a Line 3 entrance instead of crossing several lanes of traffic. Check the latest route maps on the HMR app or at bus stops, because some old stops have been removed and new bays are still being signed.

Station access is a bigger issue at certain exits. Van Mieu station, for example, has at least one exit that opens onto an active construction zone, so you'll need to follow temporary barriers for a short detour to reach the street. Real-time bus arrival displays at metro stations are still being tested and may show no data or incorrect times, so don't rely on them to time your connection. Before leaving the station, confirm which exit you need on the official HMR app or ask at the staffed helpdesk inside the station.

Van Mieu station's main exit currently surfaces into an active construction zone, so leaving there adds a short, signed detour to reach the surrounding streets. The 10 August 2026 opening of Line 3's final underground segment from Cau Giay to Hanoi Station left this and one other rough edge: bus arrival display integration is still under testing. Routes 05, 14, and 22 have shifted stops to feed the metro, but platform screens may not show real-time connection times, which makes transfers harder to time.

Before you ride, check the Hanoi Metropolitan Railway (HMR) app for current exit maps and live service notices — this is the operator's recommended source. Station helpdesks are staffed during operating hours (05:30–22:30 daily, until 23:00 on weekends) and are more reliable than following other passengers out the nearest exit, which may lead you into a construction zone or a longer walk than the signed alternative. If you plan to transfer to a bus at Hanoi Station or any intermediate stop, confirm the bus stop location and approximate wait on the app or with a helpdesk agent rather than assuming the old pre-metro stop still applies.