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How to get from Hoi An to Dalat
The fastest way to travel the 635 km distance from Hoi An to Dalat is by flight. This flight journey takes 3 hours (including transfers) and costs around $33 (775,000 VND). Other options include taking the train (15 hours) or the bus (18 hours).
3 ways to get from Hoi An to Dalat
A flight is a cost-efficient way to get from Hoi An to Dalat. Including airport transfers, travel time takes only around 3 hours. And if you travel outside the peak season, you can get combined fares starting from $33 (775,000 VND). Note that Hoi An doesn’t have its own airport, so you will fly from Da Nang to Dalat.
When flights are too expensive, the train is a good alternative. The train journey from Hoi An to Dalat takes around 15 hours. But if you travel overnight, you won’t lose a day on the journey and you can also save on hotel costs. This is not a direct train, though. This option involves 3 steps: a bus/taxi from Hoi An to Da Nang, a train from Da Nang to Nha Trang, and then a bus from Nha Trang to Dalat.
There is also an option to take a bus from Hoi An to Dalat, but we don’t recommend it. Buses in Vietnam are neither as safe nor as comfortable as the trains. For long 18-hour journeys like this, it will be better to travel by train. Still want to travel by bus? Fares from $35 (830,000 VND)
TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.
Hoi An to Dalat by Flight
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.
Step 1: Hoi An to Da Nang Airport by Shuttle Bus
Travelling solo? If yes, you can take a shuttle bus from Hoi An centre to Da Nang Airport. Ticket prices start from $6.50 (155,000 VND).
If you’re in a group, it will be better to take a taxi with fares from $13.50 (320,000 VND).
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
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 $24.50 (580,000 VND) to $37.50 (880,000 VND). But if you’re travelling during peak season (June to September), rates could go beyond $47 (1,110,000 VND).
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
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 $12 (290,000 VND). 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 $1.70 (40,000 VND).
Visit our page on Dalat Airport for more details.
Hoi An to Dalat by Train
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
To get to Da Nang Railway Station from Hoi An, you can take either a minivan or a taxi. Rates start from $6.50 (155,000 VND) and $18.50 (440,000 VND), 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
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 $28 (665,000 VND) 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 $25 (592,000 VND).
Train schedule from Da Nang to Nha Trang (Sleeper berth)
Step 3: Nha Trang to Dalat by Bus
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.
Check Bus Tickets with BookAway
See our page for Nha Trang to Dalat to see the bus schedule and more details.
Hoi An to Dalat by Bus*
*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
From Hoi An, you can take a 1-hour taxi to Da Nang Central Bus Station. Rates start from $18.50 (440,000 VND) 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 $6 (150,000 VND).
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
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 $16.50 (390,000 VND). But we think you’ll be more comfortable with Thanh Thuy’s VIP cabin bus, which gets good reviews for this route.
Bus schedule from Da Nang to Dalat
Futa Bus departs from Da Nang Central Bus Station and arrives at Dalat Interprovincial Bus Station, 3 km southeast of Dalat city centre.
Thanh Thuy departs from Nguyen Tri Phuong across the Park Lake in Da Nang city centre. It arrives at its terminal along Nguyen Tu Luc Street, 5 km north of Dalat centre.
Routes from DaLat
Most popular routes in Vietnam
Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
Based in Bali, Maarten’s passion for travel is undeniable. In 2016, he decided to quit his job as a stock analyst and started doing what he always dreamed of: travelling through South East Asia and helping other people plan their trips. When he is not working on Gecko Routes, you’ll find him surfing in the ocean or exploring the best gems of Indonesia.
Hi, I’m searching for Trains between Da Nang and Nha Trang via the link you provided and the national website both are saying that there aren’t any trains available. I’m needing train tickets for April, do you know if there are time restrictions from when you can buy your tickets online?
Thanks in advance and great work! im finding your posts so useful!
Hi Jade, thanks! I’m happy to hear you find it so useful! Normally train ticket open 90 days before departure, but in this case it seems that the tickets in April didn’t open yet. Last available day is the 31st of March. When you wait another 2 weeks you can likely book your tickets! And don’t worry that’s more than enough in advance:).
Thank you for this. Super useful. So glad you quit your job and following your dreams. ?
Thanks! Enjoy your trip!!