Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang: Best 4 ways to travel – The Best Travel Guide

Located in the South Central Coast of Viet Nam, Nha Trang is a famous coastal city that attracts thousands of visitors every year. This city is famous for many beautiful beaches around the city and on the islands ( such as Long Beach, Binh Ba island…). In the city, Nha Trang is also well-known for many interesting destinations like Institute of Oceanography, Dam market. Besides, Nha Trang governance organizes a lot of events and activities every year to give visitors a chance to experience Vietnamese culture.

The distance from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang Bay is about 440 kilometers. Nowadays, with the development of transportation, that 440 kilometers seem unlikely to be a big deal, visitors always have a lot of option to move from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang. Also, cheap flight and trains are always available, local coaches are ready almost 24 hours a day. If you are making a travel plan from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang, this article will give you the most up-to-date guides.

I. Getting From Ho Chi Minh To Nha Trang By Airplane 

1. Flights from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang

From center of Ho Chi Minh, passengers will move to Tan Son Nhat airport (about 8-10 kilometers from the city center). It will take more than 1 hour to fly from Tan Son Nhat to Cam Ranh airport. Currently, all Vietnam airlines such as Vietjet, Jetstar, Vietnam Airline provide direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang. All the information about flights (ticket price, time, date, how to book…) will be on their website. As with any other airlines, fares will be varied by each brand, time of flight and time of your booking. Check the information below to find out the brand and ticket’s price:

Vietnam Airline:
Website: vietnamairlines.com
Contact Center for calls within Vietnam (24/7): 1900 1100

Jetstar:
Website: jetstar.com
Contact Center for calls within Vietnam 19001550

Vietjet air:
Website: vietjetair.com
Contact Center for calls within Vietnam:  1900 1886
But it is not everything. Cam Ranh airport is 35-40 kilometers far from Nha Trang city. So after getting out of the airport, travelers have to spend about 50 minutes to get into the city.  In addition to the taxi, Cam Ranh airport also has many coaches and buses to move to the city at a cheap price. Average price for taking a bus is VND 50.000-VND 70.000/person. Moreover, the price for a taxi will be VND 250,000 – VND 300,000 (if you want to book a taxi, you should do before entering the airport).

Some taxi brands at the airport:
Taxi Mai Linh: (+8458) 3 811 811
Taxi Nha Trang: (+8458) 3818 181 – (+8458) 3824 000
Khánh Hòa Taxi: (+8458) 3810 810 – (+8458) 3871 871
Emasco Taxi: (+8458) 3515 151 – (+8458) 3814 444

Read more: 3 ways to get to Nha Trang, Vietnam

2. Advantages of choosing a flight?

The routes from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang is quite diverse, typical in the schedule of Vietnam Airlines has seven flights from 7:30 to 22:00 The current aviation procedures are quite neat, so obviously you can book a ticket 01 day before and then the next day you will be in the sky.  Finally, if weather condition is favorable, passengers can enjoy the panoramic view of all Cam Ranh Bay and Nha Trang city from above. This is a great strength that no other means can compare with.

3. Disadvantages of choosing a flight?

As mentioned before, the Cam Ranh airport is about 40 kilometers far from the city center, so after finishing the flight, travelers still have a long way to go, literally. When leaving the airport, there will be a series of tent drivers that you do not know who to choose. If you are lucky, you will find a nice car, a safe route with moderate costs. Otherwise, it is difficult to say in advance. Moreover, the quality of the road is not very good, so that 40 kilometers cannot be as comfortable as you expect.

Read more: 2 ways get around Nha Trang, Vietnam

4. Getting from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang by airplane: Things to remember

Vietjet and Jetstar always have the good discount, check their website and you can have a cheap flight from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang. Also, remember to always book a return ticket in case the ticket is out of order, especially in peak seasons like summer. About 5 meters from the front door of the airport, there is a ticket counter to take a bus to the city (price is VND 50.000 – VND 70.000/person), talk to tourist guide your destination and they will take you to the nearest bus stop. If you want to have a cheap travel, be patient, do not choose the first taxi driver you meet at the airport.  

