Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang: Taxi, Grab, Xanh SM, and Bus
Cam Ranh Airport is about 22 miles south of central Nha Trang. You land tired, the exit is busy, and a driver may offer you a price before you know what is fair. Five minutes of reading now will fix that.
Here is the direct answer. The Quoc Te taxi stand at the international terminal lists 300,000 dong (about $11.50) to Nha Trang for a 4-seat car. Xanh SM lists 350,000 dong ($13.50). Grab estimates 250,000 to 350,000 dong ($9.60 to $13.50). Bus 18 costs 50,000 dong ($1.90) per person and takes 50 to 60 minutes.
Dollar amounts are rough, at about 26,000 dong to $1 on 2026-10-30. Each source and its check date is at the end. We have not ridden these routes ourselves.
In short:
- A taxi or app ride to the city runs about $9.60 to $15, and the drive is roughly 35 to 45 minutes.
- Bus 18 and the VinBus 16-2 both cost 50,000 dong, about $1.90.
- Grab drivers can only wait about 3 minutes at the terminal curb, so you need working data when you book.
- The Moosetrip Vietnam eSIM starts at $4.50 for 1 GB over 7 days, on 2026-10-30. A 3 GB plan for 30 days is $9.50.
Vietnam eSIM from $4.50Install at home, connect when you land.See plans
Your options from Cam Ranh
| Option | Price to Nha Trang | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quoc Te taxi, 4 seats | 300,000 dong ($11.50) | About 36 min without traffic | No app needed |
| Quoc Te taxi, 7 seats | 360,000 dong ($13.85) | About 36 min without traffic | Good for families |
| Xanh SM (GSM), 4 seats | 350,000 dong ($13.50) | About 36 min without traffic | One way, electric car |
| Xanh SM Premium | 400,000 dong ($15.40) | About 36 min without traffic | One way |
| Grab | 250,000 to 350,000 dong ($9.60 to $13.50) | About 45 min per Grab | Price shown before you book |
| Bus 18 | 50,000 dong ($1.90) per person | 50 to 60 min | Hours follow flights |
Taxi prices come from the airport's own transport page on 2026-10-30. It adds that fares can vary with the time of day, and that you should confirm the price with the driver first. On that page, Xanh SM appears as GSM, or Green and Smart Mobility. Its site now uses the name Green SM.
Those figures are for the city in general. On 2026-10-17, Xanh SM's airport package showed a set price up to 35 km and a per-kilometer charge after that. Pick that package in the app. A plain metered Xanh SM ride to the Tram Huong tower would have come to about 545,000 dong ($21).
Where to find your ride at the airport
International flights use Terminal 2, and domestic flights use Terminal 1. Confirm yours with your airline, since Grab notes that assignments can change.
Taxi stand. The airport's terminal map puts it on level G of the international terminal. It runs on the flight schedule.
Grab at the international terminal. Grab lists three pickup points: International Arrival Terminal, and Gates A and B at International Departure. The app shows which one to use.
Grab at the domestic terminal. Since February 3, 2026, GrabCar pickup has been to the right of arrivals, near pillars 5 to 7. Grab adds a 15,000 dong ($0.58) service fee on these rides.
Curb time. Grab tells drivers not to stop at the terminal for more than 3 minutes. If your data drops while your driver is waiting, you can miss the car.
Fees that land on top
The airport charges cars 9,000 dong ($0.35) for the first 30 minutes and 4,000 dong ($0.15) for each extra 30 minutes. Grab says the passenger gives this fee to the driver. Xanh SM's site also says airport entry fees and road tolls are not part of the booking price.
Grab's Cam Ranh rules for drivers, dated February 3, 2026, ban four things:
- Taking passengers outside the app
- Touting for rides at the terminal
- Asking for parking money above the listed fee
- Canceling your ride to agree on a private price
So if a Grab driver asks for cash off the app, say no and use the app's help section.
Staying at Bai Dai
Many resorts sit on Bai Dai beach, close to the airport. From the taxi stand they are 2 to 7.6 miles away, or 4 to 13 minutes. On GrabCar's listed rates that works out to about 43,000 to 165,000 dong ($1.65 to $6.35), plus the airport fee.
Going into the city later? Grab has a one-way Bai Dai to Nha Trang fare of 243,000 dong ($9.35) for the first 25 km, then 10,996 dong per km. It applies only when your pickup and drop-off fall inside the zone Grab sets. Get out early, and Grab still charges the full fare.
Airport buses
Bus 18. The fare is 50,000 dong per person, and the ride takes 50 to 60 minutes. The ticket counter is on level G of the international terminal, and it runs on the flight schedule. In the city, the route uses the 19/8 Stadium, Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen Thien Thuat, and Tran Quang Khai.
VinBus 16-2. This electric bus leaves from the domestic terminal, near pillars 8 and 9. It runs along Nguyen Tat Thanh past the Bai Dai resorts, then on Tran Phu to Vinpearl Nha Trang. The Khanh Hoa tourism portal listed a 50,000 dong fare and hours of 5:50 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 13, 2026. Guests with a qualifying Vinpearl or VinWonders booking may ride free, so ask at booking.
