Nashville for International Visitors: The Short Version (2026)
- Nashville travel guide for international visitors, in brief: Visa Waiver Program travelers need an approved ESTA, which costs $40.62 from October 16, 2026; most other nationalities need a B-1/B-2 visitor visa; Canadian tourists need neither.
- Flights: BNA has nonstops from London Heathrow, Dublin, Toronto and Cancún, plus Icelandair from Reykjavík; Volaris adds Guadalajara in December 2026. Flights from Dublin and Toronto clear US immigration before take-off.
- Airport to downtown: a $30 flat taxi fare (plus $2 per extra passenger) or WeGo’s Route 18 bus for $2.
- Money: prices exclude tax (9.75% on most purchases; 16.75% plus $2.50 a night on hotels), and restaurant tips of 15–20% are expected.
- Driving: visitors may drive in Tennessee on a valid licence from their home country; an International Driving Permit is not required by state law but helps as a translation.
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This Nashville travel guide for international visitors covers what changes when you come from abroad: entry rules and the new ESTA fee, which international flights reach Nashville, how to get from the airport, how US prices, tax and tipping work, and practical details such as phones, plugs, driving and health cover. It is written for visitors from Europe, Latin America, Canada and beyond who already know they want the music, food and Southern hospitality of Music City.
Nashville is an easy first US city in many ways: the downtown core is walkable, the airport is 20 minutes away by express bus, and the honky-tonks charge no cover. The surprises are mostly financial, because the price you see is rarely the price you pay, so the money section below works through real examples.
How we researched this: In November 2026 our editors checked entry rules and fees with official US government sources (the October 1, 2026 Federal Register notice on ESTA fees and CBP’s ESTA and preclearance pages), flight information from Nashville International Airport and recent WSMV reporting on new routes, transfer prices from the airport and WeGo Public Transit, and driving rules from the Tennessee Department of Safety. Consulate information comes from Guatemala’s government news agency, NewsChannel 5 and Mexico’s foreign ministry directory. Hotel facts come from our registry (verified October 2026).
Entry Requirements: ESTA, Visitor Visas and Arriving in the US
Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries need an approved ESTA and an e-passport; most other visitors need a B-1/B-2 visitor visa issued after a consular interview; Canadian citizens visiting as tourists need neither. Sort out entry before you buy flights, because visa appointments can take months.
ESTA (Visa Waiver Program). The ESTA fee rose from $21 to $40 in September 2025 under the HR-1 law and is now adjusted for inflation every year. Under the Federal Register notice of October 1, 2026, an approved application costs $40.62 and a denied one $10.62, from October 16, 2026 (checked November 2026). Apply only on the official site, esta.cbp.dhs.gov; CBP recommends applying as soon as you start planning, before you buy tickets, and the program requires an e-passport. An approved ESTA is generally valid for two years or until your passport expires, for visits of up to 90 days for tourism or business, not work.
B-1/B-2 visitor visa. Most travelers from Latin America, and from many countries in Asia and Africa, need a visitor visa from a US embassy or consulate, which normally involves an online application, a fee and an interview. We have not listed the fee here: a separate $250 visa integrity fee was created by the same 2025 law, and the State Department’s fee page is the place to confirm what applies on the day you apply. Mexican citizens need a valid visitor visa or Border Crossing Card; check CBP’s rules for travel beyond the border region.
Arriving at BNA. If you fly nonstop from London, Reykjavík or Cancún, you clear immigration and customs in Nashville. BNA opened its International Arrivals Facility in September 2023, with a Customs and Border Protection area the airport says can process 800 passengers an hour. Keep your hotel address and return ticket handy for the officer’s questions.
Flying to Nashville: International Nonstops and Connections
Nashville’s international nonstops come from London, Dublin, Reykjavík, Toronto and beach destinations in Mexico and Central America; most other visitors connect through a larger US airport. Flights from Dublin and Toronto preclear US immigration before departure, so you arrive in Nashville as a domestic passenger.
| From | Airline | Notes (checked November 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| London Heathrow | British Airways | Operating since 2018 |
| Dublin | Aer Lingus | Launched April 2025; US preclearance in Dublin |
| Reykjavík (Keflavík) | Icelandair | Launched 2025 as a seasonal route with connections across Europe; check dates |
| Toronto Pearson | Air Canada, WestJet | US preclearance in Toronto |
| Toronto Billy Bishop | Porter Airlines | Started in 2026; US preclearance |
| Cancún | Southwest, American, Delta | Some services are seasonal |
| Guadalajara | Volaris | Due to start in December 2026 |
| Liberia, Costa Rica | Southwest | Due to start February 13, 2027 |
Schedules change by season, so confirm on the airport’s nonstop destinations page before booking. From South America, Asia or most of Europe, you will connect through a US hub. Immigration and customs happen at your first US airport: you collect checked bags, clear customs, re-check them and then fly on to Nashville as a domestic passenger, so allow at least two to three hours for the connection. If you land late after a long-haul trip, our guide to hotels near Nashville airport covers the airport hotel you can walk to and the nearby cluster.
