Cat Ba Island Ferry: Schedule & Price 2023

Covering a short distance to Hai Phong and Halong Bay, Cat Ba Island boasts several ferry ports making it more convenient to travel around. If you are planning to visit this lovely island, follow our guidelines on the Cat Ba ferry terminal to get the latest information about the schedule and price.

Known as the largest island in Halong Bay, Cat Ba Island is home to more than 360 islets scattered over the area of 259 sq. km in the Cat Ba Archipelago. Thanks to the blooming of tourism & transportation, you can easily take a passenger ferry to get to Cat Ba Island.

So, you must be wondering which Cat Ba Island ferry you can reach from the mainland, which common route you can take, and how much you need to pay for transportation. Keep scrolling to find out the answers.

Cat Ba Island ferry terminal

 

About Cat Ba Ferry Terminals

On Cat Ba Island, there are 3 main ferry terminals for the purpose of tourist transportation. All the ferries are well-equipped with life-saving, fire-fighting, as well as other medical and safety equipment to meet the requirements of tourist ferries.

Cai Vieng Ferry Harbor

• Location: 356 Phu Long, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Busy hours: 8:00 – 10:00 am & 1:00 – 4:00 pm, especially between Friday and Sunday

Situated in an island district, Cai Vieng Ferry Port serves a large number of tourists from Got Port, Hai Phong. From Hai Phong City, it takes you nearly 40 minutes via Tan Vu – Lach Huyen Bridge to drive to Got Port, then another 30 minutes to get to Cai Vieng Ferry Terminal.

Things to know Due to the long traffic of tourists on Saturdays and Sundays, the ferry ride can take up to 90 minutes. It's highly recommended to use private vehicles like cars or motorbikes to Cai Vieng on weekends. The ferry allows many means of transportation: motorbikes, cars, and trucks.

 

Gia Luan Ferry Terminal

• Location: Cat Ba Cross-island Trail, Gia Luan, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Busy hours: 8:00 – 9:00 am & 2:00 – 3:00 pm, slightly busier at midday on weekends

About 25 km from Cat Ba Town, Gia Luan Pier lies at the end of the cross-island trail where most tourists transfer from Tuan Chau, Ha Long. A Tuan Chau – Cat Ba ferry ride will take you around 45 – 50 minutes by ferry and 30 minutes by speed boat.

Things to know Please arrive at the ferry terminal at least 30 minutes before departure time. The schedule can change unexpectedly like the ferry might leave earlier 40 minutes, or cancel due to the lack of passengers.

 

Ben Beo Ferry Terminal

• Location: Cai Beo, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Busy hours: 8:00 – 9:00 am & 2:00 – 3:00 pm, especially on weekends

Considered the gateway to Lan Ha Bay, Ben Beo Terminal is only 2 km far from Cat Ba Town and 15 km far from Cat Ba National Park. Besides the motorbike/ car ride, you can walk from the town center to get to Ben Beo pier in 20 minutes. Depart from this terminal, you can rent a day boat to visit many attractions like Monkey Island, Van Boi fishing village, floating market, etc.

Things to know If your group has 10 - 15 members, it's better to book a private ferry in advance to save waiting time and plan your own itinerary. You should get to the pier early, at around 6:00 am to choose the best ferry lines, and seats, and avoid the crowds. The parking at Ben Beo is quite narrow, so you should take an electric cart or taxi to the terminal.

 

Cat Ba Island Ferry Schedule & Price

As mentioned above, each terminal is suitable for a travel route to Cat Ba Island by ferry. Following are the 3 most popular routes with the detailed timetable and ticket fares that you can sit up and take notice of.  

Got Ferry (Hai Phong) – Cai Vieng (Cat Ba)

From Hanoi and Halong Bay, you can take a shuttle bus, or limousine bus, or hire a private transfer to Hai Phong.

Through the expressway connecting with the Tan Vu overpass bridge, you will reach the Got Port, where both ferry (30 minutes) and speedboat (20 minutes) are available to transfer to Cai Vieng.

Upon your arrival in Cai Vieng, you need to take a bus or taxi to travel to Cat Ba Town in around 30 – 40 minutes.

Ferry boat from Got Port to Cai Vieng Terminal

Got Pier – Cai Vieng ticket price (one way/ person)

• Ferry ticket: 0.5 USD
• Hydrofoil ticket: 10 USD

Type of Passenger	Ferry Ticket Price
Passenger	0.5 USD/ one-way/ person
Passenger with a bicycle	0.5 USD/ one-way/ person
Passenger with a motorbike	2 USD/ one-way/ vehicle
Passenger with a 9-seat car	8 USD/ one-way/ vehicle

 

Got Pier – Cai Vieng ferry schedule (every 30 min/ trip from 5:30 am to 6:30 pm)

