Bali Airport’s official name is I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, and it’s often just called Denpasar. It’s in Tuban in southern Bali, about 13 kilometres south of Denpasar, and it’s the only airport on the island with scheduled flights. There’s no train or metro, so Bali Airport transport is all by road: Grab or Gojek, the airport’s fixed-fare taxis or a driver you’ve booked before you travel.
Which one you choose depends on where you’re staying, because the traffic decides both the journey time and the price. The trip to Kuta and Seminyak is short, while Canggu and Ubud can take an hour or two. Here you’ll find every option with fares and journey times, where the cars pick you up and how to get on to Nusa Lembongan and the Gili Islands. For the rough conversions I’ve used about £4.23 and $5.59 per 100,000 rupiah.
Contents
At a glance
- Grab and Gojek: Typically 90,000 to 150,000 rupiah (about £3.80 to £6.30, or $5 to $8.40) and 25 to 40 minutes to central Denpasar, about 13 kilometres away, and more to Canggu and Ubud. The app shows the price before you book.
- Airport taxi: Around 150,000 to 200,000 rupiah (about £6.30 to £8.50, or $8.40 to $11) to Kuta and around 450,000 to 500,000 rupiah (about £19 to £21, or $25 to $28) to Ubud, a fixed fare per car from the counter by the arrivals hall.
- Hotel pick-up and private driver: A fixed price per car that you agree in advance, from around 470,000 rupiah (about £20/$26.50) to Canggu and 570,000 rupiah (about £24/$32) to Ubud, and the driver waits with a name sign at arrivals.
- Bus (Trans Metro Dewata): 4,400 rupiah (about £0.19/$0.25), line 2 to Terminal Ubung in Denpasar, runs from around 05:00 to 18:40.
- Fast boat to Nusa Lembongan: 225,000 rupiah (about £9.50/$12.50) from Sanur, which is 30 to 45 minutes’ drive from the airport.
Finding your transport at the airport
The airport has an international terminal and a domestic terminal. They’re within walking distance of each other, with the Festival Plaza shopping area in between, so you can walk from one to the other if you’re catching a domestic flight or the bus. In the international terminal, the arrivals hall is on Level 1, with the baggage reclaim, customs, money exchange counters and car hire, and most of the ATMs are just after customs.
The airport’s official taxi counter is outside the arrivals hall, on the right as you come out, and the domestic terminal has its own counter. Drivers from hotels and transfer companies wait at the exit with name signs. If a driver you haven’t booked offers you a ride, you can simply say no thanks and walk on to the counter or your pick-up point.
Grab picks up at the GrabCar Lounge at the international arrivals terminal. From the baggage reclaim, you walk through the area with the money exchange counters, and the app shows you the way. Gojek picks up at its Instant Point, where staff help you find your car, and you choose your terminal in the app when you book. If you land on a domestic flight, follow the app’s directions to the pick-up point at the domestic terminal. The bus stops at the arrivals hall of the domestic terminal. The airport’s own website is ngurahrai.injourneyairports.id.
1. Grab and Gojek to Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud
Grab and Gojek are the two big ride-hailing apps in Bali, and both are allowed to pick up at the airport. You book once you’ve collected your luggage, see the price before you confirm and walk to the pick-up point. The price is the one the app shows, and it doesn’t change even if the traffic grinds to a halt. That makes the two apps my first choice for Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Canggu, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua and Sanur.
With Grab, the car is called GrabCar Airport, and it takes up to four passengers and 60 kilos of luggage. The GrabBike motorbike taxi doesn’t pick up at the airport. With Gojek, the car is called GoCar: you choose your terminal, confirm the pick-up point and give the driver a code from the app before you set off. If there are more than four of you, look for GoCar XL with up to six seats, or book two cars.
The catch is the price when lots of people want to leave at the same time. Both apps set their prices by supply and demand, and the trip to Canggu or Ubud can then cost noticeably more than usual. So compare the two apps before you book, or book the ride in advance at a fixed price.
Fares and tickets
Grab itself says that a trip of about 13 kilometres between the airport and central Denpasar typically costs 90,000 to 150,000 rupiah (about £3.80 to £6.30, or $5 to $8.40) and takes 25 to 40 minutes. Use that as a yardstick for the short trips to Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Jimbaran and Sanur. To Canggu and Ubud, the trip is longer and the price correspondingly higher, and you’ll see the exact amount in the app before you confirm. The price is for the whole car, not per person.