II. Getting From Ho Chi Minh To Nha Trang By Train

1. How to book a train ticket from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang

Nha Trang is a tourist city so there are many train departing here. There are more than 10 trips every day, running from morning to night. It will take about 8-10 hours to move from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang by train, depend on what type of train. Thong Nhat brand is quite old, so it will take about 11 hours, and other SE trains will take 8 hours. The cheapest price for SE train is about VND 200,000. There are also soft seats with a bed or air-condition with the price from VND 400,000. And the price for Golden train (luxury train) is around VND 600.000. There is one rule that all passengers should know: you can change or return the ticket within 12 hours before the train running. So check your date and time carefully before reservation.

Travelers can check the train’s time and price on website and book online, or else, you can find out the ticket counter at:

Ho Chi Minh: No.01, Nguyen Thong Street, Ward 9, District 3. Phone: (+84) 938 100 139 – (+84) 916 814 579
Nha Trang: 17 Thai Nguyen Street (Nha Trang Train station)

2. The advantages of getting from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang by train

Nha Trang Railway Station is more convenient when located in the heart of the city, not far from Dam Market and Tran Phu Street. When you come to Nha Trang Station, you can easily take a taxi to the surrounding hotels and resorts at a relatively low cost. A train is also a safe and fast way to travel with the reasonable price and beautiful view on the way. It is always the first priority for people who like the vintage trend.  By the way, train service is improved every single day, so you can experience a good service like (with food, drink, bed, air-condition and service staffs always ready to help) with the price that much cheaper than an airplane.

3. Disadvantages of getting from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang by train

The minus point of travel by train is very noisy, and also quite a time- consuming. With some people, long-term noise tolerance is extremely distressing. Also, if you travel by train you are forced to walk a lot to book tickets, to find your door that leads to your seat… And thousands of passersby in a station increases your chances of being stolen or lost your luggage.

4. Things to remember

Another thing to keep in mind is that since trains are the preferred means of transportation in the North-South route, so if you want a good seat and, as you like, book train tickets as soon as possible. Second, travelers should book the ticket a month before or sooner to get a cheap price if you plan to have a trip on the weekend or holiday. With other days, the ticket should be booked 1 or 2 days before.

Third, if you get carsick, hard-seat is a good choice because the windows will be open. Moreover, visitors should book a night train, so everything you need to do is sleep and enjoy this coastal city next morning. If you want to see the view on the way, a seat is more suitable than a sleeper ticket. Finally, don’t bring too much luggage, because you will have to walk a lot.

III. Getting From Ho Chi Minh To Nha Trang By Local Coaches

1. How to move from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang by local coach

There are many high quality and normal local coaches from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang. The coaches run whole day, even evening, including bed car for you to choose. Travel time is only 8 – 10 hours, depending on which brand it is (some coaches will stop to pick up guests on the way). What is more, in Ho Chi Minh, you can contact the car directly to book tickets, or to buy tickets at the bus station. The price of bed tickets ranges from VND 200,000 – VND 400,000. Some garages offer a free shuttle service within a 10 kilometers radius. This means that if your hotel is located 10 kilometers from the bus station, you will be taken to the hotel for free. Additionally, note some famous coach brands here:

Phương Trang
Sleeper coach price: VND 235,000/ticket
Start at:   272 De Tham street, Western bus station, Eastern bus station
Station in Nha Trang: 07 Hoang Hoa Tham street, Nha Trang city
Free shuttle service within a 10 kilometers radius
Book a ticket: (+84) 838 386 852 or come to these 3 place

Ha Linh
Sleeper coach price: VND 200,000/ticket
Start at: 217 Pham Ngu Lao street, the 1 district (call to know starting time), Eastern bus stop.
Station in Nha Trang: No.58, 23/10 street, Nha Trang city
Free shuttle service within a 10 kilometers radius
Phone: (+84) 822 190 198 – (+84) 862 792 027

Hoang Long coach
Sleeper ticket price: VND 230,000/ticket
Only has cars in Eastern Bus station
The station in Nha Trang: 42 Cai Lo Tuyen – Dien Khanh- Khanh Hoa
Free shuttle service within a 10 kilometers radius
Phone: (+84) 313 920 920.

