Tips for taking the bus in Ha Noi

It’s said that bus is the most optimal form of transport in most cities. It is cheap. It takes you to anywhere you want to go. Ha Noi has an excellent bus route system with acceptable service quality. Taking a bus in Ha Noi, Vietnam can be more relaxing than most people think

Follow these tips to make bus traveling more effective.

Get a Monthly Ticket

With this, your bus traveling has been covered.

In a previous article, I have mentioned that sometimes traveling by bus in Ha Noi can be more expensive than paying for your motorcycle’s gas. This is true due to connecting bus routes. To get to a specific location in Ha Noi, sometimes, you must switch buses two or even three times. Every time you get on a bus, you must pay 7,000 – 9,000 VND (in the urban area). But if you get a monthly ticket for 200,000 VND per month, your bus traveling will be covered.

Obviously, this only makes sense if you are planning to stay in Ha Noi for more than a month. If you are just here for a few weeks or days, it is better to just rent a motorcycle.

Mind your belongings while waiting for the bus in Ha Noi

Fanny pack is a good way to keep your belongings

Mind your belongings every time you go to a place with too many people. It is recommended that you leave your things at the hotel during your time in town. Just bring the necessities. Make sure that your cell phones and wallets are safe, preferably inside a fanny pack. People lose things while taking the bus in Ha Noi every day. So make sure you’re not one of them.

Mind others’ belongings

This scenario occasionally leads to someone getting mugged.

While waiting for the bus in Ha Noi, you will frequently be asked by strangers to buy certain items from them. These guys will offer you watches, bracelets, cell phones, etc. It is vital that you ignore these people and mind your own business. These items are mostly stolen, if not fake. As soon as you touched the thing, someone will scream out that you stole it and you will be forced to pay up.

You are outnumbered

Again, while waiting for the bus in Ha Noi, just mind your own business. If you do run into thieves or pocket-pickers, don’t try to fight back, because they have buddies all around the area. Unless you really know how to handle things, don’t be a hero.

If it’s too crowded, wait for the next one

The bus will shelter you from most natural disasters.

Most people would take the first bus that comes, even if it is fully packed, even if there is an empty bus just a few seconds behind it. If the bus is too crowded, wait for the next one. If you’re not in a rush, don’t mind waiting for a bit.

Know where you are heading

If you don’t know where you’re heading, ask the conductor, they might not fully understand English, but they’ll know where you want to go, and they will tell you to get off the bus when you arrive at your destination or need to make a connecting bus. If the conductor is clueless, turn your attention to a local student. Be sure to stand at the door before the bus stops as it doesn’t stay opened for long.