On top of the fare, there’s a fee for being picked up at the airport. Gojek calls it a location fee, which covers the airport’s service charge, and the amount varies from airport to airport. Tolls and parking aren’t included in the fee, and once you’ve been picked up, you’re the one who pays them. With Gojek, the driver can add the amount to the fare in the app, so you don’t have to dig out cash, and it shows on the receipt afterwards. You’ll find the rules at Gojek.
With Grab, you pay in cash or by card, and with Gojek, you can choose between cash and a credit or debit card that you add in the app. Add your card before you travel, so you can get going without having to take out cash first. See the pick-up point and car types at Grab, and read about booking from the airport at Gojek.
Book your ride in advance
If you want to know the price before you land, you can book ahead. With Grab, you can book from 90 days to 2 hours before pick-up, including to and from the airport and at any time of day or night. The price is fixed when you book, and you can cancel for free up to an hour before. You’ll find the terms at Grab. With Gojek, you can schedule a GoCar from 7 days to 15 minutes before the trip for a fee of 10,000 rupiah (about £0.42/$0.56), but here you only see the final price once the trip is over.
Where to get off
The car takes you to the door, so here it’s all about the distance and what you need to know about each area.
Kuta and Legian: The two beach towns are just north of the airport, so it’s the shortest and cheapest trip of all. That makes the area an obvious choice for your first night after a late landing or your last night before an early flight.
Seminyak: The road from the airport runs through Kuta and Legian, and the traffic can come to a complete standstill on that stretch. Use Grab’s 25 to 40 minutes to central Denpasar as a yardstick, and allow extra time when the traffic is heavy.
Canggu: Indonesia’s official tourism website reckons on 45 minutes by car from the airport, but the country’s Ministry of Transportation says the trip takes one to two hours in practice. Allow for the longer time if you have plans on your first evening, and book a car at a fixed price so the traffic doesn’t cost you extra.
Ubud: Ubud is inland, north of Denpasar, and you should allow around an hour and a half’s drive, and more when the traffic is heavy. Grab and Gojek go there, but for a trip that long, I’d book a driver at a fixed price in advance.
Jimbaran and Uluwatu: Jimbaran is only about 15 minutes’ drive south of the airport. Uluwatu is out on the south-western tip of the peninsula, and you should allow around an hour to get there.
Nusa Dua: The car takes the Bali Mandara toll road, which runs on a bridge across the bay and links the airport with Nusa Dua and Benoa. Indonesia’s official tourism website reckons on 20 to 30 minutes from the Kuta area, and the airport is on the way down there. The toll for a standard car is around 13,000 to 14,000 rupiah (about £0.55 to £0.59, or $0.73 to $0.78), and the driver pays it electronically.
Sanur: Sanur is on the east coast, about 15 kilometres from the airport, and the drive takes 30 to 45 minutes depending on the traffic. The fast boats to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida leave from here.
Sidemen: Sidemen is in eastern Bali, about 55 kilometres from the airport. Book a driver before you travel, because in the east you can’t count on finding a Grab or Gojek when you want to move on.
Nusa Lembongan: You drive to the harbour in Sanur and take a fast boat from there. Times and fares are in the section on the Nusa islands further down.
West Bali National Park: The national park by Menjangan is in the north-western corner of Bali, three and a half to four and a half hours’ drive from the south of the island. If you land in the afternoon, spend a night in the south and drive up the next day with a driver you’ve agreed a price with.
2. Fixed-fare airport taxis
The airport’s own taxi service is called Ngurah Rai Airport Taxi and is run by the taxi cooperative Koptax Ngurah Rai. It’s the only taxi company with a counter at the airport. You go to the counter outside the arrivals hall, say where you’re going and get a slip for the trip. You pay the driver when you arrive, unless the counter asks you to pay straight away.
The taxis don’t use a meter but charge fixed fares by zone, so the price stays the same even if the traffic grinds to a halt. They’re a good fit if you don’t want to use an app or you land without mobile data. The downside is the price, which is usually a good deal higher than Grab and Gojek to the same address.
Fares and tickets
The fare is per car, not per person, and the current fare for your zone is on the price list at the counter. Expect to pay around 150,000 to 200,000 rupiah (about £6.30 to £8.50, or $8.40 to $11) to Kuta, around 250,000 rupiah (about £10.50/$14) to Seminyak, around 350,000 to 400,000 rupiah (about £15 to £17, or $19.50 to $22.50) to Canggu and around 450,000 to 500,000 rupiah (about £19 to £21, or $25 to $28) to Ubud. The trip to Nusa Dua costs around 220,000 to 280,000 rupiah (about £9.30 to £12, or $12.50 to $15.50), and to Sanur around 250,000 to 350,000 rupiah (about £10.50 to £15, or $14 to $19.50).
