Hoi An to Dalat

Want to know how to get from Hoi An to DaLat? In this post, we’ll share a summary of the three ways to get there and compare each option on duration, costs and level of comfort. For each option, we go into more detail to help you decide which transport provider to book with and where to buy your tickets.

3 ways to get from Hoi An to DaLat

There are three ways to travel the distance of 635 km (395 miles) from Hoi An to DaLat: by bus* (15h30m-18h), train (13h56m-15h59m) and flight (3 hours). The journey takes between 3-18 hours and the quickest way is by flight. The lowest priced tickets start from 775,000 VND ($31.50) for the flight.

Hoi An to DaLat by Flight

Duration: 3 hours

Starts from: 775,000 VND ($31.50)

Duration: 3 hours

Cost: 775,000 VND ($31.50)

We recommend taking a flight from Hoi An to Dalat when travelling off-peak season and airfares are not that expensive.

Hoi An does not have its own airport, but you can take a flight from Da Nang, 30 km north of the Old Town. Including airport transfers, this flight journey from Hoi An to Dalat takes only 3 hours — much faster than any of the other options for this route.

TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.

Step 1: Hoi An to Da Nang Airport by Shuttle Bus

Duration: 1 hour

Costs: 155,000 VND ($6.00)

Duration: 1 hour

Costs: 155,000 VND ($6.00)

Travelling solo? If yes, you can take a shuttle bus from Hoi An centre to Da Nang Airport. Ticket prices start from 155,000 VND ($6.00).

If you’re in a group, it will be better to take a taxi with fares from 320,000 VND ($13.00).

Pre-book your ride online through BookAway or visit our page on Da Nang Airport for more details

Step 2: Da Nang to Lien Khuong Airport by Flight

Duration: 1 hour

Costs: 580,000 VND ($23.50)

Duration: 1 hour

Costs: 580,000 VND ($23.50)

There are 2-3 flights available daily from Da Nang to Da Lat (Lien Khuong Airport). These are operated by Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways and Vietnam Airlines. Flight time is around 1 hour.

Airfares range from 580,000 VND ($23.50) to 880,000 VND ($35.50). But if you’re travelling during peak season (June to September), rates could go beyond 1,110,000 VND ($45.00).

If possible, always book your flight in advance to get the best rates.

PRO TIP: Use the free N26 debit card to avoid the extra fees charged by your bank. This N26 debit card is becoming very popular among travellers, because they don't charge any fees on payments in foreign currencies (most banks charge 3%-5%). New members can order one for free on the N26 website

 

Step 3: Lien Khuong Airport to Dalat by Bus/Taxi

Duration: 1 hour

Costs: 40,000 VND ($1.60)

Duration: 1 hour

Costs: 40,000 VND ($1.60)

From Lien Khuong Airport, you will find Dalat city centre 30 km north. There are 2 ways to get there: a 1-hour taxi and a 1-hour bus.

Taxi rates start from 290,000 VND ($11.50). You can get a taxi at the airport, but we recommend pre-booking your ride via BookAway. This way, you can expect a spacious car with a professional driver waiting for you at the airport as soon as you arrive.

A cheaper alternative would be to take the airport bus, which has two drop-off points in Dalat city centre: Ngoc Phat Hotel near Xuan Huong Lake and Le Thi Hong Gam Street near Dalat Market. A bus ticket costs 40,000 VND ($1.60).

Visit our page on Dalat Airport for more details.

Hoi An to DaLat by Bus*

Duration: 15h30m-18h

Starts from: 830,000 VND ($34.00)

Duration: 15h30m-18h

Cost: 830,000 VND ($34.00)

*COVID-19 UPDATE: Pre-pandemic, there used to be buses operating from Hoi An to Dalat via Nha Trang. But the last time we checked (February 2023), you can only take the bus from Da Nang to Dalat. Check BookAway to see if anything has changed.

We don’t recommend taking a bus from Hoi An to Dalat.

There are no direct buses for this route. All buses depart from Da Nang, which is 1 hour away from Hoi An. On top of that, the bus journey from Da Nang to Dalat takes around 17 hours.

Still want to take the bus? Read on for a step-by-step guide.

Personal Experience: When we travelled this route ourselves, we booked a bus that left at 19:00 from Hoi An and was supposed to arrive around 10:00 in Dalat. Somehow, the bus driver managed to arrive 3 hours earlier (at 7:00) in Dalat.

Luckily, we arrived all well and safe, but bear in mind that this is definitely not the safest option. For this reason, we recommend travelling by plane or train instead. The reason we travelled by bus was that it was ‘Tet Holiday’ and all train tickets and flights to Dalat were fully booked.

