How do you get from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to Da Lat?

The options at a glance

Bus and car figures are from 12Go listings checked on 11 November 2026; the fare range for flights is from Vietnam Airlines' own route page. All are indicative.

Option 1: fly Tan Son Nhat to Lien Khuong (fastest)

Vietnam Airlines lists the flight at about 1 hour, with 5 to 10 flights a day on the route, and a typical one-way fare of roughly 600,000 to 1,400,000 VND (≈ $23–55) including taxes. Compare it with low-cost carriers on the route, and compare totals once checked bags are added.

Add the ground time before judging it. Tan Son Nhat is close to the centre, but you still need to be at the airport about an hour before a domestic flight. Lien Khuong airport is about 30 km south of Da Lat, roughly 40 minutes by taxi or Grab. An airport shuttle bus has run in the past, but reports conflict on whether it currently operates, so check at arrivals. Door to door, plan on about 4 hours. Our Saigon airport guide covers getting to SGN.

Option 2: sleeper bus or limousine cabin bus (cheapest)

Buses take about 7 to 8 hours. FUTA Bus Lines (Phuong Trang) is the largest operator, with frequent departures through the day and night and fares from about 400,000 VND (≈ $15.6); check the current timetable on futabus.vn or the FUTA app. On 12Go, Binh Minh Tai Limousine's 22-berth single-cabin bus from Nguyen Cu Trinh street in District 1 was listed at about US$19, 7 hours 30 minutes.

Cabin ("limousine") buses give each passenger a curtained pod and cost a little more than standard double-decker sleepers. Night buses arrive in Da Lat in the early morning, before hotel check-in; day buses let you see the climb, which is the more pleasant ride.

Pickup points vary by company: some leave from a central office in District 1, FUTA mainly from its own stations. Check the boarding address on the ticket, and the drop-off in Da Lat, since some stop at the inter-provincial bus station south of the centre and some at a company office.

Option 3: private car

A car with driver takes about 7 hours. It is the most comfortable choice for families, and you can stop for coffee or a viewpoint on the way. Prices on 12Go vary widely by car size, so compare a hotel quote with transfer sites. For three or four people, the gap to bus fares narrows.

The road: Highway 20, the Bao Loc pass and the expressway

Buses leave Saigon on the HCMC–Long Thanh–Dau Giay expressway, then follow National Highway 20 through Dong Nai and Lam Dong, climbing the Bao Loc pass and continuing past Bao Loc and Di Linh to the plateau. It is a winding mountain road for the last few hours; carsick-prone travellers should sit near the front and take medication before leaving.

The Dau Giay–Lien Khuong expressway will cut the trip sharply, but it is not open. As of late 2026, Vietnamese news reports put the Dau Giay–Tan Phu section at completion in 2027, the Tan Phu–Bao Loc section (work began in December 2025) at end-2027, and Bao Loc–Lien Khuong around 2028. Ignore any guide that quotes a 4-hour drive "on the new expressway" for now.

When to go and booking tips

• Da Lat is a favourite domestic weekend break, so Friday evening buses and Sunday afternoon returns fill first. Book a few days ahead for weekends and a week or more for Tet and the 30 April to 1 May holiday.

• The rainy season in Da Lat is roughly May to October, with afternoon downpours; heavy rain can slow the pass. December to March is drier.

• Night buses save a hotel night but you arrive tired at dawn. If you have the time, a morning bus gets you to Da Lat by mid-afternoon.

Plan your stay with our Da Lat guide and how many days in Da Lat. Onward, Da Lat to Nha Trang takes you down to the coast, and coming from the north, see Hoi An to Da Lat.

Frequently asked questions