Da Nang (Đà Nẵng) to Hoi An (Hội An): Bus, Grab, Taxi and the Airport Run

The road south from Da Nang follows the coast for most of the way: past My Khe (Mỹ Khê) Beach, under the limestone peaks of the Marble Mountains (Ngũ Hành Sơn), then inland through rice fields to the edge of the old town. It is not a long ride; the right way to do it depends on where you start, your luggage and the time of day.

Bus fares are per person per ride; taxi, Grab and hotel car prices are per car, one way. Taxi fares are our estimate from the terminal's sample meter rates for the roughly 29 km to the old town, before waiting time, tolls and the VND10,000-30,000 airport access fee (some companies include it).

Da Nang Airport to Hoi An #

Da Nang International Airport has two terminals side by side: T1 for domestic flights and T2 for international ones. After immigration and baggage claim at T2, or straight from the carousel at T1 (exit through doors A3 or A4), the pick-up areas are right outside.

Photo: Chainwit.

Get mobile data sorted before you walk out: if your phone takes an eSIM, set one up before you fly, or buy a SIM at the counters in baggage claim, so you can book a car straight away.

Grab: collect your bags, then book

At the domestic terminal, Grab picks up at point A, in the lane under the elevated road, and at points B and C in the car park opposite; at the international terminal, the app shows where to wait. At the domestic terminal you can also book GrabCar, GrabCar 6-seater or GrabCar Electric by PIN: get a code, join the queue and read it to the driver at the front. Cars may stop for only 3 minutes, so walk to the pick-up point before you tap Book.

Grab sells a fixed-fare Da Nang - Hoi An route: the price in the app covers the whole one-way trip, before tolls and the VND9,000 access fee for an airport pickup. If you get out early you still pay the full fare, so this is not the ride to take if you plan to stop at the Marble Mountains on the way.

Taxis: the rank right outside arrivals

Metered taxis wait just outside the arrivals hall of both terminals. A fare chart for common routes hangs at column 02 in the public arrivals area; if your destination is not on it, ask the dispatch staff before you get in. Bring cash: only a few companies, such as Tien Sa (Tiên Sa) and VinaSun, take Visa or Mastercard. For an electric taxi, book through Green SM (formerly Xanh SM) or call 1555 and press * for English.

Only get into a branded car with a running meter, and ignore anyone in the hall offering a cheap ride. Photograph the plate as you get in; if you are overcharged, keep the plate number and receipt and call the tourist hotline.

The Hai Van airport bus (route 01SB)

This is a 10-seat van run by the Hai Van transport company, picking up at column 2 of the domestic terminal and columns 7-8 of the international terminal. It runs down the coast, stopping at the Da Nang International Convention Center on Vo Nguyen Giap (Võ Nguyên Giáp) Street and The Ocean Estates on Truong Sa (Trường Sa) Street, and ends at Cua Dai pier. Departures follow flight times, so call the operator on 1900 6763 or +84 915 472 525 to ask about the next one before you wait.

For the old town, Cua Dai pier is still about 5 km away, so for two or more people one Grab straight to the hotel is simpler.

From central Da Nang: bus 02 or a car #

Bus 02 starts at the Central Bus Station on Cao Son Phao (Cao Sơn Pháo) Street, well west of the Han River (sông Hàn), so most riders board along the way. Toward Hoi An it runs down Tran Phu, with a stop opposite 151 Tran Phu by the Da Nang Cathedral, then 2 September Street, over the Tien Son Bridge (cầu Tiên Sơn) and down Le Van Hien (Lê Văn Hiến) past the Marble Mountains. Coming back, it enters the center along Bach Dang (Bạch Đằng), with a stop opposite the Han Market (chợ Hàn). Stops for the two directions are on opposite sides of the road, sometimes on different streets.

Fares go by distance: VND8,000 up to 10 km, VND20,000 for 10-25 km and VND30,000 beyond. From a My Khe hotel, use DanaBus to find your nearest route 02 stop; the bus does not run along Vo Nguyen Giap, the beachfront road.