Besides, travelers can choose Open Tours coach to have a nice trip. Open tour coach is the coach service of travel companies that have tourism services in Nha Trang. The strengths of these vehicles are good quality, flexible pick-up and drop off and with the same price as other brands. One famous brand is Sinh Café. Visitors can book the ticket for:

Ho Chi Minh: 246-248 De Tham street, The 1st district.- Phone: (+84) 3836 7338 or (+84) 383 768
Nha Trang: No.10 Biet Thu street- phone: (+84) 583 522 982 or No.90C Hung Vuong street- Phone: (+84) 58 352 1981

2. The advantage of taking a coach from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang

The price for coach ticket is reasonable and there are many cars, many brands for customers to choose.  The coach service is improved and comfortable. If you are not good at reading and understanding the map, a coach is really helpful.  Traveling by coach will give you a chance to take a closer look at the life of local Vietnamese and all beautiful and glorious landscapes on the way

3. The disadvantage of taking a coach from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang

The biggest minus of this form of mobility is the language barrier. Most drivers and supporters do not speak English or just say harshly. So it is very difficult to communicate. If you travel by car, write the destination on paper or mark it on the map for driving.
Also, this will make you very tired: take a long time and sometime it will be very crowded (especially on public holiday)
Additionally, the safety problem is also another drawback: This is hard to say, but road accidents are more common than rail and air

4. Getting from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang by coaches: things to remember  

Reading review, call and check carefully before booking the ticket. According to various opinions, the best car for this route is the Phuong Trang, which has long been respected for punctuality, late trip and driver safety, stability

Although running on the same route, if you choose the departure time at night, it takes less than 5 hours to go from Saigon to Nha Trang, this number increased to over 11 hours If you decide to go during the day. If you want to spend 100% of the energy to have fun, choose a night coach.

IV. Getting From Ho Chi Minh City To Nha Trang By Private Vehicles

1. How to go from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang by private vehicles

The distance from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang is about 430 kilometers. If driving a car with no rest time, it will take about 10 hours. However, if you want to truly enjoy the way, take some breaks and enjoy the landscapes, eating special foods, it will take 2-3 days to complete. There are 3 ways that available for a car only and both car and motorbike, check the information below and choose your best way to get from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang.

The first way is for a car only: itinerary will start from Ho Chi Minh- Long Thanh- Dau Giay highway, then move to Dong Nai – Binh Thuan province- Phan Thiet city- Ninh Thuan- Phan Rang city – Khanh Hoa and Nha Trang city. This is the shortest and the easiest way to drive. Moreover, the second way for both car and motorbike: from Ho Chi Minh city, travelers have to choose another way to get to Dong Nai province, then the route is the same as first way. This route usually has a lot of police, so be careful to bring enough identification and obey the law.

 Finally, the last one call “the mountainous way”: you have to drive 444 kilometers. From Ho Chi Minh city, travelers can follow Vo Nguyen Giap street then get to Bien Hoa city- Dong Nai province. After that, the driver goes through Da Lat city and get to Nha Trang. If you follow this way, you will have a really great sense of Vietnam’s nature and mountains. However, this route is quite risky because there are so many slopes, fogs as well as passes.

2. How to rent a car or motorbike

The first thing to remember: you must have a valid driver’s license and your ID cards/ passport.
After finding your suitable vehicle and make a deal, the last step of the process is giving one photocopy of your passport to the owner, and the deposit and renting fee as well.
The renting fee is VND 4,000,000 – VND 8,000,000  for a car and VND 160,000 – VND 400,000  for a motorbike. The deposit depends on the value of the car/motorbike you rent. Hotel staff will understand or be associated with the car rental service. Contact receptionists and like them some information about the one who gives the best car and service.

