Air. Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), about 30 km north of the centre, is Vietnam's second-largest hub after Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam Airlines, VietJet, and Bamboo Airways all operate extensive regional networks; direct long-haul routes go to most European and East Asian capitals. Grab, taxis, and the airport bus all connect to central Hanoi; allow 45–60 minutes in traffic.
Train. The main station, Ga Hanoi (Tran Quy Cap), sits just south of the centre. Services run along the coastal "Reunification Express" south as far as Ho Chi Minh City (about 30 hours), with sleeper trains to Hue and Da Nang also popular. A separate northern line runs up to Lao Cai near the Chinese border — the overnight train is the standard way to reach Sapa.
Overland. Buses cross into Laos (Vientiane, Luang Prabang), China (Nanning, Kunming), and south to the coastal cities. The cross-border train to Nanning leaves a few times a week from Gia Lam station.