How to catch a bus to Tan Son Nhat Airport?

1. Why to catch a bus from Ho Chi Minh City Center to Tan Son Nhat Airport?

The advantages of catching a bus from Ho Chi Minh City Center to Tan Son Nhat Airport include:

– Low-cost bus tickets, the cheapest bus ticket in Ho Chi Minh is 40,000 VND (~ 2 USD).

– Air-conditioned bus, sometimes equipped with camera, free wifi.

– English speaking staff.

– Avoid taxi, motorbike taxi scams.

– Avoid the sun and rain.

Although there are some small disadvantages of getting to the airport by bus, it is worth choosing this mean of transportation. If your luggage is light and you would like to save money, bus is one of the best choices to go to Tan Son Nhat Airport. There are 5 buses that pass Tan Son Nhat Airport, you can take them easily to reach other parts of the city from the airport. Let me tell you how to catch a bus to Tan Son Nhat Airport.

Read about Tan Son Nhat International Airport

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

Southern Airport Transportation JSC (SATSCO) operates 4 airport buses that transfer passengers from Tan Son Nhat Airport to other districts and vice versa. The airport buses are distinguished from the others by its yellow color. There are 4 yellow airport buses which you can take to reach the airport: Bus #109 (Tan Son Nhat Airport – 23/9 Park), Bus #49 (Tan Son Nhat Airport – city center), Bus #119 (Tan Son Nhat Airport – Mien Tay Bus Station), Bus #159 (Mien Dong Bus Station – Tan Son Nhat Airport An Suong Bus Station). Or you can take the public air-conditioned bus #152 which is recognized by the green color and operated by Saigon Passenger Transport Joint Stock Company. All of the buses are high-quality and air-conditioned. I would like to recommend yellow buses because they aim to service foreigners although the yellow bus fares are higher than the green bus fares. On yellow buses, the staffs speak English and the information about the buses at the airport and inside the buses are written in both Vietnamese and English. Especially, yellow bus #49 does not stop at public bus stations, but at hotels on its way and some popular bus stations in the center.

Inside a yellow airport bus

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

Roadmap:

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.

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.

2.2. 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 is the fatest in comparison to other yellow buses. 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.

2.3. Yellow Bus #119: Tan Son Nhat Airport – Mien Tay Bus Station

Roadmap:

Tan Son Nhat Airport – Mien Tay Bus Station: 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, Xuan Dieu Street – Xuan Hong Street – Truong Chinh Street – Ly Thuong Kiet Street – Bac Hai Street – Thanh Thai Street – Nguyen Tri Phuong Street – Nguyen Chi Thanh Street – Nguyen Thi Nho Street – Hong Bang Street – Kinh Duong Vuong Street – Mien Tay Bus Station.

Mien Tay Bus Station – Tan Son Nhat Airport: Mien Tay Bus Station – Kinh Duong Vuong Street – Hong Bang Street – Nguyen Thi Nho Street – Nguyen Chi Thanh Street – Nguyen Tri Phuong Street – Thanh Thai Street – Bac Hai Street – Ly Thuong Kiet Street – Hoang Van Thu Street – Phan Dinh Giot Street – Truong Son Street – Overpass – International Terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport.

Operating hours: 4:00 – 20:00 (on the next day).

Duration: 65 minutes.

Interval: 30 minutes.

Ticket price: 12,000 or 20,000 VND (1 USD).

Many tourists who would like to reach Tan Son Nhat Airport after visiting Mekong Delta. After catching a bus from any province in Mekong Delta to Mien Tay Bus Station, you can catch Bus#119 from Mien Tay Bus Station to reach the airport.

2.4. Yellow Bus #159: Mien Dong Bus Station – An Suong Bus Station

Roadmap:

Mien Dong Bus Station – Dinh Bo Linh Street – Nguyen Xi Street – Highway 13 – Pham Van Dong Street – Bach Dang Street – Tan Son Nhat Airport (Domestic Terminal and International Terminal) – Truong Son Street – Tran Quoc Hoan Street – Cong Hoa Street – Truong Chinh Street – Highway 22 – Viet Hung Company – Highway 22 – An Suong Bus Station.

An Suong Bus Station – Mien Dong Bus Station: An Suong Bus Station – Highway 22 – Truong Chinh Street – Cong Hoa Street – Hoang Van Thu Street – Phan Dinh Giot Street – Truong Son Street – Tan Son Nhat Airport (Domestic Terminal and International Terminal) – Truong Son Street – Hong Ha Street – Pham Van Dong Street – Highway 13 – Dinh Bo Linh Street – Mien Dong Bus Station.

Operating hours: 5:30 – 18:30 (on the next day).

Duration: 55 minutes.

Interval: 30 minutes.

Ticket price: 7,000 or 10,000 VND.

This bus is a great choice to reach Tan Son Nhat from Mien Dong Bus Station where buses from many provinces in South and Central Vietnam, including Mui Ne, Nha Trang, Dalat drop passengers off.

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

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 – 19:00.

Interval: 12 – 18 minutes.

Duration: 50 – 55 minutes.

Ticket price: 5,000 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.

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). 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 cheaper 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.