How to get there
Padang to Bukittinggi
Padang to Bukittinggi is about 89 km of mountain road and takes roughly 2 to 3 hours door to door, with intercity buses and shared travel vans from around Rp 50,000 to Rp 60,000 a seat as a working estimate. Rome2Rio clocks the pure drive at about 1 hour 25 minutes, so treat anything under 2 hours as a best case rather than a plan.
Our pick
For most travellers the shared travel van wins. It is sold locally as travel rather than bus, fares start around Rp 50,000, and it collects you in Padang and drops you at your Bukittinggi address instead of at Aur Kuning terminal on the edge of town. Intercity buses with operators such as PO ANS, NPM or Minang Jaya cost about the same, roughly Rp 55,000 to Rp 60,000, and suit you better if you want a fixed departure time. Pay for a private car only if Bukittinggi is a base rather than a destination, because it is the one option that can break the drive at Padang Panjang and carry on to Pagaruyung Palace or Harau Valley the same day. If you are flying in, do not go into Padang at all: Minangkabau airport sits north of the city on the Bukittinggi side.
Your options
Shared travel van, door to door
From around Rp 50,000 a seat, roughly $3 to $5 (working estimate)- Duration:
- About 2 to 3 hours, including the pickup loop around Padang
- Frequency:
- Several departures through the day; book a seat a day ahead in high season
The door-to-door pickup is why this is the default local choice, but collecting other passengers adds half an hour or so before you actually leave town.
Check schedules & book →Intercity bus (PO ANS, NPM, Minang Jaya)
Around Rp 55,000 to Rp 60,000, roughly $4 to $5 (working estimate); PO ANS lists regular class from Rp 60,000- Duration:
- About 2 to 3 hours to Aur Kuning terminal
- Frequency:
- Regular departures through the day
Aur Kuning terminal is about 2 km from the centre of Bukittinggi, so budget a short ojek or Grab hop at the end.
Check schedules & book →Private car or Grab
Around $27 to $35 per car (working estimate), based on Rome2Rio taxi quotes- Duration:
- About 1.5 hours of pure driving, realistically 2 to 3 hours with traffic
- Frequency:
- On demand
The only option that can stop at Padang Panjang, detour to Pagaruyung Palace, or run straight through to Harau Valley in a single day.
Damri airport bus from Minangkabau (PDG)
A few dollars a seat (working estimate); confirm the current fare on the day- Duration:
- Listed by Rome2Rio at about 1 hour 45 minutes from the airport
- Frequency:
- Roughly hourly through the day, per Rome2Rio
The airport is north of Padang, already on the Bukittinggi side, so heading into the city first adds an hour for nothing.
Fitting this into a wider budget? See our Indonesia travel costs guide for daily budgets by travel style.
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Common questions
- How long does it take to get from Padang to Bukittinggi?
- About 2 to 3 hours for the 89 km, although the pure drive is nearer 1 hour 25 minutes according to Rome2Rio. Buses and shared vans sit at the upper end because of pickups and stops. Landslides and roadworks on this mountain stretch can add hours, so avoid tight onward connections.
- How much is the bus from Padang to Bukittinggi?
- From around Rp 50,000 for a shared travel van and roughly Rp 55,000 to Rp 60,000 for an intercity bus with operators such as PO ANS or Minang Jaya, as a working estimate. A private car or Grab runs closer to $27 to $35. Fares move, so confirm before you travel.
- How long does it take to drive from Bukittinggi to Harau Valley?
- About 60 to 90 minutes for the 48 km via Payakumbuh, and closer to an hour when the road is clear. One 2026 traveller report puts a Gojek car at just over an hour for around Rp 220,000. The local minibus plus opelet combination costs roughly Rp 35,000 but takes longer.
- How far is Pagaruyung Palace from Harau Valley?
- Roughly 55 km, about 1 to 1.5 hours by car. Rome2Rio puts Batusangkar to Nagari Harau at 52.8 km and 1 hour 5 minutes, and Pagaruyung Palace sits about 5 km southeast of Batusangkar. Day trips from Bukittinggi often pair the two, so allow a full day rather than a half.
- How long is the drive from Harau Valley to Padang Panjang?
- About 1 to 1.5 hours for 68 km. Rome2Rio clocks the pure drive at 1 hour 9 minutes, but that assumes clear roads through Payakumbuh and Bukittinggi, so 1.5 hours is the safer working estimate. Padang Panjang sits on the main Padang road, which makes it a natural last stop before turning south.
- Is there a train from Padang to Bukittinggi?
- No. The Minangkabau Express train links Padang city with the airport only, so the Bukittinggi leg is always by road. Rome2Rio itineraries that show a train are just combining that airport rail link with an onward bus or taxi, which is slower than taking the road the whole way.
Itineraries that use this route
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Plan around the journey
Where to stay, when to go, and what to do at either end.
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