In Hoi An the bus runs down Ly Thuong Kiet (Lý Thường Kiệt) Street before turning toward Cua Dai. From a stop such as 115 Ly Thuong Kiet, the old town is about 1.5 km on foot, roughly 20 minutes, or a short Grab. For the ride back to Da Nang, catch it at 214 Ly Thuong Kiet or 4 Ly Thuong Kiet, by the Central Electric Power College. The electric buses hold 30 people with only 19 seats, so one medium suitcase is about the limit.

Arriving by train? From Da Nang Station to Hoi An, a car is the easy answer. If you are weighing a Da Nang base with Hoi An as a day trip, we lean toward a night or two in Hoi An: the old town is at its best after dark.

Hotel cars and private drivers #

Many Hoi An hotels and homestays can arrange an airport pickup. It earns its price when you land after midnight, travel with small children or older relatives, or want to stop somewhere with your bags staying in the car. When you book, ask for a price per car rather than per person, whether it includes the airport fee and waiting time if your flight is late, and get the driver's name, plate number and meeting point in advance.

Riding a motorbike to Hoi An #

The nicest route on two wheels follows Vo Nguyen Giap and Truong Sa down the coast, past the Marble Mountains and into Hoi An. We only suggest it if you are based in Da Nang, traveling light, comfortable riding among trucks and coaches, and the day is dry. Wear a properly fastened helmet, ride in daylight, and switch to a car if heavy rain sets in. You also need the right paperwork: which licenses work in Vietnam depends on where your license and international permit were issued, and travel insurance may set its own conditions for riding.

Photo: Lê Huỳnh Bộ

Stopping at the Marble Mountains on the way #

The Marble Mountains make an easy stop on the way: from the airport, the detour adds only about 1 km. The catch is your luggage, so we suggest hiring a car for the whole trip (a taxi or hotel car), having the driver wait in the car park and agreeing the waiting fee first. Bus 02 stops near the mountains in both directions, but at different stops; check the stops and the walk to the gate before you get off, and work out how long a loop of Thuy Son (Thủy Sơn) takes, especially with a flight to catch. In the rain, skip the mountains.

Photo: Christophe95

Hoi An to Da Nang Airport #

Bus 02 does not go to the airport. The Hai Van van runs back from Cua Dai pier, stopping at a few resorts along Truong Sa and Vo Nguyen Giap before the airport; ask the operator for times the day before. From the old town, the simple options are a Grab from your hotel, a taxi called by reception or a hotel car. Tell the driver whether you need T1 or T2.

For domestic flights at Da Nang, check-in usually opens 2 hours and closes 40 minutes before departure; international counters open earlier and close about 50-60 minutes before, depending on the airline. We suggest leaving Hoi An at least two and a half hours before a domestic flight and about three and a half hours before an international one, with extra time on a weekend afternoon or a wet day. That is our own buffer for traffic and queues, not a guarantee; add your time at the Marble Mountains if you stop.

Late arrivals and night travel #

For a late-afternoon or evening arrival, take a Grab, taxi or pre-booked car: the airport bus finishes around 4 pm, and bus 02 does not serve the airport. After midnight, we suggest a hotel car, with the driver already waiting in arrivals.

The old town fills with people on foot in the evening, and cars cannot always get close. Ask your hotel where a car can stop nearest the door and use that exact spot in the app, including for the ride back to Da Nang after dinner.

Traveling in the September-December rainy season #

Rain in Da Nang and Hoi An peaks in October and November. The old town sits low beside the Hoai River (sông Hoài); in late October 2025, many streets were under 1-2 m of water and some riverside resorts evacuated their guests. In this season, book flexible tickets and rooms, and ask your hotel how it copes when the water rises. On the day, message the hotel to check the road in is clear before you book a car. In ordinary rain with no warnings, cars still run, just more slowly.

Da Nang to Hoi An: FAQ #