A good vehicle is the most important thing if you want to travel well over 400 kilometers. If you do not care about money and want to have a special trip with friends, try the luxury limo from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang. The price for a one-way trip for a 7-seater limousine to a driver’s license will the price of  VND 9,000,000 – VND 10,000,000. Currently, this service is not much, but you can refer to the information here:

GLimo Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh city: 655 Tien Lan Hamlet, Ba Diem District
Tel: (+84) 936 509 809

3. The advantage of driving private vehicles from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang

It’s absolutely your journey, you can go and stop whenever you want. Whatever your choice is, there are countless destinations from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang, a myriad of good restaurants and local food that only one who drives by themselves can enjoy.
It’s really a big adventure. Moving 400 kilometers on a completely new road, which can be flat, may be bumpy. This is the most suitable form for young people to love exploring a new area.
It’s quite cheap, compared with other means of transport. Everything you have to pay only car rent and oil.

4. The disadvantage of driving private vehicles from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang

It really takes time. If you drive on your own, it will take at least 1 day for traveling and relax. It is much more than 8 hours by train or 1 hour by plane. If you choose this type of transport, Nha Trang is just only a destination, everything on the way is exactly what is important.
It very risky. Because it was the first time you drive this car/motorbike, this is the first time you are in this way, it is easy to get lost or accident…. And 10 continuous hours driving is a big problem for many peoples.

5. Driving from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang: things to remember

Before leaving, check the car carefully. Always check tires and change the oil. Carry a few car repairs as possible. With a normal car and 4 – liter petrol tank, pay attention to fill the tank immediately after the petrol gas is more than half empty, or run more than 100km by the speedometer. Moreover, here are quite few petrol stations, residential areas far apart, so the probability of self-handling incident between the road is higher than the highway
Do not give your passport car owner. Also ,you will need it to hand over to the police when checked. If you are in good health and have a license, drive yourself. If not, add some money to hire a driver for safety.

V. How To Choose A Suitable Transportation To Nha Trang

1. What is your budget?

If you want to have a savings trip, two things will happen: first, you plan your trip months in advance, and you can book airline tickets or train tickets at low cost. Second, you choose a type of travel with low cost such as local coaches. Jetstar and Vietjet are regular airlines with incentives, even fares can be reduced to VNĐ 0.

If you are very prudent, there is always a way to spend money. All means of transportation always have luxury tickets: business class for airplanes, luxury train, limousine car. The only problem is that do you like.

2. Who do you go with?

Normally, you will not have much trouble if you go with a group or 2-3 people, or even go alone. But if you are traveling with family or groups of 5-7 people, you can clearly rent a car and have private space. Or at least should book early so that the group can sit together when moving
Also, if accompanied by an older person, you should choose an airplane or a train – the form of gentle and safe movement. Just think of a trip by motorbike if you go with your young team.

3. How much luggage do you bring along?

If  you do not know which way to travel, try looking at your luggage:
The story will be nothing if you only carry a lightweight balloon or at least two travel bags. With such a baggage allowance, you can easily carry it with you when you travel and not be charged extra when traveling. However, if you have a lot of luggage, choose the simplest method – which means you will not have to carry up to three large suitcases everywhere. To do so, choose a plane instead of a train or motorbike. In short, motorbikes favor compact backpacks. With a car or train, a suitcase and a paddle for papers and important ones are enough. By plane, you can bring everything, but remember to pay extra fees.

4. What do you want your trip to be?  

This is very important. What are the top criteria for your trip? Is this a vacation or explore? Is this quick or experienced? Do you want it to be safe or risky? Once you have identified this, and understand the strengths and weaknesses of the forms of movement, the question of “how to travel from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang” is not difficult anymore.

VI. A Short Brief Of Means Of Transportation From Ho Chi Minh To Nha Trang

VII. Conclusion

Dubbed as one of the most beautiful bays in the world, with many cultural and gastronomic features, Nha Trang has always been one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam. Because Nha Trang tourism brings them wonderful experiences and different emotions.

Nha Trang is a growing tourism city, so the city is full of visitors with a variety of services. In case you want to enjoy the scenery wild and peaceful, visit the Binh Hung, Binh Ba. In particular, seafood on the island will be much cheaper than on land. From Ho Chi Minh, there are many means of transportation for travelers to choose from. Hope that this article will help you to choose your most suitable way and have a good travel to Nha Trang.