Four Ways to Travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang
Last Updated on 2024/07/05 by Seo
Ho Chi Minh City is about 400 kilometers from Nha Trang, and you can travel between the two cities by bus, train, or plane. The bus and train journeys take between 7 to 9 hours, while a flight takes approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Choosing a mode of transportation other than a plane will take significantly longer relative to the distance. This post provides a detailed guide on four different ways to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang.
4 Ways to Travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang
| Mode of Transport | Travel Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Intercity Bus | 9 hours | 270,000 VND |
| Tourist Bus | 7 hours | 300,000 VND |
| Train | 7 hours 20 minutes | 770,000 VND |
| Plane | 1 hour 10 minutes | 700,000 VND |
Intercity Bus
You can travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang by intercity bus, which runs every 10 minutes from 6:00 AM to midnight.
Here’s how to use the intercity bus:
- Reserve your seat on the website.
- Take a Grab or taxi to the bus terminal and exchange your reservation for a physical ticket.
- Board the bus.
There are many intercity bus companies and various ways to board, so we’ll explain it in two categories.
Boarding at the Bus Terminal
In Ho Chi Minh City, you can take an intercity bus from either the Eastern or Western Bus Terminal to the Southern Bus Terminal in Nha Trang.
However, since the Eastern Bus Terminal is quite far from downtown Ho Chi Minh City, most people find it more convenient to use the Western Bus Terminal.
The most reliable bus company in Vietnam, Futa (Phuong Trang) Bus, operates from the Western Bus Terminal.
All Futa buses are sleeper buses, so you don’t need to worry about comfort. Just book your ticket on their official website and board at the terminal.
Note that both the Ho Chi Minh and Nha Trang bus terminals are not close to the city centers, so you’ll incur additional transportation costs:
- From downtown Ho Chi Minh City to the Western Bus Terminal: approximately 200,000 VND
- From the Nha Trang Bus Terminal to downtown Nha Trang: approximately 150,000 VND
After booking online, you need to exchange your reservation for a physical ticket at the Phuong Trang counter at the terminal, so it’s advisable to arrive a bit early.
Ho Chi Minh Western Bus Terminal
| Location Name | Ho Chi Minh Western Bus Terminal |
| Vietnamese Name | Bến xe Miền Tây Ho Chi Minh |
| Address | 395 Đ. Kinh Dương Vương, An Lạc, Bình Tân, Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam |
| Hours | 24 hours |
| Closed | None |
| Phone Number | +84 1900 7373 |
Boarding in the City
While I recommend FUTA buses, you can also use other bus companies.
Depending on the bus company, the boarding and drop-off points might be at the company’s office instead of the terminal.
Most bus company offices in Vietnam are near the city center, which can save you the cost of traveling from the terminal to downtown.
Almost all buses to Nha Trang are sleeper buses, and you can choose the size of your bed.
Most of these bus companies’ official websites are in Vietnamese, so it’s better to use a bus booking site like Vexere.
Vexere offers services in English, making it easy to choose your seat and view the bus interior. You can compare reviews, photos of the boarding and drop-off points, and prices before booking.
How to Book an Intercity Bus
- Book on the Futa (Phuong Trang) Bus website
- Book on the Vexere website
Travel Agency Buses
Sinhtourist operates two daily sleeper buses between Ho Chi Minh City’s backpacker street, Bui Vien, and Nha Trang’s backpacker street office.
- Departs at 7:00 AM – Arrives at 6:15 PM
- Departs at 9:00 PM – Arrives at 6:00 AM the next day
If you’re unsure about something, travel agency buses are a good option as they have clear pros and cons.
Advantages of Travel Agency Buses
- Mostly used by foreigners.
- English communication is possible through the office.
- Drop-off is in the city center.
Disadvantages of Travel Agency Buses
- Limited to two trips per day.
- Bus facilities are not as good.
- You need to visit the office or email the staff to book.
- The air conditioning can be very cold, so bring something warm to wear.
| Location Name | Thesinhtourist (Sinh Cafe) |
| Address | 248 Đề Thám, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam |
| Hours | 6:30 AM – 10:30 PM |
| Closed | None |
| Phone Number | (08) 3838 9597 |
| Website | https://thesinhtourist.vn/ |
Train
There are six daily train services from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang.
However, by the time you read this, it’s highly likely that you won’t be able to travel by train from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang.
For long-distance routes, it’s best for foreigners to choose a 4-person cabin or a sleeper seat for peace of mind. Unfortunately, seats on this route are usually fully booked at least a month in advance.
This isn’t necessarily because of a surge in travelers to Nha Trang, but rather because tickets for trains passing through Nha Trang to other destinations are already sold out.
If you choose a seat, you can recline it almost flat, transforming it into a makeshift bed.
Trains Connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang
- SE2, SE6, SE8, SE22, SNT2
The lower the train number, the more expensive and faster it is. Each train stops at different stations, but the travel time from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang is roughly the same, so any train will do.
Our Vietnam Guide has written numerous articles on how to travel between regions in Vietnam.
However, we always advise against taking long-distance trains in Vietnam. Trains have many drawbacks and few advantages.
* Only those with a strong sense of adventure and a desire to test their luck should consider taking the train.
Ho Chi Minh Train Station (Ga Sai Gon)
| Location Name | Ho Chi Minh Station |
| Location Name (Vietnamese) | Ga Sài Gòn |
| Address | 1 Đ. Nguyễn Thông, Phường 6, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam |
Flights
Flying from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Economy class prices are similar across airlines, but we highly recommend flying with Vietnam Airlines.
The reason is that flights in Vietnam are often delayed or canceled, but Vietnam Airlines has the fewest delays and is the most punctual.
Some of you may have flown with VietJet Air on international routes. However, consider the domestic VietJet Air as a completely different company.
Once you experience their domestic flights, you’ll understand why VietJet Air has such a bad reputation.
| Airline | Frequency | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam Airlines | 10 flights per day | 07:05 ~ 20:05 |
| VietJet Air | 4 flights per day | 06:45 ~ 19:15 |
| Pacific Airlines | 1 flight every 2 days (5 times a week) | 15:50, 21:00 |
| Bamboo Airways | 1 flight every 2 days (4 times a week) | 15:50 |
Vietnam’s domestic flights can’t be searched on Skyscanner, so you’ll need to visit each airline’s website to check schedules and book tickets.
Click on the airline names in the table to go directly to their websites.
Cam Ranh International Airport is about an hour away from downtown Nha Trang. Be sure to check how to get from the airport to the city.
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