How to catch a bus from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City Center

* Update until January 2019: only Bus #152 from Tan Son Nhat to Ben Thanh Market, Trung Son Residential Area, Bus #109 from Tan Son Nhat to 23/9 Park, Bus #119 from Tan Son Nhat to Mien Tay Bus Station, Bus Avigo from Tan Son Nhat to Vung Tau Bus Station.

If your luggage is light and you would like to save money, bus is one of the best choices to reach Ho Chi Minh City center from Tan Son Nhat Airport. Bus has numerous cons including safety, saving time and money, and comfort, less scams. In my opinion, the minus of getting around by bus in Ho Chi Minh is that you must go to your accommodation from the bus station in District 1. There are 3 buses which you can take to reach the city center – District 1 from the airport.

1. Where to catch a bus at Tan Son Nhat Airport to reach Ho Chi Minh City Center?

You can wait for the buses at Column 12, International Terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport or Column 18, Domestic Terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport. There are directional signs which help you to find the right place to wait for your bus at Tan Son Nhat Airport. Note that you should take the right bus. Quickly get on the bus through the front door because the driver usually shut down the doors in a hurry. You should tell the conductor or the driver your drop off location in English to make sure you get off at the right place.

2. Which bus to catch at Tan Son Nhat Airport to reach Ho Chi Minh City Center?

2.1. Yellow Airport Buses operated by SATSCO

Southern Airport Transportation JSC (SATSCO) has collaborated with Transport Department to operate 4 airport buses which transfer passengers from Tan Son Nhat Airport to other districts and vice versa. The buses are easily recognized by its yellow color. The 4 airport bus routes of SATSCO include Bus #109 (Tan Son Nhat Airport – 23/9 Park), Bus #49, Bus #119 (Tan Son Nhat Airport – Mien Tay Bus Station), Bus #159 (Mien Dong Bus Station – Tan Son Nhat Airport An Suong Bus Station). Only Bus #109 and Bus #49 take passengers from the airport to the city center (District 1, 2). All of the buses are high-quality and air-conditioned. The staff on the bus speak English well, the information about the buses at the airport and inside the buses are written in both Vietnamese and English. The yellow airport buses with air-conditioner is a great choice to reach the city center from the airport.

Inside a yellow airport bus

2.1.1. Yellow Bus #109: Tan Son Nhat Airport – 23/9 Park

Tan Son Nhat Airport – 23/9 Park: International Terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport (Column 12) – Domestic Terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport (Column 18)- Truong Son Street – Tran Quoc Hoan Street – Nguyen Van Troi Street – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street – Ham Nghi Street – Quach Thi Trang Roundabout – Le Lai Street – 23/9 Park.

23/9 Park – Tan Son Nhat Airport: 23/9 Park  – Pham Ngu Lao Street – Yersin  Street – Tran Hung Dao Street – Ham Nghi Street – Pasteur Street – Vo Thi Sau Street – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street – Nguyen Van Troi Street – Phan Dinh Giot Street – Truong Son Street – Overpass – International Terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport.

Bus #109 passes many tourist attractions including Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Central Post Office, Independence Palace, Nguyen Hue Walking Street, Ben Thanh Market. 23/9 Park (pronounced 23rd September Park) is located right in the city’s backpacker area.

Operating hours: 5:30 – 0:30 (on the next day).

Duration: 45 minutes.

Interval: 15 – 30 minutes.

Ticket price: 12,000 VND (0.5 USD) if the distance is less than 5 km; 20,000 VND (1 USD) if the distance is more than 15 km.

Different from bus #49, bus #109 stop at public bus stations to pick up and drop off passengers.

How to reach the center of Ho Chi Minh City from Tan Son Nhat Airport

How to reach the center of Ho Chi Minh City from Tan Son Nhat Airport

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2.1.2. Yellow Bus #49: Tan Son Nhat Airport – The city center

Roadmap: International Terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport (Column 12) – Domestic Terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport (Column 18) – Truong Son Street – Tran Quoc Hoan Street – Hoang Van Thu Street – Nguyen Van Troi Street – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street – Le Duan Street – Cong Xa Paris Street – Dong Khoi Street – Dong Du Dong Khoi Street – Nguyen Thi Nghia Dong Khoi Street – Dien Bien Phu Dong Khoi Street – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Dong Khoi Street – Nguyen Van Troi Street – Phan Dinh Giot Street – Truong Son Street – International Terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport.

