13.09.202327.05.2017

I continue to write about how to travel better and more conveniently in different cities and countries.

Today we will talk about Vietnam, or more precisely about Ho Chi Minh City (the old name of the city is Saigon) - the second capital of Vietnam . First of all, about How fast, convenient and inexpensive get there from Tan Son Nhat airport(Tan Son Nhat) in Ho Chi Minh City to the city center, namely in tourist centre- to De Tham street, which (together with the streets and alleys closest to it) forms Saigon tourist area.

It is from here that intercity buses (including) run to all directions in Vietnam. And they sell tickets.

There are plenty of shops and cafes where they understand English (and sometimes understand Russian even better), and the restaurants have menus in English and Russian. Here you can find any entertainment for every taste.

Most often, tourists go to this area, even if they do not plan to stay in Saigon for a long time.

Unlike, for example, Bangkok, in Ho Chi Minh City there are only 2 ways to go to the city. By the way, the airport is located within the city, so it’s not very far to travel.

Method one:

TAXI

The simplest and at the same time very expensive method (much more expensive than in Thailand and even more expensive than in Russia). Taxi drivers will come to you as soon as you leave the airport (you can also order a taxi at the Tourist Information counter).

In my opinion, a taxi is somehow not sporty and not interesting, so we’ll go by bus.

Method two:

BUS

Here I will go into more detail. City bus No. 152:

On it, for only 5,000 dong (8 rubles) you will get to TRAN HUNG DAO street. You need to get off at the stop next to Ben Thanh Market. Most passengers usually get off at this stop. Bus No. 152 is the only one in Vietnam where there is no conductor; here you pay for a ticket with a driver: you throw 5 thousand dong into this machine:

The driver will give you a ticket and change (if you have large luggage, it will be paid separately). And remember the price - 5000 dong! The drivers of this particular route (unlike other buses in Vietnam, where there is a conductor) really want to get more money from the “rich” tourist. They can assure you that the ticket actually costs about 50 thousand and each of your even the smallest handbags is paid for as an adult passenger! Just say with a smile that you know how much the fare costs and ask for change (or give him the money right away without change).
During our trip from the airport to the center of Ho Chi Minh City, the driver just wanted to fool us, but it didn’t work out. Then he wanted to get some money from a Chinese tourist, but that didn’t work out either (we told her the real cost of travel). After that, he was completely offended by us and did not want to explain to us where TRAN HUNG DAO street is. Yes, we found it without him

After getting off the bus you need to go to the left along the above street. And after 400 meters you will reach the intersection of TRAN HUNG DAO and De Tham streets - this is the center of tourist life in Saigon.

At the terminus of bus 152 there is Bus Information.

The staff at Bus Information speak and understand English very well, and you can also meet a lot of foreigners here, so you can easily find out about the best way to get to any place in Saigon. Also, city buses run from here to all directions in Ho Chi Minh City (for example, from here you can get to (Suoi Tien) by bus number 19).

Near Bus Information there is a bus route map:

This, friends, is where I end this article. It seems like he told everything in as much detail as possible. If you have any additions, then welcome in the comments.

We wish you all an unforgettable trip and comfortable travel!

Don't know how to get from the airport to Ho Chi Minh City? We give useful tips to travelers on how to get to the city center.

Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport is the largest airport in Vietnam, serving an impressive number of passengers per year - up to 17 million. The airport accepts both domestic flights (the old terminal - Domestic Terminal 1) and international flights (the new terminal - International Terminal 2). Terminal diagrams can be viewed. Tan Son Nhut Airport is located six kilometers north of the city center. How to get from the airport to Ho Chi Minh City?

How to get from the airport to Ho Chi Minh City by bus

The most convenient and budget way is to use a city bus № 152 , which goes from the airport to the city center - the tourist area of Pham Ngu Lao, through the Ben Tan market.

Buses run from 6:00 to 18:00, the journey takes from 20 to 40 minutes - it all depends on traffic. The journey will cost only 7,000 VND! The bus stop is when exiting the terminal to the right, past the taxi rank. The bus driver may ask you to pay for large luggage - it is better to have small change to pay for the fare.

