Bali Airport To Ubud: 6 Ways To Travel

Arriving at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport marks the beginning of your adventure to Bali, an island where vibrant culture meets lush landscapes.

Right at the heart of the island is Ubud, Bali’s main tourist town. Ubud sits around 40km north of the airport by road, but with no official airport connection between the two, deciding how to get there can be overwhelming.

Having spent more than two years travelling around Bali, we have a good grasp of the transportation options available. In this guide, we’ll share the six main ways to get from the airport to Ubud, along with our top recommendations to ensure a smooth and stress-free start to your trip.

Quick Summary

Getting From the Airport to Ubud

Many hotels in Bali can arrange an airport transfer on your behalf. Some luxury resorts include complimentary transfers for guests, while others offer it as an extra service (with fee).

Otherwise, you can easily book a transfer online yourself (here).

After booking, you'll need to message your driver with your flight details. This allows them to track the flight and collect you on time if there’s a delay.

It's also a good idea to send a photo of your luggage to ensure they have enough space in their vehicle.

Your driver will wait for you just after exiting the airport arrivals hall.

How much?

The price of a pre-organised private transfer from the airport to Ubud starts at around 325,000 IDR for 4 passengers with luggage.

How long is the journey?

It usually takes around 1hr30 from the airport to Ubud by car, but this can vary depending on traffic on the day.

How to book:

If your hotel can't organise a driver for you, we'd recommend using this booking form.

The form allows you to input your exact route and no. of passengers to compare prices/reviews of private drivers on the platform.

Rather than pre-booking transport, another option is to wait until you arrive and order an online taxi using either the Grab (Apple | Android) or Gojek (Apple | Android) apps. This is what we usually do.

Grab and Gojek are online taxi apps, similar to Uber, that allow you to book taxis for immediate pick-up.

There's even a Gojek Lounge at Bali's International Arrivals and a Grab Lounge at Domestic Arrivals where you can wait for your pick-up.

We like using these apps as they remove the need to negotiate with local drivers who often try to overcharge you. It’s also the safest way to travel as your entire journey is tracked and can be shared with friends or family.

No matter what time of day you land, you’ll always be able to get a Grab or Gojek from the airport. They typically take just a few minutes to arrive, but we’ve waited up to 15 minutes before.

How much?

An online taxi usually costs between 350,000 to 400,000 IDR from the airport to Ubud for 4 passengers with 2 large suitcases. Surge pricing can affect this.

How long is the journey?

The journey from the airport to Ubud usually takes around 1hr30 by car, but this can vary depending on traffic.

Tips for using online taxis:

Here are some tips for using online taxis for your transfer:

Arriving late? In the past, we’ve arrived in Bali late at night (around 1.30am) and the waiting areas have been closed. If this happens, you can still order your Grab or Gojek via the app – but you won’t have access to the free Wi-Fi or staff.

Another option is to find a taxi when you arrive at the airport. This is the most expensive option and will require good negotiation skills to ensure you don’t get ripped off.

How much?

The Denpasar airport to Ubud taxi fare will start at around 500,000 IDR (some drivers will try their luck and go even higher).

But you should be able to negotiate down to around 400,000 IDR. Or if you’re good at bargaining, maybe even lower.

You might have heard that Bluebird Taxis usually run on a meter, but this isn’t the case when running from the airport. From our understanding, there are minimum prices that all taxis must charge. In the past, Bluebird has given us a fixed fee quote from the airport.

How long is the journey?

It usually takes around 1hr30 from the airport to Ubud by car, but this can vary greatly depending on traffic.

The Kura Kura bus is a tourist shuttle that runs from south Bali to Ubud and vice versa.

The shuttle is one of the cheaper airport to Ubud travel options. However, it only runs twice a day in each direction, so you'll need to ensure it fits your travel schedule.

The Kura Kura shuttle bus can drop off at the airport on request (make sure to inform them in advance). But it can't pick up from the airport due to local rules.

Instead, you’ll need to walk around 15 minutes from the airport to Lippo Mall in Kuta (here) to pick the shuttle up.

How much?

The Kura Kura has a fixed ticket price of 100,000 IDR one-way.

How long is the journey?

The journey time of the bus varies between 1hr45 to 2 hours in normal conditions but can take longer during heavy traffic.

How to book:

You can book tickets for the shuttle on their website, but it's usually cheaper and easier to purchase via Klook.

Given how affordable private transport is in Bali, it’s rare for tourists to use local public transport. But if you’re feeling adventurous or on a super tight budget, you can get the public Taman Bus from Bali Airport to Ubud.

You’ll need to take the K2B bus from the airport and change at Gor Ngurah Rai station onto the K4B which continues to central Ubud. Stops include the Monkey Forest or Ubud Palace.

The first bus leaves the airport at 6am with regular buses until 7:50pm.

There’s an app with live tracking of all the buses called MitraDarat (Apple | Android). However, the app is only in Indonesian so here are some tips. When you open it, ensure you are on the tab labelled "Beranda", then select "Teman Bus" followed by "Trans Metro Dewata".

How much?

Buses between the airport and Ubud charge a flat ticket price of 4,400 IDR.

How long is the journey?

The total journey time by bus can take anywhere between 2hr30 to 3 hours due to making several stops along the route.

How to book:

You can't pre-book public buses in Bali.

We have never used this bus service so we cannot share first-hand experience of how they work. We do know that cash is not accepted on the bus so payment may be difficult if you don’t have a local bank account.

While we’d never recommend renting a car in Bali (the roads are chaotic), a scooter is just about manageable. If you’re already planning to rent a scooter during your trip, it’s possible to arrange for airport collection and save the cost of an airport transfer.

Of course, this will entirely depend on how much luggage you have. Anything more than one backpack and you might struggle to get it on a scooter.

The most well-known rental company on the island is Bikago, a company we have used and had a great experience with.

The scooter we rented was almost new and well-maintained, with hardly a scratch on it. It was definitely the best scooter we’ve rented in Bali by a long shot.

You can arrange to collect the scooter at the airport on arrival. Send them your flight number and someone will be waiting for you in arrivals. You can drop it off again at the airport or one of their 7 branches across the island, including in Ubud.

How much?

The cost of a basic Honda Scoopy from Bikago is between 105,000 IDR to 175,000 IDR per day depending on how long you rent for. There’s a minimum 3-day rental period.

How long is the journey?

It still takes around 1hr30 to get from the airport to Ubud by scooter. But if there’s heavy traffic, you’ll find it much easier to weave through compared to travelling by car.

How to book:

We'd recommend booking a bike through Bikago, which you can do via their website.

Check out our guide to renting a scooter in Bali for more tips and information.

Only rent a scooter in Bali if you’re a confident driver and have an International Drivers Permit.