Overview Compare Public Bus #152 Airport Bus #109 Yellow Bus #49 Taxi To Stay
Ho Chi Minh Airport, also called Tan Son Nhat, is Vietnam’s busiest airport. It serves Ho Chi Minh and other nearby cities in the southeastern region.
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How to travel from Ho Chi Minh Airport (Tan Son Nhat) to Ho Chi Minh City Centre
From Ho Chi Minh Airport to Ho Chi Minh city centre takes about 45 minutes. You can take a bus or a taxi with rates from 6,000 VND ($0.20) and 150,000 VND ($6), respectively.
The cheapest way to travel between Ho Chi Minh Airport and the city centre is via a public bus that costs only 6,000 VND ($0.20). Note that these are often packed with locals, so don’t expect to receive the same level of comfort that you can get with an airport bus.
Bus #109 and Bus #49 are both modern airport buses that cater mostly to tourists. Fares are from 20,000 VND ($0.80) to 40,000 VND ($1.60). We recommend taking one of these airport buses since they are very spacious and come with English-speaking staff.
Airport buses also have designated stops within the city. We note their itineraries in more detail below.
If you prefer a direct transfer, you can also get a taxi from 150,000 VND ($6). You will find the taxi queue just outside the arrivals hall. Make sure to ask the driver to turn on the metre before setting off. Travel time from Ho Chi Minh International Airport to the city centre takes 45 minutes.
Are you heading to a new destination? See here an overview of all direct flights from Ho Chi Minh airport.
Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh?
Still looking for accommodation? Don’t forget to check out our favourite places to stay in Ho Chi Minh at the bottom of this page.
Itinerary from Ho Chi Minh International Airport (Tan Son Nhat)
Public Bus #152
- Ho Chi Minh Airport
- 45 minutes
- Ho Chi Minh City Centre
Bus #109
- Ho Chi Minh Airport
- 45 minutes
- Ho Chi Minh City Centre
Bus #49
- Ho Chi Minh Airport
- 45 minutes
- Ho Chi Minh City Centre
Ho Chi Minh Airport to the City Centre by Public Bus #152
Public bus #152 is the cheapest way to get from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh city centre. A bus ticket only costs 6,000 VND ($0.20), but note that you’ll have to pay an additional 6,000 VND ($0.20) per piece of big luggage.
You can find the public buses outside the arrival terminal at Ho Chi Minh Airport. Walk about 50m to the right to find the ticket counter.
Public buses from Ho Chi Minh Airport to the city centre depart every 15 minutes from 05:45 to 18:15.
These buses make several stops along the way. The final stop is at the roundabout across Ben Thanh Market. This market is a short 10-minute walk to Pham Ngu Lao Street (also called backpack street).
Ho Chi Minh Airport to the City Centre by Yellow Airport Bus #109*
*COVID-19 UPDATE: The last time we checked (July 2022), Ho Chi Minh’s yellow airport bus #109 is not available.
Yellow bus #109 are modern buses with plenty of space for your luggage. These buses are tourist-friendly and the staff generally speaks some basic English.
The bus operates from Saigon Airport to the city centre every 15-20 minutes between 05:30 in the morning and 01:00 past midnight. You can find Bus #109 at Column 12 of the International Terminal and Column 18 of the Domestic Terminal.
The yellow bus has designated stops within the city. This includes Ben Thanh Market and Pham Ngu Lao Street (backpacker area). Its last stop is at Park 23/9. The bus ride takes about 45 minutes, depending on traffic.
Expect to pay 20,000 VND ($0.80) for a bus ticket to the tourist centre in District 1. If you’re just heading to a nearby destination (less than 5 km from the airport), then a ticket costs 12,000 VND ($0.50).
Yellow bus #109 itinerary from Ho Chi Minh Airport to the city centre
Tan Son Nhat Airport International Terminal – Domestic Terminal – Truong Son St. – Tran Quoc Hoan – Hoang Van Thu St. – Nguyen Van Troi St. – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St. – Nguyen Dinh Chieu St. – Cach Mang Thang Tam St. – Pham Hong Thai St. – Le Lai St. – Ben Thanh Bus Station – Pham Ngu Lao St. – 23/9 Park.