From BNA to Your Hotel, and Driving on a Foreign Licence
From Nashville airport, a taxi to downtown is a flat $30, the WeGo Route 18 bus is $2 and takes about 20 minutes on express trips, and Uber and Lyft also operate. If you rent a car, Tennessee lets visitors drive on a valid licence from their home country.
Taxi, bus or rideshare. The airport sets a flat taxi rate of $30 to downtown or the Gaylord Opryland area, plus $2 for each additional passenger. WeGo’s Route 18 leaves from the Ground Transportation Center on Level 1 of the Terminal 2 garage; the $2 fare is a 2-hour pass payable by contactless card, phone wallet, QuickTicket or exact cash (American Express is not accepted), and local trips take 35–45 minutes. Our BNA airport to downtown guide compares every option, and our guide to getting around Nashville without a car covers buses, scooters and rideshare in town.
Driving with a foreign licence. The Tennessee Department of Safety says a nonresident aged 16 or over with a valid licence from their home country may drive in Tennessee as a Class D (ordinary car) driver. A 2008 Tennessee Attorney General opinion says the state does not require an International Driving Permit, though it can help police read a licence in another language, so carry one if yours is not in English. Rental companies set their own rules on age, deposits and cards. Remember that Americans drive on the right, speeds are in miles per hour, and you may turn right at a red light after a full stop unless a sign forbids it. Downtown hotel parking costs $45–$58 a night in our registry, so a car is only worth it for day trips.
Money in Nashville: Tax, Tipping, Cards and Hotel Holds
Prices in Nashville are shown before tax, tips are expected, and cards, including contactless and phone payments, are the normal way to pay. Expect 9.75% sales tax on most purchases and meals, 16.75% plus $2.50 a night on hotel rooms, and 15–20% tips at sit-down restaurants.
| Price you see | What you actually pay | Why |
|---|---|---|
| $20 restaurant dish | $21.95, or $25.95 with a 20% tip | 9.75% sales tax; tip on the pre-tax price |
| $30 souvenir | $32.93 | 9.75% sales tax added at the register |
| $250 hotel room, no fee | $294.38 per night | 16.75% tax plus $2.50 per room per night |
| $250 hotel room with a $25 daily fee | $323.56 per night | The fee is taxed like the room |
| $45 hotel self-parking | $49.39 per night | 9.75% sales tax |
| $30 airport taxi | $33–$35.40 with a tip | Flat fare; 10–18% tip is common |
Tipping. In the US, service is not included in menu prices, and in Tennessee tipped workers can be paid a cash wage of $2.13 an hour. Tip 15–20% at sit-down restaurants, about $1 or more per drink at bars, $2–$5 a night for housekeeping, and a few dollars in the jar for honky-tonk bands. Read the bill first: large groups often get an automatic gratuity, which already covers the tip. Our Nashville tipping guide has a full table.
Cards, cash and hotel holds. Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere; American Express is less universal (WeGo, for example, does not take it). When a card machine offers to charge you in your home currency, choosing US dollars usually avoids a poor exchange rate. Carry some $5 and $10 bills for tips. At check-in, hotels authorize your card for the room, tax and an incidentals deposit, and the hold can take days to release, which matters on debit or prepaid travel cards; ask the hotel for its amount. Our Nashville hotel taxes and fees explainer decodes every line of the bill.
Phones, Power, Health and Everyday Differences
Bring a Type A or B plug adapter for 120-volt power, arrange an eSIM or US data plan before you land, and buy travel insurance with medical cover, because visitors pay the full cost of US healthcare. The emergency number is 911.
- Phones: an eSIM bought before departure is the easiest option if your phone is unlocked and supports it; otherwise buy a prepaid US SIM after arrival. Hotels and most cafés have free Wi-Fi.
