Arrivalkit
Tan Son Nhat International Airport

Landing in Ho Chi Minh City: your first 24 hours, sorted

Everything to set up before you board, the real prices for getting into town, and the three tricks people fall for at SGN.

Arrival pass
From SGN
To District 1
Distance7 km
CityHo Chi Minh City
Updated 19 Oct 2026

International flights use Terminal 2 (T2). Domestic flights use T1 or the new Terminal 3 (T3), opened in 2025.

Ho Chi Minh City skyline across the Saigon River at dusk
A wing and blue sky seen through an airplane window

before you fly

Three things to do at home

  1. A hand holding a phone with a map app open

    Install an eSIM so you have data the moment you land

    You need data for Grab, maps and messaging. Installing at home means no SIM counter queue and no upselling at the airport.

    Find the right plan
  2. Hands holding two passports with boarding passes tucked inside

    Get your e-visa from the official site only

    Check whether your nationality is visa-exempt first. If you need one, the 90-day e-visa costs USD 25 single entry or USD 50 multiple entry on the government portal. Agent sites charge more for the same visa.

    evisa.gov.vn
  3. Two travelers walking through a bright airport terminal

    Landing late or with kids? Book your ride now

    Bus 152 stops around 6 pm, and taxi and Grab fares rise 20–30% between 11 pm and 5 am. A pre-booked car means a driver with your name at the gate and a price fixed in advance.

    Book an airport pickup
Step 1 · Data

Which eSIM for your trip?

Tell us how long you’re staying. We compare the plans and pick the cheapest one that covers you.

How you use your phone

You’ll need roughly 4.9 GB for your trip. This is an estimate; heavy video use can double it.

Yesim

Best value
$11.23
5 GB · 30 days

Data only, no Vietnamese number. Unlimited plans may have a daily fair-use cap.

Get Yesim

Airalo

$11.50
5 GB · 30 days

Data only. Runs on Viettel and VNPT 4G.

Get Airalo

Prices in USD, checked 2026-10-13. The provider’s checkout shows the final price.

Step 2 · Getting into town

SGN to District 1: every option

Grab / Xanh SM (app)

70,000–250,000 ₫≈ $3–10
15–45 min
Best for Most travelers once their eSIM is working Book in the app, then cross to the car park opposite T2 and follow the signs for ride-hailing pickup. GPS is poor inside the building. Fixed price shown before you book. Fares rise 20–30% between 11 pm and 5 am.

Pre-booked private car

200,000–350,000 ₫≈ $8–13
15–45 min
Best for Late-night arrivals, families, lots of luggage Driver waits in arrivals with your name on a sign. Fixed price agreed in advance. No app or local data needed when you land.
Book a fixed-price pickup

Metered taxi (Vinasun / Mai Linh)

150,000–280,000 ₫≈ $6–11
15–45 min
Best for No data and no booking Official staffed taxi rank outside arrivals. An airport fee of 10,000–15,000 ₫ is added to the meter. Check the full company name on the door: look-alike cars copy the Vinasun and Mai Linh colors.

Bus 152

5,000–10,000 ₫≈ $1
20–70 min
Best for Budget travelers with light luggage, daytime Leaves from T2 (international) and T1. Runs from early morning to about 6 pm and ends at Ben Thanh Market. Have small notes ready. Big bags can cost an extra 6,000–10,000 ₫.

Bus 109

15,000–20,000 ₫≈ $1
45–60 min
Best for Domestic arrivals at T3 Now leaves from Terminal 3 (domestic) only, not from international T2. Runs 05:30–22:00 to Ben Thanh and 23/9 Park.

heads up

Scams to skip at SGN

Look-alike taxis

Fake cars copy the Vinasun and Mai Linh colors, with misspelled names or wrong phone numbers on the door. Use the official rank or book in an app.

Offers inside the arrivals hall

People offering taxis, flat rates or help with your bags inside the terminal are not the official rank. Keep walking.

Meters that start high

If the meter jumps before the car moves, or the driver says it is broken, stop the ride and pay only for the distance covered.

Step 3 · Day one

Your first day in Ho Chi Minh City

  • Skip the airport exchange counter

    Airport exchange rates are usually worse than in town. Take a small amount from a bank ATM and decline the machine’s offer to convert to your home currency.

  • Walk to the car park before you book Grab

    GPS is poor inside the terminal, so cross to the car park opposite T2 first. Your driver will find you faster there.

  • Keep your e-visa approval letter offline

    Immigration may ask for it. Save a PDF or screenshot, because you may not have data in the queue.

The clock tower entrance of Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City
Ben Thanh
Two banh mi sandwiches filled with herbs on a wooden table
banh mi
The yellow facade of the Saigon Central Post Office seen from below
Post Office
A small rowing boat on a palm-lined canal in the Mekong Delta

Want a plan for day one? A Mekong Delta day trip or a half-day at the Cu Chi Tunnels is an easy way to start your time in Ho Chi Minh City.

See tours on Klook

good to know

Quick answers

The questions travelers ask most before landing at SGN.

How much is a taxi from Tan Son Nhat airport to District 1?

Expect 150,000–280,000 VND on the meter from the official rank, plus a 10,000–15,000 VND airport fee, and 70,000–250,000 VND for Grab or Xanh SM booked in the app. The ride is about 7 km and takes 15–45 minutes depending on traffic.

Which bus goes from Tan Son Nhat airport to District 1?

From the international terminal (T2), bus 152 runs to Ben Thanh Market for 5,000–10,000 VND until about 6 pm. Bus 109 now leaves from Terminal 3 only. After dark, book a car.

Do I need a SIM card when I land in Ho Chi Minh City?

You need data to book Grab and use maps. The easiest option is an eSIM installed before your flight, which starts working when you land.

Where do I apply for a Vietnam e-visa?

Only on the government portal at evisa.gov.vn. The 90-day e-visa costs USD 25 for single entry and USD 50 for multiple entry. Agent websites charge more for the same visa.

Prices are ranges compiled from these guides; confirm the fare before you get in. Exchange rate shown at about 26,000 ₫ per USD.