Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho, the main city of the Mekong Delta, is about 170 km and 3 to 4 hours by day, per Wikipedia. Since the expressway was finished, a private car or a limousine van is the quick option at about 2.5 to 3.5 hours, and FUTA's big buses from Mien Tay are the cheap one at about 4 hours. If Cai Rang floating market is the reason you are going, the most important choice is not the vehicle but where you sleep: stay in Can Tho, because the market is at its best between 5 and 7 am.
How we built this guide: we checked fares and timetables on 12Go and Vexere and The Sinh Tourist's published schedule on 2 October 2026, plus Can Tho's official tourism site and Vietnam's national tourism site for the market and the bus terminal. We did not ride these services or take a market boat for this guide. Prices are in Vietnamese dong (VND) with US dollar estimates at Vietcombank's selling rate of 26,170 VND per dollar on 2 October 2026. Where a site showed dollars, the VND figure is our conversion.
How long does Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho take now?
About 2.5 to 3.5 hours by car or limousine van and 3.5 to 4 hours by big bus. The difference comes from the expressway, which now runs the whole way: Ho Chi Minh City to Trung Luong opened in 2010, Trung Luong to My Thuan in 2022 and My Thuan to Can Tho in 2023, per Wikipedia's expressway table. Smaller vehicles make the most of it.
Private car
On 2 October 2026, 12Go listed private cars from about $48 to $52 per vehicle (about 1.26 to 1.36 million VND), timed at about 2 hours 25 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes, with pickups from hotels, the city centre or Tan Son Nhat airport.
Limousine van
Meko Limo's 10-seat limousine van was timed at 2 hours 40 minutes for about $12 (about 314,000 VND) on 12Go, leaving 189 Dao Duy Tu in District 10 and arriving at 1 Duong B18 in Can Tho. Vexere counted 18 limousine operators on the route at 260,000 to 500,000 VND (about $10 to $19), with MEKO Limousine at 260,000 VND.
Big bus
Vexere listed 23 bus companies and 464 daily departures, with an average of about 3.8 hours and fares from 170,000 to 500,000 VND (about $6.50 to $19). Phuong Trang (FUTA Bus Lines) charged 195,000 VND from Mien Tay bus station, and Mỹ Duyên was cheapest at 170,000 VND. On 12Go, FUTA's VIP cabin coach was timed at 4 hours for about $6.89 (about 180,000 VND). The Sinh Tourist runs a 10:30 departure that arrives at 14:00, 3.5 hours for 175 km, per its schedule.
How do bus, limousine and car compare?
For most travelers the limousine van is the sweet spot: nearly car speed at close to bus prices.
| Mode | Time | Price seen on 2 Oct 2026 | Comfort and safety | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private car | About 2.5 to 3.5 hours | $48 to $52 per car (1.26 to 1.36 million VND) on 12Go | Door to door, your own stops | Groups, early starts |
| Limousine van | About 2 hours 40 minutes to 3.5 hours | 260,000 to 500,000 VND (about $10 to $19) on Vexere | Fewer seats, office pickups | Most travelers |
| Big bus (FUTA and others) | About 3.5 to 4 hours | From 170,000 VND (about $6.50), FUTA 195,000 VND, on Vexere | Large coach, bus stations | Lowest price |
| Day tour from the city | A long day, timed by the tour | Not compared for this guide | Guide and transport included | Short on time, no overnight |
| Flight | Not practical | About $91 or more on 12Go | Airport transfers both ends | Not recommended |
Where do buses leave and arrive?
Big buses mostly use Mien Tay bus station in Ho Chi Minh City, while limousine vans leave from company offices. Vexere showed Phuong Trang and Mỹ Duyên leaving from Mien Tay, MEKO Limousine from District 10 and Tư Tiến from National Highway 1A. Our Ho Chi Minh City guide can help you judge how far each pickup is from your hotel.
At the Can Tho end, Vietnam's national tourism site says buses from Ho Chi Minh City stop at the bus terminal about 4 km outside town, per vietnam.travel. Limousine vans often drop at their own offices, such as 1 Duong B18 on 12Go's Meko Limo listing. Budget a short taxi or ride-hailing trip from either to the Ninh Kieu riverfront.
Should you take a day tour or go independently?
Go independently and stay a night if Cai Rang is the goal, and take a day tour only if you cannot spare the night. Can Tho's official tourism site says the market starts very early and the ideal visiting time is from 5 to 7 am. With a drive of 2.5 to 4 hours, a same-day trip from Ho Chi Minh City reaches the river after the best of the trading has passed, unless it leaves in the middle of the night.
Going independently is simple. Take a limousine van or bus in the afternoon, sleep near the Ninh Kieu riverfront, and book a boat for the next morning. A guided tour handles all of that for you, with commentary, which some travelers will find worth the extra cost. We did not compare tour prices for this guide.
When should you be at Cai Rang floating market?
Be on the water by 5 to 7 am. The boat from Ninh Kieu wharf takes about 30 minutes, per the Can Tho tourism site, so plan to leave around dawn. An older VietNamNet feature puts the market's peak from sunrise to about 9 am and explains how sellers tie samples of their goods to a tall pole, the cây bẹo, so buyers can see from a distance what each boat sells. Cai Rang's floating market culture was listed as national intangible cultural heritage in 2016, per Can Tho's tourism site.
Tip: Book your boat the evening before at Ninh Kieu and agree on a pickup time of around 5 am. That gives you the 30-minute ride and the peak hours, and you are back for breakfast.
What about night buses, luggage and the rainy season?
Daytime travel is the better choice on this short route. 12Go lists departures from midnight onward, including FUTA buses leaving at 00:00 and arriving at 04:00, but the UK government's travel advice warns that bus and coach crashes are more likely at night. It also flags petty theft on buses and trains, so keep valuables on you.
Limousine vans may have less luggage space than big coaches, so mention a large suitcase when you book. The UK government lists June to September as the rainy season in the south, with typhoons possible from May to November, so allow extra time on stormy days. Our best time to visit Vietnam page covers the regional seasons.
Key facts at a glance
- Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho is about 170 km, 3 to 4 hours by day, per Wikipedia.
- The My Thuan to Can Tho expressway, the last link, opened in 2023, per Wikipedia's expressway table.
- Buses averaged about 3.8 hours across 23 companies on 2 October 2026, per Vexere.
- The best time at Cai Rang floating market is 5 to 7 am, per Can Tho's tourism site.
- The boat from Ninh Kieu wharf to the market takes about 30 minutes, per the same Can Tho tourism page.
Limitations
Fares and timetables were checked on 2 October 2026 and change with demand. Booking sites show partner prices, and our dollar and dong conversions are approximate. Distances differ by source, from Wikipedia's 170 km to The Sinh Tourist's 175 km and Vexere's 197 km, because pickup points differ.
Tet falls on 6 February 2027, per Wikipedia's Tet date table. Book seats early for the weeks around it and expect higher prices. We found no published 2027 surcharge.
Floating markets change. Our timing advice comes from Can Tho's tourism site, and the VietNamNet feature is from 2011, so its description of trading may be dated. Ask your boat operator what to expect on the day. We did not compare day-tour prices or boat fares. For more trips from the city, see routes from Ho Chi Minh City, our Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat guide and getting around Vietnam.
