Local Tip
Change notes at a bank with your passport, or only at a shop showing a State Bank exchange-agent certificate: dealing with an unregistered gold shop has been punishable since 9 February 2026. Otherwise use a cash machine, pick dong, and expect several withdrawals, as caps are low.
Where to change money in Hanoi
Banks are the safe choice, with plenty of branches around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter; VnExpress says you show your passport and fill in a form. Gold shops post rates too, but one may change currency only if the State Bank lists it as a registered exchange agent. Since 9 February 2026, Decree 340/2025 penalises dealing at an unauthorised outlet, customer included: a warning below USD 1,000, then VND 10 million to 20 million up to USD 10,000 (Viet Nam News, VnExpress).
- Bank branches, Hoan Kiem and the Old Quarter - Bring your passport. Expect weekday hours with a long lunch break, and Saturday mornings at a few larger branches. No branch is named, as none was confirmed by two sources.
- Noi Bai Airport, international arrivals - Counters stand just before the exit gates, says the tourist board. Change a small first sum only, and compare the rate with a bank in town.
Changing money at the airport
Noi Bai (HAN) has exchange counters ahead of the exit gates, Vietnam Tourism says, cash machines just outside the entrances, and one inside the immigration area for anyone paying a visa fee in dong.
The 86 express bus runs through the centre to Hanoi railway station for VND 30,000, the fare quoted by the tourist board and by VnExpress at the route's 2016 launch; the tourist board lists airport departures from 6.30am to 11pm. Its undated guide puts a metered taxi at VND 300,000 to 400,000, plus a possible VND 15,000 toll, and a GrabCar at about VND 250,000, so treat these as rough. Grab shows its price before you book.
ATMs and cards in Hanoi
Limits depend on the machine: about VND 2 million per withdrawal at local banks and VND 5 million to 10 million at international ones, say the tourist board and Wise. Wise adds that many operators charge a fee, and your UK bank may too. If a machine or shop terminal offers pounds, decline and take dong, because the machine then picks its own rate.
The tourist board says hotels, restaurants, shops and spas generally take international cards, while street food and small buys are cash; Wise puts contactless at over 60% of transactions. Standard VietQR codes rarely work with foreign banking apps, but a UK Wise customer can pay codes showing the Alipay+ logo in the Wise app, and VNPAY lets visitors sign up with a passport and link a Visa, Mastercard or JCB card.
Paying for transport in Hanoi
Hanoi has two metro lines, numbered differently from report to report, so use the route names. Since 1 August 2025 the Cat Linh-Ha Dong line has cost VND 9,000 to 19,000 in cash or VND 8,595 to 18,625 paid electronically, and the Nhon-Hanoi Station line VND 9,000 to 15,000 in cash, Viet Nam News reports. Since December 2025 the Cat Linh-Ha Dong gates have taken international Visa and EMV bank cards, Apple Pay and QR codes, so there is no paper-ticket queue.
Buses and motorbike taxis are mostly cash, and overcharging happens: VnExpress (2 March 2026) reported a Hanoi motorbike-taxi driver who charged an American tourist VND 1 million for 7 km, 14 times the normal fare. Agree the price first, or use Grab, which shows the fare upfront and takes a saved bank card or its Moca wallet.
Good to know
- Declare cash over VND 15 million or USD 5,000, or its equivalent in other currencies, when you arrive (FCDO).
- Tipping is optional: the tourist board says it is growing at beauty salons and with private guides, and appreciated but not expected in restaurants.
- There are no coins. The 20,000 and 500,000 dong notes are a similar blue, so check before you pay.
- The FCDO says UK visitors may stay 45 days without a visa, or 90 days with multiple entries on an e-visa from the official portal; passports need six months' validity and two blank pages.
Key Areas in Hanoi
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Hanoi travel money FAQ
Where is the best place to exchange money in Hanoi?
A bank in Hoan Kiem or the Old Quarter, with your passport. Use a gold shop only if it is registered with the State Bank as an exchange agent: since 9 February 2026 an unauthorised deal can bring a warning or a fine. On landing, the airport counter or a bank machine will do.
Do cash machines in Hanoi charge UK cards?
Often: Wise says many operators add a fee, and your bank may add its own. Caps run from about VND 2 million at local banks to VND 10 million at some international ones, so bigger sums take several goes. Always choose dong.
How do I get from Noi Bai Airport to the Old Quarter?
The 86 express bus costs VND 30,000 and runs through the centre to the railway station. The tourist board's undated guide puts a taxi at VND 300,000 to 400,000 plus any toll and Grab at about VND 250,000.
Checked October 2026. Fees, fares and opening times change, so check locally before relying on them. Sources: GOV.UK (FCDO) · Vietnam Tourism · Viet Nam News · VnExpress · Thu Vien Phap Luat · VnExpress International
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