How to get from Ho Chi Minh Airport (Tan Son Nhat) to the city centre

Why visit Ho Chi Minh?

Ho Chi Minh is Vietnam’s largest and probably busiest metropolis. Formerly called Saigon, the city pulsates with energy and organised chaos. Its streets are packed with motorcycles day in and day out, we absolutely have no idea how everyone manages not to bump into each other!

Don’t miss a visit to the War Remnants Museum and Central Post Office, one of the oldest buildings in Ho Chi Minh. Shop (and prepare to haggle) at Ben Thanh Market, and explore the nearby Cu Chi Tunnels. When its bustling streets become too much, know that you can always find solace in one of its many cosy coffee shops.

There are 4 ways to travel the 7 kilometers (4 miles) from Ho Chi Minh Airport (Tan Son Nhat) to the city centre. You can choose between the bus, shared minivan, private transport and Public bus #152. The journey takes 30 to 45 minutes and the quickest way is by shared minivan. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by public bus #152 with tickets starting at 6,000 VND ($0.20).

Public bus #152 is the cheapest way to get from Ho Chi Minh Airport (Tan Son Nhat) to the city centre. A bus ticket costs only 6,000 VND ($0.20), but you’ll have to pay an additional 6,000 VND ($0.20) per piece of big luggage.

Although cheap, it’s worth noting that Bus #152 caters mostly to locals and is neither as spacious nor as comfortable as Bus #109.

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. From here, it’s a short 10-minute walk to Pham Ngu Lao Street (also called Backpacker Street).

If you’re visiting Dĩ An District, you can travel directly from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Airport via a shared minivan.

Fares start at 138,000 VND ($5.30) for the journey that takes about 30 minutes, depending on traffic. The minivan will drop you off at the Big C shopping centre in Dĩ An town, a convenient starting point for exploring the area.

Shared Minivan options from Ho Chi Minh Airport (Tan Son Nhat) to the city centre

When you take a taxi from Ho Chi Minh Airport (Tan Son Nhat) to the city centre, always ask the driver to put on the metre. For reference, a typical ride between the airport and Saigon city centre costs around 494,000 VND ($19).

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 ($3.80). And you will know how much to pay before the ride.

Grab also has an airport surcharge of 10,000 VND ($0.40).

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 (Tan Son Nhat) to the city centre via BookAway. Rates start from 260,000 VND ($10) 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.

The yellow bus #109 is a modern bus with plenty of space for your luggage. These buses are tourist-friendly and the staff generally speak some basic English. Airport bus #109 was previously suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, it went back into operation in September 2022 according to Vietnam Net Global.

The bus operates from Saigon Airport to the city centre every 15-20 minutes between 05:30 and 01:00. 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.

Bus tickets range between 15,000 VND ($0.60) and 20,000 VND ($0.80), depending on your destination. Previously, this airport bus did not require passengers to buy an extra ticket when carrying large luggage. But as of March 2024, according to one of our readers, you may now be asked to pay extra for big bags.

Yellow bus #109 itinerary from Ho Chi Minh Airport (Tan Son Nhat) 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

IMPORTANT: Pre-pandemic, there was also an option to take another airport bus — Bus #49. However, services for this route have been suspended indefinitely. The last time we checked (December 2023), Bus #49 operations had not resumed.