From Got Pier	From Cai Vieng
5:30 am *	5:00 am *
6:00 am *	5:30 am *
6:30 am *	6:00 am *
7:30 am	7:00 am
8:00 am *	7:30 am *
8:30 am	8:00 am
9:00 am *	8:30 am *
9:30 am *	9:00 am *
10:00 am *	9:30 am *
10:30 am *	10:00 am *
11:00 am	11:30 am
11:30 am *	11:00 am *
12:00 pm	11:30 am
12:30 pm *	12:00 pm *
1:00 pm	12:30 pm
1:30 pm *	1:00 pm *
2:00 pm	1:30 pm
2:30 pm *	2:00 pm *
3:00 pm	2:30 pm
3:30 pm *	3:00 pm *
4:00 pm	3:30 pm
4:30 pm *	4:00 pm *
5:00 pm *	4:30 pm *
5:30 pm *	5:00 pm *
6:00 pm *	5:30 pm *
6:30 pm	6:00 pm

(* - the large ferry departure time)

 

Dinh Vu (Hai Phong) – Cai Vieng (Cat Ba)

From Hai Phong, you need to transfer to Dinh Vu Pier in about 25 minutes to take a ferry to Cat Ba Island. In fact, there is no direct boat from Dinh Vu to Cai Vieng then you have to follow one of the two following ways.

Opt 1: Dinh Vu – Ninh Tiep – Got Port– Cai Vieng

Dinh Vu – Ninh Tiep

By waterway, it is possible to take a ferry from Dinh Vu to Ninh Tiep Pier, another ferry terminal on the same island as Got Port. The ferry ticket costs 0.5 USD/ one-way/ person. There are daily shuttle boats running from 6:30 am to 5:00 pm, every 1 hour.

Got Pier – Cai Vieng

From Ninh Tiep, you can get a ride to Got Pier, where there is a multitude of shuttles to Cai Vieng every 30 minutes.

From Dinh Vu	From Ninh Tiep
6:30 am *	6:30 am
7:00 am	7:30 am *
8:00 am *	8:30 am
9:00 am	9:30 am *
10:00 am *	10:30 am
11:00 am	11:30 am *
12:00 pm *	12:30 pm
1:00 pm	1:30 pm *
2:00 pm *	2:30 pm
3:00 pm	3:30 pm *
4:00 pm *	4:30 pm
5:00 pm	5:00 pm *

(* - the large ferry departure time)

Opt 2: Dinh Vu – Got Port – Cai Vieng

Those who are afraid of seasickness can transport from Dinh Vu to Got Port by roadway. From here, you can board a ferry or high-speed boat to Cai Vieng Terminal. As aforementioned, Got Port – Cai Vieng Ferry runs daily from 5:30 am to 5:00 pm, every 30 minutes.

 

Tuan Chau (Halong) – Gia Luan (Cat Ba)

Last but not least, Tuan Chau – Gia Luan is the most convenient way to get from Halong Bay to Cat Ba Island. From Tuan Chau, the Cat Ba Island ferry runs only 3 times/ day in winter and 5 times/ day in summer. You can choose a 50-minute ferry or 30-minute hydrofoil to get to Cat Ba Ferry Terminal. Once arrived, it is essential to drive through the cross-island road in 45 minutes to Cat Ba town.

Large ferry from Tuan Chau to Gia Luan, Cat Ba

Tuan Chau – Cat Ba ticket price (one way/ person)

• Ferry ticket: 3.5 USD
• Hydrofoil boat: 7.5 USD
• High-speed canoe: 12 – 15 USD

Type of Passenger	Ferry Ticket Price
Passenger	3.5 USD/ one-way/ person
Passenger with a motorbike	4 USD/ one-way/ person
Passenger with a 9-seat car	19 USD/ one-way/ vehicle

To get more information about the exact price at the present, please contact us now!

 

Tuan Chau – Cat Ba ferry schedule

Departure point	Summer schedule (25th Apr – 5th Sep)	Winter schedule (6th Sep – 24th Apr)
Tuan Chau	7:30 am 9:30 am 11:30 am 1:30 pm 3:00 pm	8:00 am 11:30 am 3:00 pm
Gia Luan	9:00 am 11:30 am 1:00 pm 4:00 pm	9:00 am 1:00 pm 4:00 pm

 

Note: In case you decide on the hydrofoil speedboat, the frequency is lower, particularly no more than 2 rides per day.

• • From Tuan Chau: 8:30 am & 12:30 am
  • From Gia Luan: 10:30 am & 3:00 pm

Hydrofoil speedboat to from Tuan Chau to Cat Ba

 

Local Tips to Travel by Cat Ba Ferry

To enjoy a safe and comfortable ride, you can refer to some hacks at BestPrice Travel. 

• Book your ticket in advance since there is a large number of passengers traveling on the ferry to Cat Ba
• Bring along your identity card and passport when buying the ticket
• Prepare yourself medicines for motion sickness 
• Avoid public holidays in Vietnam if you don’t want to immerse in the crowds of domestic visitor
• Ask a local travel consultant or hotel receptionist for help because there is a lack of online booking sites for ferry boats
• Explore Cat Ba Island with A Halong Bay Cruise Trip to fully experience the beautiful sightseeing and amazing seascape, without concerns about transportation

On the whole, getting to the Cat Ba ferry terminal is hassle-free if you are knowledgeable enough. Hope this guide is informative for your vacation in Cat Ba.

Nhung Dang

(Image source: Internet)