Note: route № 147 goes to the intercity bus station Cholon.

Accommodation while traveling. Look for hotels on Roomguru.ru - it compares prices of a variety of booking systems and finds the best one.

How to get from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City by taxi

Another convenient way to get from the airport to Ho Chi Minh City is by taxi. However, be prepared that, compared to buses, this option is much more expensive. A trip to the tourist area of Pham Ngu Lao will cost less than $10 (according to the meter it will be about the same).

We advise you to bargain mercilessly, since the initial price of taxi drivers is usually 2-3 times inflated. And be careful if you drive with a meter - you may be deceived. It is better to immediately agree on a fixed price to be sure that you will not be deceived. Experienced travelers also recommend writing down the price on paper.

You will see a taxi rank immediately when you exit the international terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport - there is no shortage of taxi drivers here.

It may be easier to order a taxi in advance at the service - immediately after arrival at the airport you will be met by a driver with a sign. It’s convenient that you don’t need to bargain with taxi drivers; you also have the opportunity to choose the right type of car. If desired, a transfer can be ordered directly to the resorts: Vung Tau, Mui Ne, Nha Trang and others.

For those who travel light, the option with the so-called motorcycle taxi- taxi drivers on motorbikes. This is a fairly cheap way to get from the airport to the center of Ho Chi Minh City (from two to four dollars, depending on your bargain), and also a little extreme - a great start to exploring Vietnam! Motorcycle taxi drivers wait for tourists at the exit from the airport parking lot.

The mainline bus system in Ho Chi Minh City covers most tourist destinations, both within and outside the city. There are about 152 bus routes in total. The cost of a bus ticket ranges from 3,000 to 10,000 VND, depending on the distance and type of bus.

Here are the important tourist bus routes in Ho Chi Minh City:

No. 147 and No. 152. Both of these routes depart from Ho Chi Minh City International Airport - Tan Son Nhat. You can easily get to the city center with them. Bus number 147 goes to the Cho Lon area, while bus number 152 passes by the large Ben Thanh market, a short walk from the Pham Ngu Lao tourist area.
No. 11. The bus on this route starts from Ben Thanh station and ends at Dam Sen Cultural Park, one of the most interesting places in Ho Chi Minh City.
No. 30. The bus departs from the Tan Huong market and ends the route in the entertainment district of Suoi Tien, passing through the landmark of Ho Chi Minh City - the Hung Temple.
No. 19 This route starts from Ben Thanh Market (the largest market in the city) and ends near the National University, passing by the main opera building in Ho Chi Minh City.

Public transport map in Ho Chi Minh City

The buses in Ho Chi Minh City are not as crowded or overcrowded as in Hanoi, but their quality leaves much to be desired. In addition, the distance between bus stops is quite large, so this is not the best type of public transport with which you can get acquainted with the sights of the city.

And so you peer impatiently at the scoreboard. Ho Chi Minh City (of course, there is no airport with that name, but there is Tan Son Nhat) attracts many tourists. Charters and low-cost airlines fly here. Even the airport of the capital, Hanoi, is inferior to the Saigon hub in terms of passenger traffic. This is understandable. After all, from Ho Chi Minh City it is easy to get to all famous Vietnamese resorts: Phan Thiet, Vung Tau, Nha Trang. Planes fly from here to But what awaits the tourist upon arrival? Is it possible to transit from the airport to the resort without stopping in Saigon? And how not to get lost in the largest hub of Vietnam? Read about this in our article.

Story

When this largest one appeared, Ho Chi Minh City (at that time the city bore the old name Saigon) acquired its own hub in the early 30s of the last century. It was built by the French colonial authorities in the village of Tan Son Nhat, which is why the airport bears that name. During this time, the runway served as a base for American aircraft. In 2007, a new terminal was built. It began accepting international flights. And the old building began to serve as a terminal for domestic transportation. These two buildings are separated by four hundred meters. There is no free shuttle between terminals. You need to cover this path on foot or order a transfer for ten dollars. Now Tan Son Nhat receives about sixteen million passengers a year. Construction of the new hub is scheduled to be completed soon. Ho Chi Minh City International Airport will be located in Long Thanh Village from 2015. At the same time, Tan Son Nhat will completely switch to serving passengers on domestic flights.

