Nha Trang to Da Lat: how to get there and what it costs

Da Lat offers a change from the coast: cooler air, pine trees and walks through a city built on hills. It is roughly 140–150 kilometres from Nha Trang, but this is no quick journey along a flat highway. The road climbs inland through Khanh Le Pass, with one bend following another.

Allow half a day for the move. You can take a bus, a shared minivan or a private car with a driver. Flying is also possible, with a connection: there is no direct flight between Cam Ranh and Da Lat’s airport.

The best choice depends on the trip you want. For one or two people with modest luggage, a daytime bus or minivan is usually the simplest place to start. Families with a pushchair and groups should compare the total ticket bill with a car between their hotels. If you want to be back in Nha Trang that evening, look for a day tour or a car booked for the whole day.

Which option suits your trip?

Prices checked on 18 October 2026. These are published fares, not confirmed quotes for every departure date.

The mountain road and the best time to leave

The shorter route follows QL27C over Khanh Le Pass. This mountain section explains why you cannot estimate the journey simply by dividing 140 kilometres by a normal highway speed. Vehicles slow for the bends; rain and fog can add more time.

Khanh Phong lists a journey time of 3 hours 20 minutes. Allow 4–5 hours from one hotel to the other, including getting to the pickup point, collecting passengers and reaching your accommodation in Da Lat. That estimate does not apply if the vehicle has to take a detour.

Plan to cross Khanh Le Pass during the day. Published restrictions prohibit traffic between 18:00 and 05:00; additional information signs were installed in September 2026. These times apply to crossing the restricted section, not to leaving Nha Trang. Your vehicle still has to reach the pass.

Before choosing a late departure, ask which route it uses and when it arrives. A departure listed on a timetable does not mean the bus can use the shorter road through the pass. During heavy rain, also confirm that the service will run before setting off.

A morning departure leaves more time after arrival. You can check in or leave your bags, have lunch and take a walk without finding your hotel in the dark. Match your departure to check-in time, though: arriving early does not necessarily mean your room will be ready.

Motion sickness and travelling with children

A mountain road still has its bends, even in an expensive car. A wide seat may make you more comfortable, but it cannot guarantee that you will not feel sick.

If you are prone to motion sickness, put away books and films on your phone. Looking ahead at a fixed point in the distance is generally more helpful than watching a screen. Avoid a heavy meal before leaving. Conversation, music or an audio story can keep a child occupied.

A private car lets you arrange a break at a safe stopping place. On a scheduled bus, breaks depend on the route and timetable. If you need motion-sickness medicine, particularly for a child, ask a pharmacist or doctor about a suitable option before travelling.

Keep water, tissues, a bag and a change of clothes for your child in the cabin. Request a child seat when booking a car and give the child’s age: buying travel for a child does not automatically provide one.

Buses and minivans: look at the actual seating

The route has buses with upright or sleeper seats, as well as smaller vehicles with wide reclining chairs. The latter are often called limousine services. In Vietnam, that describes a more comfortable cabin, not a vehicle reserved for your group.

Two vehicles labelled VIP can be quite different. One may have more legroom, another a better seat in your chosen position, and a third more luggage space. Look at the seat plan and photographs for the departure you are buying.

A sleeper berth has its own trade-offs. Being able to lie down does not turn a short mountain journey into a full night’s sleep. For a first trip, a daytime service is usually easier both on the road and on arrival.

Two operators to compare

Check timetables and buy tickets through Cúc Tùng or Khanh Phong. Their booking numbers are 1900 6606 and 0258 3823 999, respectively.

The general timetable helps you choose an operator, but you need a specific service on your travel date. This matters especially for late departures: ask how the route fits the pass’s opening hours.

Pickup and luggage may matter more than a small fare difference

Cúc Tùng offers a shuttle within five kilometres of its office at 198 Ngô Gia Tự. A central Nha Trang hotel may fall within that area; a resort in Bai Dai will not. Send the exact hotel address when booking so the dispatcher can confirm pickup and timing.

Check the arrival point in Da Lat as well. The station on Tô Hiến Thành is separate from the central market area. The Nguyễn Văn Cừ office is closer to the centre, but your hotel may still be up or down a hill. A few hundred metres on a map may be an awkward walk with a suitcase.

Luggage volume matters in a small minivan. If each passenger has a large suitcase, or you have a pushchair or sports equipment, send the operator the number and dimensions of your bags before paying. That establishes whether everything fits and whether there is a supplement.

