Getting Around Hue
Hue is a compact city, and most of the places a visitor wants to see — hotels, restaurants, and the Citadel — sit within easy reach of one another. That shapes how you move around: you can cover a lot of ground on foot, and for everything else there is a dense supply of taxis, motorbikes, bicycles, and cyclos. Note that the emperors' tombs lie outside the centre, so you will need to arrange transport to reach them.
On Foot
Walking is genuinely practical in central Hue. The city is quite compact, so you can reach most of the hotels, restaurants, and the Citadel easily on foot. A useful free resource is the walking tour brochure and map prepared by Mr. Cu at Mandarin Cafe — stop by 24 Tran Cao Van St to pick one up (and try the banana pancakes while you're there).
Rail
Hue has a train station on the national north–south line, with several trains a day linking the city to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and other destinations. The stretch south through Lang Co and over the Hai Van Pass is particularly scenic, and from Da Nang you can continue onward to Hoi An by taxi or motorbike.
For longer journeys, the express trains are worth the extra cost over slower services. Sleeper accommodation is available, though beds can be firm. Tickets can be bought at the train station or online through the official Vietnamese Railways website, which has an English version and accepts international bank cards.
Hue Train Station sits at 2 Bùi Thị Xuân, roughly a 40-minute walk from the backpacker hotels around Pham Ngu Lao.
Buses and Long-Distance Connections
Public buses from the larger cities connect to Hue's main bus stations. Most open tour buses include Hue on their itinerary, linking the city to Hoi An or Da Nang to the south and Hanoi to the north. Overnight services on the Hanoi route are popular with locals.
Several operators run direct services into Hue. Sinh Café Buses, at 7 Nguyen Tri Phuong St, run direct buses from Hoi An twice daily, with some services stopping at the Marble Mountains en route, and daily departures to Hanoi with stops including Dong Ha. Sleeper buses also run from Da Nang.
Hue is also reachable overland from Laos. From Pakse, buses leave in the morning and arrive in Hue many hours later, with local buses departing in the evening; tickets can be bought from travel agents in central Pakse, though buying directly from the bus company is cheaper. From Vientiane, you can book a sleeping or sitting bus from the Southern Bus Terminal to Hue or onward to Da Nang — the sleeping bus is the better choice for the long trip. These services cross at the Lao Bao border, where passports are collected for exit stamping and a small fee is required; be cautious about changing money with the vendors who approach the bus, as rates can be very poor. Meals and a coffee break are typically included in the ticket price, with anything extra charged separately. On arrival in Hue you may be able to get off before the bus station and save yourself a ride into town.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Hue has a supply of metered taxis alongside the far more numerous cyclos and motorbikes. Taxi drivers are usually honest, but make sure the meter is switched on. Fares start at a modest flag-fall for the first couple of kilometres and then tick upward per kilometre. Some meters run incorrectly — occasionally showing far more distance than was actually travelled — so it helps to have a rough idea of how far your destination is. If the meter is clearly running too fast, pay what you judge to be a fair price at the end and insist on calling the police if the driver refuses; in practice the driver will back down. A metered trip out to see two tombs, including waiting time, should cost around 300,000 dong.
For cyclos and motorbikes, the usual rules apply: negotiate the price before you set off, and don't be afraid to walk away if the asking price is too high. No trip within Hue should cost more than 20,000 dong.
Motorbikes, Bicycles, and Cyclos
Hiring a motorbike is a popular way to move at your own pace, and they are available for around US$5 per day from hotels and shops. If you'd rather not drive yourself, small hotels can connect you with freelance motorbike drivers, and you may be lucky enough to get an English-speaking guide who can take you around the tombs, temples, and the emperor's arena in a single day — with time left in the early afternoon for a beer and some Vietnamese do-it-yourself spring rolls and Hue pancakes.
Cycling is another good option, with plenty of bikes available for around 25,000–30,000 dong per day.
A cyclo is the local version of the trishaw, with the passenger seated in front of the cyclist. Always agree on a price before setting off, and make sure it covers the return journey rather than just one way. If you want to change your itinerary mid-journey, discuss the price adjustment with your driver immediately rather than leaving it until the end. When agreeing on a fare, be explicit about the currency — confirm you are paying in dong rather than US dollars, as misunderstandings over this can lead to a much larger bill than expected on arrival.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Phu Bai International Airport (HUI) has daily flights to and from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, though flights are quite often disrupted by poor weather during the rainy season from mid-October to mid-December. Most flights are operated by Vietnam Airlines, with Jetstar Vietnam also running services from Ho Chi Minh City and a daily flight to Hanoi.
The airport is a short drive from the city centre. A taxi should cost no more than 180,000 dong and takes around half an hour. There is also a bus that will take you into the city and even drop you at your hotel for 50,000 dong; tickets are bought from the stand just after you exit the baggage claim. Large suitcases are accepted, and the minibus seems to leave when full. It drops passengers at larger hotels, with the default drop-off being Hanoi street.
If you can't find a suitable flight into Hue, Da Nang's airport is busier and has more connections, and is now only about two hours away by car since the Hai Van Tunnel opened. A one-way taxi from Da Nang airport to Hue can be negotiated down to around US$45 for a large car or US$40 for a small car; on the meter, a large car costs considerably more.