Check that the fare on your slip matches the price list, and ask whether the toll is included if you’re going to Nusa Dua. Have rupiah in cash ready for the driver. The ATMs are in the arrivals hall, just after customs. Indonesia’s official tourism website has a description of the airport and the taxi counter.
Bluebird and Goldenbird
The taxi company Bluebird works with the airport’s taxi cooperative under the name Kawan Bluebird. This means some of the airport taxis are electric cars that run to Bluebird’s standards, and you can also book them in the MyBluebird app or by phone. Goldenbird, which is part of Bluebird, also sells airport transfers with a driver, which you can book on Bluebird’s booking site or in the app.
3. Hotel pick-ups and private drivers
The most relaxed option is to be picked up. Many hotels and villas offer airport pick-ups for a fee, and otherwise you can book a driver yourself before you travel. The driver waits at the exit from the arrivals hall with a sign with your name on it and walks you to the car, so you don’t have to find a counter or an app after a long flight.
The fixed price works like this: you agree the price when you book, and it covers the whole car, not each person. Ask whether tolls and airport parking are included in the price, and how long the driver will wait if your flight is delayed. Always give your flight number and arrival time when you book.
It’s the option I’d choose for Ubud, Sidemen and West Bali National Park, and if you’re landing late with children or there are more of you than will fit in a standard car. If you’d like to use a driver for day trips during the rest of your holiday, you can see what a full day costs in my guide to things to do in Bali.
Private transfer
If you’d like to have everything sorted before you travel, you can book a private transfer between Bali Airport and your hotel here. The price is agreed in advance, and the driver picks you up at the airport.
For the longer trips, there are transfers at a fixed price per car for up to four people. You can book a private transfer from the airport to Ubud here, with prices from around 570,000 rupiah (about £24/$32) per car. If you’re heading west or south, you can book a private transfer to Canggu or Uluwatu here from around 470,000 rupiah (about £20/$26.50) per car.
Scooters and hire cars
The car hire companies have counters in the arrivals hall of the international terminal, but I’d leave the driving to someone else on the first day. If you want to drive a car or ride a scooter yourself, Bali’s rules for foreign tourists require a valid international or national driving licence, a helmet on the scooter and a vehicle from a registered rental company. Bring both your normal driving licence and an International Driving Permit, as Indonesia’s official tourism website explains.
4. Trans Metro Dewata bus to Denpasar
Trans Metro Dewata is the public bus network in southern Bali, and line 2, known locally as Koridor 2, runs between the arrivals hall of the airport’s domestic terminal and Terminal Ubung in Denpasar. If you land on an international flight, walk over to the domestic terminal first. The buses run from around 05:00 to around 18:40, and in the rush hour there’s one every 10 to 15 minutes. There’s no bus in the evening or at night.
At Terminal Ubung, you can change to line 4, which runs to Sentral Parkir Monkey Forest in Ubud, and to line 3, which runs to Icon Mal Bali in Sanur. None of the lines ends in Seminyak or Canggu. The journey time depends on the traffic, and with suitcases and a change in Denpasar, the trip to Ubud takes far longer than by car, so the bus is mainly for those who travel light and have plenty of time.
Fares and tickets
A ride costs 4,400 rupiah (about £0.19/$0.25), and the fare is the same on all lines. Payment is cashless. You pay with QRIS, Indonesia’s shared QR payment system in banking and payment apps, or with an Indonesian e-money card such as Flazz, TapCash or Brizzi. If you have neither when you land, the bus isn’t a realistic option on your first day. The buses come under Bali’s transport authority.
Onward travel to Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida and the Gili Islands straight from the airport
The fast boats to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida leave from the harbour in Sanur, which is 30 to 45 minutes’ drive from the airport. Scoot Fast Cruises, for example, sails to Nusa Lembongan in the morning and early afternoon, and a single ticket costs 225,000 rupiah (about £9.50/$12.50) for adults and 205,000 rupiah (about £8.70/$11.50) for children. The crossing takes about half an hour. You’ll find the times in Scoot’s timetable.