Operating hours: 5:00 – 0:30 (on the next day).

Interval: 30 – 40 minutes.

Ticket price: 40,000 VND (1.7 USD).

The price of this high-quality bus with air-conditioner is twice the cost of bus #119 because it drops you off at your hotel and there is no charge for luggage. The bus does not stop at public bus stations like other buses, but stop at hotels, famous tourist attractions, bus stations streets in the center which the bus #49 passes:

Park Royal Hotel, 307D Nguyen Van Troi Street, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan District.

Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon, 253 Nguyen Van Troi Street, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan District.

Cosmopolitan Hotel, 191 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Ward 7, District 3.

Notre Dame Cathedral, 1 Cong Xa Paris Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1.

Saigon Opera House, 7 Cong Truong Lam Son Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1. Stop at the bus station in front of Vincom Center.

Sheraton Hotel, 117 – 119 Dong Khoi Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1.

Majestic Hotel, 22 – 24 Ton Duc Thang Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1. Stop at the bus station.

Ben Thanh Bus Station, Ben Thanh Market.

Pham Ngu Lao Street. Stop at 3 bus stations on this street.

Le Lai Street. Stop at 2 bus stations on this street.

Nguyen Thi Nghia Street. Stop at the bus station 32 Nguyen Thi Nghia Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1.

Cach Mang Thang 8 Street. Stop at the bus station 14 Cach Mang Thang 8 Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1.

Vissai Saigon Hotel, 14 Nguyen Van Troi Street, Ward 10, District Phu Nhuan.

How to reach the center of Ho Chi Minh City from Tan Son Nhat Airport

How to reach the center of Ho Chi Minh City from Tan Son Nhat Airport

2.2. Green Public Bus #152: Tan Son Nhat Airport – Ben Thanh Market – Trung Son Residental Area.

Saigon Passenger Transport Joint Stock Company operates the public air-conditioned bus #152, recognized by the green color. The bus stops at public bus stations, starts at Tan Son Nhat Airport, pass the city center, then ends at Trung Son Residental Area in District 7 and vice versa.

Roadmap:

Tan Son Nhat Airport – Trung Son Residental Area: International Terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport – Domestic Terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport – Truong Son Street – Tran Quoc Hoan Street – Hoang Van Thu Street – Nguyen Van Troi Street – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street – Ham Nghi Street – Quach Thi Trang Roundabout –  Le Lai Street – Nguyen Thi Nghia Street – Nguyen Thai Hoc Street – Tran Hung Dao Street – Nguyen Van Cu Street – Nguyen Van Cu Bridge – Duong Ba Trac Street – Street 9A – Bus Station at the end of Street 10, Trung Son Residental Area.

Trung Son Residental Area – Tan Son Nhat Airport: Bus Station at the end of Street 10, Trung Son Residental Area – Street 9A – (return back at the crossroads of Street 9A and Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard) – Street 9A – Duong Ba Trac Street – Nguyen Van Cu Street – Tan Hung Dao Street – Ham Nghi Street – Pasteur Street – Vo Thi Sau Street – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street – Nguyen Van Troi Street – Phan Dinh Giot Street – Truong Son Street – Overpass – Tan Son Nhat Airport (International Terminal).

Operating hours: 5:30 – 18:45.

Interval: 12 – 21 minutes.

Duration: 50 minutes.

Ticket price: 6,000 VND (0.25 USD).

The ticket for Bus #152 is the cheapest, but the staffs do not speak English. I would like to recommend the yellow airport buses.

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3. How to pay for bus fares?

After getting on the bus, you can pay directly to the conductor or the driver (in case there is no conductor). As mentioned above, the ticket of Bus #49 costs 40,000 VND, the ticket of Bus #109 costs 20,000 VND, and ticket of Bus #152 is 5,000 VND. It is perfect if you have VND cash. It is better to prepare the exact amount of bus fare because the change sometimes is not available. In case you do not have VND, yellow airport bus accept USD. You will pay 2 USD for the Bus #49’s fare, 1 USD for the Bus #109’s fare. Certainly, it is a bit more expensive if you pay in USD.

Read more about Ho Chi Minh City Bus Guide if you are planning to travel Ho Chi Minh on the cheap. Public buses which fares are less than 1 USD can help you to minimize your budget.

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One Response

  1. Han Tun December 11, 2022

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