Taxi fares in Nha Trang city
GrabCar's Khanh Hoa rate, updated July 8, 2026, is 27,000 dong for the first 2 km and 12,960 dong per km, plus a small time charge. Xanh SM's rate on 2026-10-17 was also 27,000 dong for 2 km, then 17,100 dong per km up to km 25.
Here are rides from the Tram Huong tower on Tran Phu beach. We worked these out from those rates, with road distances from OSRM on OpenStreetMap data. They leave out surge pricing and extras, including Grab's platform fee of 5,000 to 19,000 dong.
| To | Distance | GrabCar | Xanh SM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dam Market | 1.2 miles | 27,000 ($1.04) | 27,000 ($1.04) |
| Po Nagar Towers | 2.4 miles | 53,000 ($2.04) | 59,000 ($2.27) |
| Cau Da pier | 3 miles | 66,000 ($2.54) | 75,000 ($2.88) |
| Hon Chong | 3 miles | 66,000 ($2.54) | 76,000 ($2.92) |
| Hon Tre cable car | 3.7 miles | 80,000 ($3.08) | 93,000 ($3.58) |
| I-Resort mud baths | 5 miles | 110,000 ($4.23) | 130,000 ($5) |
Solo with a light bag? GrabBike starts at 12,273 dong for 2 km, then 4,222 dong per km. Xanh SM adds 20,000 dong per ride from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Grab also lists night and bad-weather surcharges.
Day trips and Da Lat
| To | Distance | Estimate at GrabCar rates |
|---|---|---|
| Ba Ho waterfalls, ticket office | 15.5 miles | 339,000 dong ($13) |
| Doc Let beach | 31 miles | 672,000 dong ($26) |
| Da Lat, via QL27C | 85 miles, about 2 h 10 min | 1,844,000 dong ($71), tolls extra |
The way back is the catch at Ba Ho, since nPerf shows no signal readings at the falls. Agree on a return with your driver first. Grab also lists a round-trip fare from 414,720 dong ($16) for 4 hours and 40 km.
On the Da Lat road, nPerf had Viettel readings at 99% of points on 2026-10-17, but some stretches on the climb to Khanh Le Pass showed no signal. Download an offline map first.
Paying and data
Carry dong in small bills. Grab's airport page lists cash along with cashless options, and Xanh SM drivers take cash only if you chose it when you booked. Add your US card to each app at home, and keep cash as your backup in case it does not go through.
Without data at the exit, you can still use the taxi stand or the bus. You lose the Grab price check and the chance to drop a pin for your hotel. GrabChat translates messages with your driver, but it needs a connection too.
An eSIM solves this before you leave home. Install it on Wi-Fi with a QR code, and your days start with your first connection in Vietnam. Your US number stays on as a second line, and you can add more data to the same eSIM. Your phone must support eSIM and be unlocked, which you can check here.
Our Vietnam eSIM uses Viettel, Vinaphone, and MobiFone. nPerf showed mostly 5G from Viettel at the taxi stand on 2026-10-17. Plan on 1 GB for about 5 hours of maps and taxi apps, or about 1.5 hours of video calls. See all plans on the Vietnam page. Prices were checked on 2026-10-30.
If your US plan already includes data in Vietnam, or you plan to buy a local SIM, you may not need one. Our Nha Trang SIM card guide covers the airport counters.
Questions
How much is a taxi from Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang?
The Quoc Te stand lists 300,000 dong, about $11.50, for 4 seats. A 7-seat car is 360,000 dong, about $13.85. Confirm the price with the driver first.
Is Grab cheaper than a taxi from Cam Ranh Airport?
It can be. Grab estimates 250,000 to 350,000 dong, so the low end beats the stand and the high end does not. The app shows your price before you book.
How long does it take to get from Cam Ranh to Nha Trang?
About 36 minutes without traffic by car, and Grab says about 45 minutes. The bus takes 50 to 60 minutes.
Is there a bus from Cam Ranh Airport to Nha Trang?
Yes. Bus 18 and the VinBus 16-2 each cost 50,000 dong, about $1.90. Bus 18 sells tickets at the international terminal, and the VinBus leaves from the domestic terminal.
Which ride apps work in Nha Trang?
Grab and Xanh SM. Both publish Khanh Hoa fares on their own sites, and both show a price when you book.
Can I take a taxi without mobile data?
Yes. The Quoc Te stand and the bus do not need an app. You only need data for Grab and Xanh SM bookings.
Sources
- Cam Ranh International Terminal transport and parking, checked 2026-10-30
- Cam Ranh terminal map, checked 2026-10-17
- Grab service and fare table, updated July 8, 2026, checked 2026-10-30
- Grab Cam Ranh Airport rides, checked 2026-10-30
- Grab domestic terminal pickup, February 3, 2026
- Grab driver rules at Cam Ranh, February 3, 2026
- Grab Bai Dai to Nha Trang route, December 26, 2025
- Green SM Green Airport, checked 2026-10-30
- Green SM Car and Premium fares and help center, checked 2026-10-17
- Khanh Hoa tourism portal on the airport bus, July 13, 2026
- nPerf Viettel coverage map, checked 2026-10-17
- OSRM on OpenStreetMap data, road distances and drive times, checked 2026-10-17
- USD to VND rate, ExchangeRate-API, rate for 2026-10-30