Check the last departure of the day before you book a flight and a boat for the same day, and allow plenty of time for baggage, immigration and the traffic to Sanur. If you land in the afternoon, a night in Sanur is the safe option.
For the Gili Islands and Lombok, boats leave from Serangan in the south and from Padang Bai on the east coast. BlueWater Express sails from both harbours, recommends Serangan if you’re coming from southern Bali, and can pick you up at the airport if you give your flight time and flight number when you book. You do that on the company’s airport transfer page. Eka Jaya also sails from both harbours, and a single ticket to the Gili Islands costs 685,000 rupiah (about £29/$38.50).
Getting back to the airport
On the way back, it’s the traffic you need to plan around. The airport has several times urged departing passengers to set off earlier when the roads around the airport have been congested. From Canggu, allow one to two hours’ drive, and from Ubud at least an hour and a half. So if your airline asks you to be at the airport three hours before departure, you’ll need to leave Canggu or Ubud about five hours before your flight takes off.
Book the car the day before. With Grab, you can book ahead at a fixed price up to two hours before pick-up, and with Gojek, you schedule the trip in the app, as Gojek explains. In Sidemen, in West Bali National Park and on the Nusa islands, you can’t count on the two apps, so ask your hotel to book a driver. If you’re staying in Nusa Dua, Jimbaran or Sanur, you can book a transfer to the airport here.
Tell the driver whether you’re going to the international or the domestic terminal. In the international terminal, the departures hall is on Level 2. From Nusa Dua, the car takes the Bali Mandara toll road, and from Denpasar, bus line 2 runs from Terminal Ubung to the airport during the day.
One day a year you won’t get anywhere: on Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, the airport is closed for 24 hours and you have to stay at your hotel all day. Check the date before you book your flights.
Which option should you choose?
Here’s what I’d recommend, depending on where you’re staying:
Kuta and Legian: Take a Grab or Gojek. The trip is short and the price is low.
Seminyak: Take a Grab or Gojek, and compare the price in the two apps before you book.
Canggu: Book a Grab in advance or a private transfer at a fixed price, because the trip can take up to two hours.
Ubud: Book a hotel pick-up or a private driver. If you’re travelling light and on a tight budget, you can take bus line 2 to Terminal Ubung and change to line 4.
Jimbaran and Uluwatu: For Jimbaran, a Grab or Gojek is fine. For Uluwatu, I’d book a driver at a fixed price.
Nusa Dua: Take a Grab or Gojek via Bali Mandara, or let your resort pick you up.
Sanur: Take a Grab or Gojek. If you’re catching a boat the next morning, stay close to the harbour.
Sidemen: Book a private driver before you travel.
Nusa Lembongan: Drive to Sanur and take the fast boat. If you land in the afternoon, spend the night in Sanur first.
West Bali National Park: Spend a night in the south, and drive up the next day with a driver you’ve booked.
Landing in the evening or at night: The bus isn’t running, so book a pick-up in advance through your hotel, as a private transfer or as a pre-booked Grab, so you know the car will be waiting.
More than four of you: A GrabCar Airport takes four passengers. Look for GoCar XL with six seats, or book a private transfer with a larger car.
Travelling as cheaply as possible: The bus costs 4,400 rupiah (about £0.19/$0.25), but you need QRIS or an Indonesian e-money card, and it only goes to Denpasar.
Practical tips for getting from Bali Airport to your hotel
Download Grab and Gojek before you travel. Sign up to both apps before you leave home and add a payment card. Then you can compare prices in the two apps while you wait for your luggage and pick the cheaper one.
Always agree the price for the whole car. With the airport taxis, a private driver and the two apps, the price is per car, not per person. Get the price confirmed before you set off, and ask whether tolls and parking are included.
Take out rupiah before you leave the arrivals hall. Most of the ATMs in the international terminal are just after customs. You’ll need cash for the airport taxi, and it’s handy for small purchases in the first few days.
Pay the tourist levy before you travel. You pay Bali’s levy for foreign visitors on the official Love Bali website, so you have the receipt ready on your phone when you land.
Choose your hotel with the connection in mind. If you want a short trip from the airport to the beach, you can see hotels in Seminyak here. If you’re after surfing and cafés, you can see hotels in Canggu here, but allow up to two hours’ drive. For the rice fields, you can see hotels in Ubud here, and if you’d like to stay at a resort close to the airport, you can see hotels in Nusa Dua here.
If you’re not sure which area suits you, read my guide to where to stay in Bali, and find inspiration in my guide to things to do in Bali.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
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