How to get to Saigon from Russia

Several regular flights fly from Moscow Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo to Ho Chi Minh City Airport. The departure board does not indicate the name of the hub, but the name of the arrival city. Numerous charters depart from major Russian cities to Saigon. But this only happens during the tourist season. A number of foreign carriers offer air tickets at very competitive prices. You will have to fly with transfers in cities in Europe or Asia.

Tan Son Nhut Hub Infrastructure

The capital has a very comfortable, but not too spacious airport. Ho Chi Minh City is separated from Tan Son Nhut by about nine kilometers. You can get to the city center by public transport. The international terminal has all the amenities and services required of a hub of this status. However, some of them are located not in the building itself, but on the street (for example, luggage storage and ATMs). In the neutral zone there is a very decent duty free, and across the road from the hub building there is a shopping complex. Wi-Fi is only available in business lounges, but sometimes it works well in other rooms as well. So what should a Russian tourist do upon arrival at Ho Chi Minh City airport? First you need to go through border control. Then go downstairs to get your luggage. After this, you should go through the green or red corridor of customs. And finally, go out into the arrivals hall. All procedures usually take no more than 20 minutes. If you plan to travel around Vietnam by air, you need to exit the international terminal, turn right and walk 400 meters.

Is it possible to get from Tan Son Nhut to the resorts?

Unfortunately no. You need to leave Ho Chi Minh City Airport and get to the bus station or train station in the city. You may have to spend the night in Saigon. Tourists are advised to go to famous resorts by bus. Very comfortable overnight sleeping buses depart from Ho Chi Minh City, in which the seats are equipped in such a way that they recline almost horizontally. There are also tourist "open bass". The cost of bus tickets is low, and the cars themselves are comfortable, equipped with air conditioning and a toilet. Tickets are sold at travel agencies, as well as at reception desks in large hotels. You can take a taxi to nearby resorts (Mui Ne, Vung Tau and Phan Thiet). But this pleasure will cost an average of one hundred dollars per car.

Ho Chi Minh City: how to get there from the airport

The proximity of the hub to the city center also provides many bus routes. This, on the one hand, is not bad - there is always the opportunity to get to Saigon, even late at night. Because of this, there are no hotels near the airport. But on the other hand, an inexperienced tourist may get confused and take the wrong route. Pham Ngu Lao is the most popular area among foreign holidaymakers, where many hotels are concentrated. Route No. 152 goes there. If you are interested in the Sholon bus station, then you need No. 147. Travel by public transport is extremely cheap. The trip will cost you less than a quarter of a dollar (three thousand dong). The bus parking area is located to the right of the terminal exit. Taxi drivers will try to intercept you. On average, a trip by car will cost about ten dollars. It only makes sense to hire a taxi if you want to get to nearby resorts. But auto rickshaws are cheaper. But this is a convenient option for tourists who are not burdened with luggage.

How to get back

Also by bus or taxi. Ho Chi Minh City International Airport consists of four floors. The first two are the arrival compartment. If you end up here by mistake, don't try to get to the upper floors from the inside. This is impossible. There is no passage between the second and third tiers. You should go outside and climb the overpass. Vat Refund, or VAT refund, is located in the departure hall. Afterwards, you can go straight to the waiting area, go through border control and stop by the duty-free shop.

Super User

Public transport in Ho Chi Minh City, instructions for use

Ho Chi Minh City, unlike other cities in Vietnam, has very well developed public transport. You can use it to get anywhere in the city, see all the sights, or go for a walk in the suburbs. In total, there are 152 routes operating in Ho Chi Minh City and nearby suburbs.