Step 1: Hoi An to Da Nang by Taxi

Duration: 1 hour

Costs: 440,000 VND ($18.00)

Duration: 1 hour

Costs: 440,000 VND ($18.00)

From Hoi An, you can take a 1-hour taxi to Da Nang Central Bus Station. Rates start from 440,000 VND ($17.50) when you book your ride online through BookAway.

Travelling light? You can also take a motorbike taxi from Hoi An to Da Nang Bus Station. Fares start from 150,000 VND ($6.00).

Different bus companies have varying bus stations in Da Nang. Know which terminal you’re headed for before departing from Hoi An.

IMPORTANT: Pre-pandemic, there were cheap public buses operating direct trips from Hoi An to Da Nang Bus Station. But the last time we checked (February 2023), these were no longer available.

Step 2: Da Nang to Dalat by Bus

Duration: 14h30m-17h

Costs: 390,000 VND ($16.00)

Duration: 14h30m-17h

Costs: 390,000 VND ($16.00)

From Da Nang, it’s a 17-hour bus ride to Dalat. Buses in Vietnam are practical for short trips, but for this long journey it might be quite exhausting. The bus makes a few stops along the way, though, for toilet and food breaks.

You can choose from 2 companies: Futa Bus and Thanh Thuy. Futa Bus offers the cheapest fares at 390,000 VND ($15.50). But we think you’ll be more comfortable with Thanh Thuy’s VIP cabin bus, which gets good reviews for this route.

Bus* options from Hoi An to Dalat

Hoi An to DaLat by Train

Duration: 13h56m-15h59m

Starts from: 1,040,000 VND ($42.50)

Duration: 13h56m-15h59m

Cost: 1,040,000 VND ($42.50)

Both Hoi An and Dalat do not have a working railway station. Although Dalat has a beautiful train station of its own, it only serves as a tourist attraction.

This means that when taking the train from Hoi An to Dalat, you actually only travel by rail from Da Nang to Nha Trang.

This train journey looks like this: from Hoi An, you can get to Da Nang via 1-hour bus or taxi; transfer to a 10-hour train to Nha Trang; and then hop on a 4-hour bus to Dalat.

Step 1: Hoi An to Da Nang Railway Station by Minivan

Duration: 1 hour

Costs: 155,000 VND ($6.00)

Duration: 1 hour

Costs: 155,000 VND ($6.00)

To get to Da Nang Railway Station from Hoi An, you can take either a minivan or a taxi. Rates start from 155,000 VND ($6.00) and 440,000 VND ($17.50), respectively. Pre-book your ride online through BookAway so that you can expect a ride on your desired day and time.

Minivans are available daily from 06:00-20:00. Take the minivan that will arrive at the station closest to your train’s departure time. There are a few cafes and restaurants near the railway station in case you have to wait awhile.

See our page on Da Nang Railway Station for more details.

IMPORTANT: There used to be cheap local buses available from Hoi An to Da Nang. But the last time we checked (February 2023), these were no longer operating.

Step 2: Da Nang to Nha Trang by Train

Duration: 8h56m-10h59m

Costs: 665,000 VND ($27.00)

Duration: 8h56m-10h59m

Costs: 665,000 VND ($27.00)

When taking a train from Da Nang, we recommend getting off at Nha Trang, 130 km northeast of Dalat. It’s not the nearest working train station to Dalat, but it’s the most convenient transfer point for this route. We tell you why in the next section.

There are 5 trains operating daily from Da Nang to Nha Trang. But because this is a 10-hour journey, it’s best to take the only overnight train so that you don’t waste a day on travelling. You can save one night on hotel costs, too!

Rates start from 665,000 VND ($27.00) when you book a bunk in a 4-berth sleeper, which is spacious and will be more comfortable for this long trip.

If you don’t mind sharing a train room with 5 other people, you can also get a cheaper 6-berth cabin with rates from 592,000 VND ($24.00).

Train options from Hoi An to Dalat

Step 3: Nha Trang to Dalat by Bus

Duration: 4 hours

Costs: 220,000 VND ($9.00)

Duration: 4 hours

Costs: 220,000 VND ($9.00)

If you take the overnight train, you have the option to spend a few hours in Nha Trang before continuing on your journey to Dalat.

From Nha Trang Railway Station, it’s just a 20-minute walk or 5-minute taxi ride to the beach. This will be a good time to stretch your legs after the train ride. You can even get brunch in the city or take a dip at the beach for a few hours.

Keep in mind that the last bus/limo van bound for Dalat departs at 17:00. We recommend booking your tickets in advance so that you can also confirm the last trip for the day. The bus journey from Nha Trang to Dalat takes around 4 hours.

See our page for Nha Trang to Dalat to see the bus schedule and more details.