- Power: 120 volts, 60 Hz, with flat-pin Type A and B sockets. Most phone and laptop chargers are dual-voltage; hair straighteners and dryers often are not.
- Health: there is no free public healthcare for visitors, and an emergency room visit can be very expensive, so buy insurance with medical and evacuation cover. Dial 911 for police, fire or ambulance.
- Units and dates: temperatures are in Fahrenheit (32°F is 0°C; 90°F is about 32°C), distances in miles (1 mile is 1.6 km), and dates are written month first, so 6/10/2027 is June 10, 2027.
- Time: Nashville is on Central Time; daylight saving time ended on November 1, 2026 and resumes on March 14, 2027.
- Drinking age: 21. Many Broadway bars are all ages until 6 PM and 21+ after, so carry your passport at night; a foreign driving licence may not be accepted as ID.
Safety, Consulates and Spanish-Language Resources
Nashville’s risks for visitors are those of any large US city: stay in busy areas at night, use rideshare after bar close and keep valuables out of sight. Spanish speakers will find a large Latin American community along Nolensville Pike, and several Central American countries have consulates in the city.
Our safest areas to stay in Nashville guide shows how to check Metro police data by neighborhood. For Latin food, shops and Spanish heard all around you, head to Nolensville Pike, about 11 minutes by car south of downtown: Plaza Mariachi at 3955 Nolensville Pike is a Latin food hall and market with free parking, and Casa Azafrán at 2195 Nolensville Pike is the community center run by the nonprofit Conexión Américas. Our Nolensville Pike food guide lists the best restaurants.
Consulates. Guatemala opened a consulate general in Nashville on October 30, 2023, according to its government news agency, and El Salvador also operates a consulate general in the city, NewsChannel 5 reported. We found no Mexican consulate in Nashville: Mexico’s foreign ministry directory assigns Middle and East Tennessee to its Consulate General in Atlanta, which has held mobile consulate days in the Nashville area. If you lose a passport, contact your country’s nearest consulate first, then the airline.
Where International Visitors Should Stay in Nashville
The best hotels for international visitors are downtown properties with no resort fee, free breakfast or suites, a direct $30 taxi or $2 bus ride from BNA, and a walk to Broadway. Drury Plaza, Hilton Nashville Downtown and the Sheraton Grand charge no destination fee; Tempo by Hilton’s $25 fee includes a food credit.
Drury Plaza includes a hot breakfast and a 5:30 Kickback with hot food and drinks, which saves real money for visitors still adjusting to US prices; it is 5 minutes south of Broadway. Hilton Nashville Downtown has only two-room suites, good for families on different sleep schedules after a long flight, half a block from Broadway, but no pool. The Sheraton Grand on Union Street is quiet, four blocks north of Broadway, with a 28-story atrium and self-parking at $45. Tempo by Hilton, opened in 2024, has a 5th-floor outdoor pool and the Bluestone Lane café, two blocks off Broadway. For more ideas, see our Nashville travel tips for first-time visitors.
| Hotel | Area | Price level | Walk to Broadway | Pool | Resort fee | Parking | Booking.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Downtown | SoBro / Downtown Nashville | Mid-range | 3 blocks south of Lower Broadway (5-minute walk) | Indoor/outdoor heated rooftop pool & whirlpool with skyline views | None ($0 resort fee + FREE hot breakfast + FREE 5:30 Kickback dinner & drinks!) | On-site garage self-parking $45/night + tax (per the hotel’s site, October 2026) | Check prices |
| Hilton Nashville Downtown | Core Downtown (1 Block off Lower Broadway) | Upscale | Half a block (100 yards) from Lower Broadway Honky Tonks (1-minute walk) | No pool — 100% all-suite hotel right behind Bridgestone Arena & Country Music Hall of Fame | None ($0 mandatory resort fee) | Valet only: $65/night with in-and-out privileges (no self-parking) | Check prices |
| Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown | Downtown Arts District / Capitol View | Mid-range | 4 blocks north of Lower Broadway (7-minute walk; 1 block from TPAC) | No pool; atrium lobby and the 28th-floor Skye Lounge | $25 + tax per night destination fee (per group-booking pages and booking sites) | Self-parking $70/day; valet $75/day (per Marriott's listing; Library Garage 1 block south closed since the June 2025 fire) | Check prices |
| Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown | Core Downtown (Adjacent to Nashville Yards & Broadway) | Mid-range | 2 blocks off Broadway (4-minute walk to Lower Broadway & Fifth + Broadway) | 5th-floor outdoor heated pool & Lovelorn rooftop bar terrace | $25 + tax per night (includes daily F&B credit) | Valet $52/night | Check prices |
Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Downtown
- NO Resort Fee ($0/night)
- FREE daily hot breakfast buffet
- FREE 5:30 Kickback (hot evening food + 3 free cocktails/beer/wine per adult)
- Indoor/outdoor rooftop pool & $45 self-parking
Unquestionably downtown Nashville’s #1 value hotel: three blocks from Broadway with zero resort fees, free hot breakfast, and free evening food and cocktails.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
Hilton Nashville Downtown
- 100% Two-Room Suites (separate living room + bedroom)
- NO Resort Fee ($0/night)
- About 4 min on foot to Bridgestone Arena, 5 min to the Ryman
- Soaring sunlit atrium
The closest all-suite hotel to Honky Tonk Highway—located half a block off Lower Broadway across from Bridgestone Arena and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown
- Quieter Union Street location 4 blocks off Broadway
- 28th-floor Skye Lounge panoramic views
- Atrium-style tower renovated in 2024
- Sheraton Club Lounge
Large, quieter downtown Marriott tower four blocks north of Broadway, with an atrium lobby, a Club Lounge and the 28th-floor Skye Lounge.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown
- New 16-story lifestyle Hilton tower (opened 2024)
- 5th-floor outdoor pool & Lovelorn bar
- Bluestone Lane Australian coffee shop
- 2 blocks from Broadway
Opened in 2024 just two blocks off Broadway, featuring a 5th-floor outdoor pool terrace, Lovelorn rooftop lounge and Bluestone Lane café.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
Check the total price in US dollars
On booking sites, switch the currency to US dollars and look at the total with taxes and fees. A $250 room is $294.38 a night at a no-fee hotel and $323.56 at one with a $25 fee, so the cheapest headline rate is not always the cheapest stay.
Sources and How We Verified This
- Federal Register, October 1, 2026: the FY 2027 ESTA fee of $40.62 ($10.62 if denied), in effect from October 16, 2026.
- CBP, ESTA: e-passport requirement and when to apply.
- CBP, preclearance locations: Dublin, Toronto Pearson and Billy Bishop Toronto City among them.
- Nashville International Airport, nonstop destinations: current international routes and seasonality.
- WSMV: Volaris to Guadalajara from December 2026 and Southwest to Liberia, Costa Rica from February 13, 2027.
- WeGo Public Transit, airport service: Route 18 stop, $2 fare, payment methods and travel times.
- Nashville International Airport, ground transportation: $30 taxi flat rate and $2 per additional passenger.
- Tennessee Department of Safety: visitors may drive on a valid home-country licence (T.C.A. 55-50-304).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do I need a visa to visit Nashville?
Nashville follows national US entry rules. Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries need an approved ESTA and an e-passport for visits of up to 90 days; most other nationalities, including most Latin American countries, need a B-1/B-2 visitor visa from a US embassy or consulate. Canadian citizens do not need a visa or ESTA for a tourist trip.
How much does an ESTA cost in 2026?
From October 16, 2026, an approved ESTA costs $40.62, and a denied application costs $10.62, under the Federal Register notice published October 1, 2026. The fee was raised to $40 in September 2025 and is now adjusted for inflation each year. Apply only on the official site, esta.cbp.dhs.gov, to avoid paying extra to an agency.
Are there direct international flights to Nashville?
Yes. British Airways flies nonstop from London Heathrow, Aer Lingus from Dublin, Icelandair from Reykjavík, and Air Canada, WestJet and Porter from Toronto, with several airlines serving Cancún. Volaris is due to add Guadalajara in December 2026. Many routes are seasonal, so check the airport’s nonstop list before booking.
Can I drive in Tennessee with a foreign driver’s license?
Yes, if you are a visitor. The Tennessee Department of Safety says nonresidents aged 16 or over with a valid licence from their home country may drive ordinary cars in the state. An International Driving Permit is not required by Tennessee law but is useful as a translation, and rental companies may set their own requirements.
How do I get from Nashville airport to downtown?
Take a taxi at the airport’s flat rate of $30 to downtown, plus $2 per additional passenger, or WeGo’s Route 18 bus for $2, which takes about 20 minutes on express trips and 35–45 minutes on local ones. Uber and Lyft also serve BNA. For a group of three or four, the flat taxi fare is usually the simplest option.