Ho Chi Minh Airport to the City Centre by Airport Bus #49
Bus #49 is another modern bus line that provides comfortable rides for tourists. Like Bus #109, Bus #49 departs from Column 12 of the International Terminal and Column 18 of the Domestic Terminal. It also comes with an English-speaking staff.
Bus #49 is a bit more expensive but also has more stops between Ho Chi Minh Airport and Saigon city centre. A ticket costs 40,000 VND ($1.60).
These buses run from 05:00 in the morning until 00:30 past midnight. Travel time is about 45 minutes.
Airport bus #49 itinerary from Ho Chi Minh Airport to the city centre
Tan Son Nhat Airport International Terminal – domestic terminal – Truong Son – Tran Quoc Hoan – Hoang Van Thu – Nguyen Van Troi – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia – Le Duan – Cong Xa Paris – Dong Khoi – Dong Du – Hai Ba Trung – Ton Duc Thang – Ham Nghi – Ben Thanh – Pham Ngu Lao – Nguyen Trai – Le Lai – Nguyen Huu Canh – Cach Mang Thang 8 – Dien Bien Phu.
Ho Chi Minh Airport to the City Centre by Taxi
When you take a taxi from Ho Chi Minh Airport to the city centre, always ask the driver to put on the meter. For your reference, a typical ride between the airport and Saigon city centre costs around 150,000 VND ($6).
Note that there is an airport surcharge of 10,000 VND ($0.40), on top of the total amount of your taxi ride.
Book with Grab if you have a Vietnam sim card
If you already have a Vietnam sim card that has mobile data, we recommend that you hail your taxi through Grab (Asian Uber). Fares are usually cheaper with rates from 100,000 VND ($4.20). And you will already know how much to pay before the ride.
Also here, there is a 10,000 VND ($0.40) airport surcharge.
TIP: When local taxi drivers ask if you ordered a Grab car, it’s better to ignore this question to avoid ending up in an argument. Grab doesn’t really sit well with veteran taxi drivers.
Book your transfer via BookAway
You also have the option to book a private transfer from Ho Chi Minh Airport to the city centre via BookAway. Rates start from 260,000 VND ($11) for a group of 3. The cost gets higher depending on the size of the vehicle and the drop-off location in the city centre.
Check Private Transfers on BookAway
Our favourite places to stay in Ho Chi Minh
Boholand Hostel
Want to enjoy a great atmosphere with a bit more privacy than the typical backpack hostel? Boholand hostel offers lovely decorated private rooms. The super friendly host will give you the best recommendations of where to go. And best of all, she serves a delicious home-made breakfast for a perfect start of the day!
Double rooms from: $24
Chez Mimosa
This boutique hotel is located just oustide of the center, but everything is still in walking distance, or just $1 by taxi to the center. Enjoy a wonderful breakfast at the balcony after a great night of sleep in the comfy beds. The very helpful owners also provide airport shuttle service.
Double rooms from: $32
SGN Living Artist Apartment
This apartment is located a few minutes walk from the backpacker street and offers great value for money. Expect stylish modern rooms with lots of space and very comfy beds.
Double rooms from: $40
Mekong Delta
Mekong DeltaOne of the popular activities from Ho Chi Minh is visiting the Mekong Delta.
We recommend to check out Klook to get a better impression about this tour. Tickets start from 420,000 VND ($17.50) for a full day tour including entrance fees.
More routes to Ho Chi Minh
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About the author(s)
Based in Bali, Maarten’s passion for travel is undeniable. In 2016, he decided to quit his job as a stock analyst and started doing what he always dreamed of: travelling through South East Asia and helping other people plan their trips. When he is not working on Gecko Routes, you’ll find him surfing in the ocean or exploring the best gems of Indonesia.
Aleksandra is a writer and editor who recently moved from Hong Kong to London. She’s worked and studied in four countries (and counting) and picked up a new hobby in each of them. She’s a big fan of long train journeys so you can count on her to take the scenic route, finding a few hidden gems along the way.
Malheureusement le bus 109 n’existe plus.
Seul le 152 passe devant l’aéroport et dessert le district 1
Thanks so much for this valuable info, Monge! We have now updated the route to include these changes. Thanks again and safe travels!