Taxi, Grab and the Metro in Ho Chi Minh City: how to get around and pay

Does Grab work in Ho Chi Minh City, and which other apps should I install?

Yes. In the Grab app you can call a car or a motorbike taxi and see the price before you get in. Add Green SM (VinFast electric cars) and Be (a Vietnamese app with beCar, beBike and beTaxi). If one app takes long to find a car, open the other.

How do I get a taxi or Grab from Tan Son Nhat airport?

From Tan Son Nhat to Bến Thành in District 1 is 7–8 km: 20–25 minutes without traffic and 45–60 minutes at rush hour. Where to wait for Grab, which exit to use for a taxi and how to avoid a fake cab are covered in how to get from Tan Son Nhat airport to the centre. In short: order Grab at the pickup point, not at the main exit; at the rank choose Vinasun or Mai Linh and read the name on the door, because fakes write "Vinasum".

How do I avoid overpaying for a taxi in Ho Chi Minh City?

• Compare the price in Grab and Be before you book: the fare is fixed before pickup.
• Take a street taxi only if it is Vinasun or Mai Linh with the meter running. If the driver says the meter is broken, get out.
• Add a card to Grab before you land: activating a Vietnamese SIM can take about an hour (vietnamtourism.com, 11 October 2026). How to buy one is in SIM card in Ho Chi Minh City.
• Show the address on the map, not just a name.
• Do not pay in advance and do not accept a "fixed price" from people who approach you in the arrivals hall.

We do not list tariffs here: they change, and the app or the meter shows the actual price.

Where does the Ho Chi Minh City metro run?

Line 1 runs from Bến Thành station by Ben Thanh market to Bến xe Suối Tiên (Suoi Tien bus station): 19.7 km and 14 stations. It opened on 22 December 2024. Of the 14 stations, 3 are underground and 11 elevated (Tuổi Trẻ, 11 Nov 2024). The line is operated by HURC1.

Stations in order: Bến Thành, Nhà hát Thành phố (by the Opera House), Ba Son, Công viên Văn Thánh, Tân Cảng, Thảo Điền, An Phú, Rạch Chiếc, Phước Long, Bình Thái, Thủ Đức, Khu công nghệ cao, Đại học Quốc gia, Bến xe Suối Tiên (Báo Đấu thầu, 20 Dec 2024).

Does the metro go to Tan Son Nhat airport?

No. Tan Son Nhat is not among the 14 stations of Line 1, which runs northeast from the centre toward Thu Duc. From the airport to the centre take a taxi, Grab or bus 109 to Ben Thanh (about 45–60 minutes). If you then want the metro, go to Bến Thành station.

What are the metro hours in Ho Chi Minh City?

Since 2 January 2026 trains run Monday to Thursday from about 5:00 to 22:00, and on Friday and at weekends until 23:00. At peak times trains come every 6–8 minutes; at weekends off-peak about every 10 minutes (VOH, 24 Dec 2025). The timetable can change, so check the current one at the station or in the operator's app.

How do I buy a metro ticket and what can I pay with?

You can pay with a bank card right at the gate by tapping it on the reader. Visa has been accepted since 9 March 2025; Mastercard and Napas were accepted earlier. The HCMC Metro app (ticket and QR code at the gate), MoMo, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay also work (Vietnam News Agency, 11 Mar 2025), as does QR payment via ZaloPay and ShopeePay (VOH, 24 Dec 2025). Cash is accepted at ticket counters and machines in the stations.

The fare depends on the distance and the payment method, and cash costs more than cashless. Check the price of your trip at the station or in the app: it is not listed here.

How do I use buses in Ho Chi Minh City?

Look up bus routes on the website of the city's Public Transport Management Center, buyttphcm.com.vn: you can plan a route from point to point and check arrival times, and there is an English version. The site recommends the MultiGo app. A bus helps in outer districts the metro does not reach.

Taxi, Grab or metro: which to pick?

• In the centre between Ben Thanh, the Opera House and Ba Son: walk or take the metro, since a taxi is no faster in traffic.
• Toward Thao Dien, Thu Duc or the universities: the metro.
• At night, with luggage or to the airport: Grab or a taxi.
• In rain and at rush hour Grab takes longer to find a car, so leave extra time.

A walking and metro route through the centre is in what to see in Ho Chi Minh City in one day.

Also on the topic: Renting a motorbike in Ho Chi Minh City: licence, shops, what not to leave as a deposit, Taxis in Vietnam: apps and companies by city.

FAQ

Does Grab work in Ho Chi Minh City? Yes. In the app you can call a car or a motorbike and see the price before you get in. You can pay cash; add a card before you land.

Which taxi should I take in Ho Chi Minh City? Among street taxis, Vinasun and Mai Linh, metered only. In an app, Grab, Green SM or Be: check the price before booking.

How do I call a taxi in Ho Chi Minh City without internet? Call Vinasun on (028) 38 27 27 27, Mai Linh on 1055 or Be on 1900 23 23 45. Green SM takes bookings on 1555.

How do I get from Tan Son Nhat airport to the centre? By taxi or Grab 20–25 minutes without traffic, by bus 109 45–60 minutes. The metro does not go to the airport.

Is there a metro in Ho Chi Minh City? Yes, Line 1 from Bến Thành to Bến xe Suối Tiên has run since 22 December 2024: 14 stations, 19.7 km.

Does the metro go to Tan Son Nhat airport? No, there is no station at the airport.

What are the metro hours in Ho Chi Minh City? 5:00 to 22:00 Monday to Thursday, until 23:00 on Friday and at weekends (timetable since 2 January 2026).

Can I pay for the metro by card? Yes. Visa, Mastercard and Napas are accepted at the gates, as are Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

How do I ride a bus in Ho Chi Minh City? Find the route on buyttphcm.com.vn or in the MultiGo app.