Tan Son Nhat sits inside the city, about 7 km from the old District 1, so a car booked in an app is the simple answer: 25 to 40 minutes and 120,000 to 200,000 VND, per Grab. The bus is cheaper still, but since 2025 bus 109 leaves from the new domestic Terminal 3, not the international terminal where overseas flights land. Knowing which terminal you are at, and that the old district names have officially changed, saves most of the confusion.
How we built this guide: on 2 October 2026 we checked Grab's Tan Son Nhat pages, Green SM's airport price list, 12Go's transfer listings for 14 October 2026, 2025 and 2026 reports from VOH, Sai Gon Giai Phong, The Investor and other Vietnamese outlets on the bus routes, terminals and Long Thanh, and the Canadian and British governments' travel advice. We did not ride these services 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.
Which way from Tan Son Nhat to the center suits you?
Book a car in an app unless you are traveling alone, light and on a tight budget. Our Ho Chi Minh City guide covers which neighborhood to stay in.
| Mode | Time to the old District 1 | Price seen on 2 Oct 2026 | Where you board | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grab or Green SM car | About 25 to 40 minutes | 120,000 to 200,000 VND (about $4.60 to $7.60), Grab's average | App pickup zones at each terminal | Almost everyone |
| Bus 109 | About 45 minutes | 8,000 to 15,000 VND (under $1) | Terminal 3 only | Solo budget travelers with light bags |
| Bus 152 (subsidized) | Not published | Subsidized city fare | Terminals 1 and 2, until about 19:00 | Saving money on a daytime arrival |
| Pre-booked car on 12Go | About 30 to 45 minutes | Roughly $14 to $29 per car (about 366,000 to 759,000 VND) | Met at arrivals | A name sign after a long flight |
| Shared shuttle on 12Go | About 45 minutes | About $20 per adult (about 523,000 VND) | Set departures | Rarely worth it here |
Which terminal are you arriving at?
International flights use Terminal 2, and domestic flights are split between Terminals 1 and 3. Terminal 3 opened on 17 April 2025 with a design capacity of 20 million passengers a year, per The Investor. By January 2026 the airport had moved the domestic flights of Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, VASCO, Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines and Sun PhuQuoc Airways to Terminal 3, while VietJet stayed at Terminal 1, according to Tap chi Kinh te Tai chinh.
To move between terminals, use the free electric shuttle. VinBus launched it on 19 April 2025, running from Terminal 2 via Terminal 1 (column B20) to Terminal 3 (column 19A) every 15 to 20 minutes from 04:30 to 00:35, per Green SM's announcement. Sai Gon Giai Phong also describes inter-terminal shuttles about every 20 minutes.
Tip: Grab's own airport page still describes only two terminals, so if you are flying out domestically, read your ticket for T1 or T3 and type that terminal into the app.
How much is a Grab or taxi to the center?
Expect 120,000 to 200,000 VND by app for about 7 km and 25 to 40 minutes, per Grab. The fare is fixed when you book.
Grab
At Terminal 3, Grab cars pick up on the ground floor of the PNA parking building and drop off on the third-floor departures level, per Grab Vietnam's T3 guide, which started on 19 June 2025. At Terminals 1 and 2, follow the in-app walking directions to the pickup area.
Green SM
Xanh SM, the electric taxi company, became Green SM in April 2026, per Bao Phap Luat. Its airport package for Ho Chi Minh City costs 400,000 VND (about $15) for up to 30 km. That suits trips to the outer suburbs, not the short hop to the center, where an ordinary app fare is far cheaper.
Metered taxis and the scams to avoid
If you take a metered taxi, use the official rank and insist on the meter. The Government of Canada says criminals posing as taxi drivers at Tan Son Nhat have robbed foreign visitors by forcing them to withdraw cash, and recommends authorized airport taxis or a pickup arranged with your hotel. The UK government recommends official ride-hailing apps and checking that the car and driver match the booking. It also warns that offers of free transfers you did not arrange may be scams.
How do you take bus 109 or bus 152?
Take bus 109 from Terminal 3, or bus 152 from Terminals 1 and 2 if you land in daytime. Since late April 2025, bus 109 no longer stops at the international terminal.
Bus 109 from Terminal 3
Bus 109 runs about 9.3 km between Terminal 3 and the Saigon bus station near Ben Thanh market, with 110 trips a day, according to VOH. Buses leave Terminal 3 from 05:30 to 22:40 and the city end from 05:45 to 22:30, every 15 to 25 minutes, and the trip takes about 45 minutes depending on traffic. Fares are 8,000 to 15,000 VND. From Terminal 2, ride the free shuttle to Terminal 3 first.
Bus 152 from Terminals 1 and 2
VOH says the subsidized route 152 serves Terminals 1 and 2 from about 05:15 to 19:00, and suggests ride-hailing after that. Sai Gon Giai Phong reported that routes 103 and 152 kept serving the international and domestic gates at Terminals 1 and 2 after the change. Route 152 is a regular city bus, so allow extra time and keep bags small.
Is there a metro to the airport?
No. Metro Line 1 runs from Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien and opened on 22 December 2024, per Wikipedia, and it does not serve Tan Son Nhat. It is still useful later in your stay, for example for trips toward Thao Dien.
What do the 2025 ward names mean for your ride?
They mostly affect addresses, not the trip. On 1 July 2025 Ho Chi Minh City abolished its districts, and the old District 1, where many visitors stay, became Saigon, Ben Thanh, Tan Dinh and Cau Ong Lanh wards, per Vietcetera. Your hotel may list either name. Typing the hotel's name into the app is usually more reliable than typing a district.
When does Long Thanh airport open?
Not before 1 December 2026, and even that is a proposal. The plan reported by VietnamPlus would start commercial flights at Long Thanh on that date, encouraging airlines to move international flights there first, with long-haul routes following from 27 March 2027 and nearly all international flights by the winter 2027 season, per VietnamPlus. Until then, Tan Son Nhat handles all flights. If you book for December 2026 or later, check which airport your ticket names, because Long Thanh is a long drive east of the center.
Should you buy a SIM card at arrivals?
You can, but it costs more than in town. A guide on vietnamtourism.com, a commercial travel site updated in August 2026, says Tan Son Nhat's arrivals hall has SIM kiosks that open for every flight, with tourist packages around 250,000 to 300,000 VND against 150,000 to 200,000 VND at carrier stores in the city. Bring your passport for registration.
Key facts at a glance
- Grab's average ride to the center is about 7 km, 25 to 40 minutes and 120,000 to 200,000 VND, per Grab.
- Bus 109 links Terminal 3 with the Saigon bus station for 8,000 to 15,000 VND, every 15 to 25 minutes, per VOH.
- Terminal 3 opened on 17 April 2025 for domestic flights, per The Investor.
- A free shuttle links Terminals 2, 1 and 3 from 04:30 to 00:35, per Green SM.
- Long Thanh's first commercial flights are proposed for 1 December 2026, not confirmed, per VietnamPlus.
Limitations
These figures were checked on 2 October 2026. The bus details come from 2025 news reports, not a live timetable, because the city's bus information site did not load for us, so confirm routes 109 and 152 at the stop. Grab's average fare is an estimate, and app prices rise at peak times and in rain. Terminal assignments have changed several times since Terminal 3 opened and may change again when Long Thanh starts operating.
Our SIM prices come from a single commercial guide. Ward names are new, and some maps and booking sites still use the old districts. If you arrive in Hanoi first, our Noi Bai airport guide covers that transfer, and our routes from Ho Chi Minh City page covers the trips onward.