At the starting fares, two tickets cost 400,000 dong with Cúc Tùng or 460,000 with Khanh Phong. Add any transport to the pickup point and from the final stop to your hotel before comparing the total with other options.

A private car: what the extra money buys

The main benefit is a straightforward trip between two addresses. There is no journey to a ticket office, no moving luggage between vehicles and no need to find another taxi after the bus.

You choose a departure time that works with the available route and agree any stops. Families can arrange a break; groups can share the cost of the car.

Hoi An Private Taxi publishes these one-way transfer fares:

The fare includes the driver, fuel, tolls and parking. Meals, admission tickets and an English-speaking guide are not included.

Three people sharing the 1,900,000-dong sedan would pay roughly 633,000 dong each. Seat capacity does not tell you how many suitcases fit, however. If all three have large cases, discuss boot space before choosing by price.

Why do you see both US$60 and 1.9 million dong?

Mui Ne Private Car offers a sedan on the same route from US$60 per car, one way. Its listing allows up to three passengers, two suitcases and two small bags, and includes the driver, fuel, tolls and parking.

One price is not per person while the other is per car. They are two companies’ separate price lists. The prices alone do not establish that the more expensive journey is better.

For a useful comparison, send each provider the same request: date, both hotels, passenger numbers, luggage and planned stops. Ask for the final total in the same currency. If a dollar fare will be paid in dong, agree the conversion rate.

Waiting time matters too. Mui Ne Private Car’s page gives conflicting free-waiting allowances, so obtain written confirmation before assuming that a one-hour stop is included. Public holidays can also change the starting fare.

Find a driver or post a transfer request in our Taxis, transfers and drivers section.

Flying means connecting through another city

You can fly from Nha Trang to Da Lat with a connection, for example in Ho Chi Minh City. Search for Cam Ranh — CXR to Lien Khuong — DLI. Lien Khuong serves Da Lat.

Vietnam Airlines sells this itinerary. A search result labelled “Nha Trang–Da Lat” does not mean a nonstop flight: check both sectors and the connection time.

Flying is worth considering if you want to avoid the pass or spend time in Ho Chi Minh City along the way. It is less convenient for a quick move between these neighbouring cities: two flights come with the journey to Cam Ranh, check-in, the connection and the transfer from Lien Khuong to your hotel.

Compare the full hotel-to-hotel journey and the total with baggage and transfers. Airfares vary by date, so budget a specific amount after choosing flights.

If you buy two separate tickets, leave enough time between them and find out whether you must collect and check your bags in again.

A day trip or an overnight stay?

A day trip suits visitors who want to see a few chosen places and return to their Nha Trang hotel that evening. First, consider how much time will remain for Da Lat itself.

Even the advertised 3 hours 20 minutes each way adds up to 6 hours 40 minutes on the road for the round trip alone. Stops, group pickups and city traffic take longer. A long list of attractions can therefore mean brief visits with frequent drives in between.

The pass restrictions also affect your return. If a tour promises an evening in Da Lat, the organiser should explain which road it will use afterwards. Do not assume the shorter route through Khanh Le will be open at night.

For a day trip, book a tour or a car with waiting time and an agreed itinerary. A transfer to your hotel does not automatically include sightseeing drives, a guide or the return to Nha Trang. Check separately whether a tour includes lunch and admission fees.

Staying overnight means you do not have to cross the pass twice in one day. Arrive, leave your bags, visit Crazy House, architect Đặng Việt Nga’s extraordinary building, and enjoy an evening walk without watching the time for your group’s departure.

For several attractions, cafés and an unhurried evening, an overnight stay would be my choice. One night is not enough to see all of Da Lat, but it separates the two drives and gives you time in the city. Look for events on your dates in our Da Lat events guide.

What your booking confirmation should include

Once you have chosen, gather the main arrangements in one message:

• Date, time and pickup point. For a hotel pickup, include the time you need to be ready.
• Arrival point. The specific office, station or hotel address.
• Passengers and luggage. Numbers, large bags, a pushchair and a child seat if needed.
• Total price. What it covers, agreed stops and the charge for extra waiting.
• Route and a contact for the day. A possible detour is especially important for a late departure.

For a scheduled service, also save your chosen seat and the operator’s name if you booked through an agent. A return trip must be specified separately: a one-way fare does not include it.

Leave your first evening in Da Lat flexible. After a winding mountain journey, it is more pleasant to settle in and go out for dinner than to rush straight into another excursion.