How to Take Shuttle Buses from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) Center

A few years back, travelers would not even consider taking public transport due to the confusion on the routes and the hop-on-hop-off methods that most locals do there – at least – they seem to know what they’re doing. Everything seemed so chaotic and that taking a taxi straight out of the airport seemed easier. Now, taking shuttle buses from Tan Son Nhat Airport has never been easier. The city now has NEW dedicated airport shuttles to District 1 (city center) and the famous Ben Thanh Market.

Now, a few color-coded public shuttle buses, such as red, green, and yellow, go around the city. To make things simple, you need to identify the yellow bus. Here are the 3 different shuttle buses from Tan Son Nhat Airport to the city center and back:

Yellow Bus 109 – Shuttle Buses from Tan Son Nhat Airport

This new dedicated air-conditioned shuttle has been operating since March 2016 and travels between the city center and the airport. There are security cameras on board to monitor the city’s crimes and safety. To make this tourist-friendly, the bus’s written information is in Vietnamese and English. However, staff on the bus speak limited English.

Costs

A 1-way trip costs VND 20,000 or (USD 1) and VND 12,000 if you don’t go to the city center. There’s no extra charge for luggage.

Timing

There is a bus every 20-30 minutes, which operates daily between 5:30 AM – 1 AM. It takes approximately 45 minutes from the airport to 23/9 Park (pronounced 23rd of September Park or “Cong vien Hai Ba Thang Chin in Vietnamese) on Pham Ngu Lao Street, right off the backpacker’s area.

Where to catch the bus

You can find the bus station right in front of both the domestic and international arrivals’ entrances. When you walk out of the terminal arrival, turn right and walk across the median where the car pick-up lanes are, and you will see the Vietnamese and English signs pointing your way.

Find bus ticket to and from Tan Son Nhat airport below:

Routes

The bus routes go via Tan Son Nhat Airport’s international terminal – domestic terminal – Truong Son – Tran Quoc Hoan – Hoang Van Thu – Nguyen Van Troi – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia – Le Duan – Cong Xa Paris – Dong Khoi – Dong Du – Hai Ba Trung – Ton Duc Thang – Ham Nghi – Ben Thanh – Pham Ngu Lao – Nguyen Trai – Le Lai – Nguyen Huu Canh – Cach Mang Thang 8 – Dien Bien Phu – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia – Nguyen Van Troi – Phan Dinh Giot – Truong Son – International terminal.

Yellow Bus 49

Bus 49 is temporarily canceled due to a lack of funding. Before taking this shuttle bus, make sure to double-check the updated information at the airport.

This is the pricier airport shuttle with a 1-way trip costs VND 40,000 (USD $2). The reason for the doubled prices compared to the Yellow Bus 109 is that they will drop you off directly at your hotel in the city. There is no extra charge for luggage.

Timing: same as Yellow bus 109 above

Routes: same as Yellow bus 109 above

Red Bus 72-1

The red bus has only been introduced in 2019, and it travels to the beach city of Vung Tau. While there are several stops in Saigon’s city centers, the bus is more suitable for those traveling to the sandy coastline adjacent to Ho Chi Minh for the cost from VND 80,000 – 160,000 (USD 4 – 8) depending on the distance to your stop.

Timing: There is a bus every 35 – 45 minutes, and the bus starts operating from 6:30 AM – 11:05 PM.

Routes: Tan Son Nhat International Terminal – Truong Son – Tran Quoc Hoan – Hoang Van Thu – Nguyen Van Troi – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia – Dien Bien Phu – Sai Gon Bridge – Ha Noi Highway – Mai Chi Tho – National Highway – 51 Highway – Vo Nguyen Giap – 30/4 Street – Nguyen An Ninh – 2/9 Street – Le Hong Phong – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia – Vung Tau Bus Station

Green Bus 152

Besides the dedicated shuttle buses from Tan Son Nhat Airport to the city center, this local public bus also travels between the city and the airport. The cost is much cheaper, but you will need to pay extra if you have luggage.

The price is VND 5,000 (USD $0.25), and additional luggage is another $0.25 per piece. This green bus has more stops than the yellow buses, and the condition is older.

Note: The Green Bus 152 is government-operated, whereas the other buses are privately owned.

Our Tips for Taking a Shuttle Bus from Tan Son Nhat International Airport

• Do not accept rides from random people offering to take you to the city center, as you will be ripped off.
• Ignore people who tell you there are no more shuttle buses in Tan Son Nhat Airport in the evening. Please note that buses operate between 5:30 AM – 1 AM daily.
• If you want to avoid waiting for the next bus, walk to the other bus stop in the domestic terminals, which is a 5-minute walk.
• To check out the bus routes with data officially provided by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Traffic and Transportation, you can download this free Bus Map app or access it with your browser through http://busmap.vn/?locale=en

• Prepare small Vietnamese changes for the bus tickets, or some buses do accept online payment via the local app called Zalopay or Momo, but you would need 4G or wifi connections for the e-wallet to work.
• We’d only recommend taking the bus if you’re traveling solo with little luggage. Consider booking taxis on ride-hailing apps for large groups or if you’re carrying lots of baggage.

For airport arrival tips at Tan Son Nhat International Airport and other Vietnam Travel Tips, you can check other blogs published on this site.

Taking Buses from Saigon’s City Center to Tan Son Nhat Aiport

If you’re not on a time crunch to catch the flight, traveling by bus to the airport is an economical option. You can go to Ben Thanh Station – the main bus station in the city center to catch bus 109. There are 109 buses from 5:45 AM to 10:15 PM every 40 – 45 minutes. Another option is to take D4 bus (the green one that runs on electric!) to Ham Nghi Station in District 1 and take the local blue bus 152 to the airport.

Final Thoughts on Taking Shuttle Buses from Tan Son Nhat Airport

After a long flight, what we all want is to get to the hotel as soon as possible. While a taxi would be the most convenient and fastest option, taking the bus is a cheaper alternative. Shuttle buses from Tan Son Nhat Airport has been constantly improving, making the ride more accessible to tourists.