Buses are white with a large blue or green stripe at the bottom. The cost of a ticket on city routes varies from 3,000 to 10,000 dong, depending on the distance of the trip and the type of bus. The distance between bus stops is quite large, so be careful; if you miss your stop, it will take a long time to get back. One of the bus routes can even take you to Ho Chi Minh City Airport.

In principle, public transport is not the best option for exploring the city, it is very tiring. Bus numbers are not written on the side, as we are used to, but on the windshield and rear window. Almost all bus stops have a route map, thanks to which you can determine which direction and which bus you need to take. Sometimes these maps are not very clear with blurry letters, so if you are serious about using public transport in Ho Chi Minh City, buy a bus route map.

Payment is always made to the driver, with some exceptions. Sometimes there is a conductor who collects money from newly boarded passengers. You should always have change with you, as the likelihood of not getting change from a large bill is very high. Vietnamese people often like to pretend that they have “forgotten” or “this is how it should be.” Always pay 4000 dong, depending on the situation. They may ask you for more or, on the contrary, give you change. Don't get lost, they won't kick you off the bus.

Here are some city public transport routes:

Route No. 147 (Cho Lon Bus Station - Tan Son Nhat Airport), route No. 152 (Trung Son Residend - Tan Son Nhat Airport). Both of these buses stop at the international airport, and from the airport you can take them to the city center, only bus 147 goes to the Cho Lon area, and 152 to the Ben Thanh market area.
No. 19 – from Ben Tan market to the national university. The route starts from the market, crosses the city center, passes the Saigon Opera House, exits onto the A1 highway and goes to the university.
No. 11. The route also starts from Ben Tan market and goes to Dam Sen park. Dam Sen Park is a very large water park where you can cool off on a hot Vietnamese day.
No. 30 (Tan Huong Market - Suoi Tien Resort). This is a completely non-tourist route, since it passes far from the place where most tourists settle, but the bus traveling in this direction passes some attractions in the city center.

You can see the map, which shows the traffic pattern of city buses in Ho Chi Minh City.

Taxi in Ho Chi Minh City

Perhaps the most expensive taxi we saw in Vietnam was in Ho Chi Minh City. The cost of one kilometer by the cheapest taxi is at least 18,000 VND! 1.5 times more expensive than in Hanoi. All taxi drivers drive exclusively according to the meter, but be careful, for some reason in this city they are the most arrogant and often try to warm up inexperienced tourists. You should also be aware that some taxi drivers' meters tick twice as fast as they should. We ran away from one such taxi halfway, but we still had to pay for the distance we traveled using a false meter.

The most popular carrier, which inspires trust among both the local population and tourists, is called Mai Linh Taxi. However, there is a catch here too! Often, unknowing tourists can run into a fake taxi, in which the meter is adjusted so that the kilometers go by faster. This taxi service actively targets Mai Linh, using cars of the same color, a similar name - Mai Linn, and a similar phone number, which is written on the car.

Among the famous taxi services in Ho Chi Minh City, besides Mai Linh, there are: Vinasun (white cars), Vinataxi (yellow cars), Petroloimex (white and orange cars), Savico, Hoang Long.

If you negotiate a fixed fee with a taxi driver, check. That payment will be made in Vietnamese dong! There are smart drivers who demand payment in dollars at the end of the trip.

Keep an eye on your luggage; if it is not too big, you can take it with you into the cabin so that the taxi driver is less tempted to leave with your things in the trunk. But if you use the services of trusted companies, then you don’t have to worry about this.

Moto taxi

Fast, convenient, you won’t have to stand in traffic jams and watch mopeds rush past you. A good way to find out how the Vietnamese feel on the roads and look at the traffic rules! Extreme is guaranteed to you 100%. However, this may not be very convenient. Firstly, it is very dusty and you will swallow dirt and road dust, and secondly, if there are two or more of you, you will most likely ride on different mopeds, and this can also lead to some troubles. They can take you to different places and start promoting each of you individually for money. Most likely, you will be very close (literally a few tens of meters), but taxi drivers can arrange it so that you will not see each other. Although such things rarely happen anymore, you still need to know this.