Taxi/Grab Fare in Ho Chi Minh City

What is the taxi fare i would expect to pay in Vietnam per KM? How much to get from ho chi minh airport to downtown? is it hard to get a taxi at the airport? i dont speak Vietnamese. Thanks! Also, any kind of scams to look out for?
Taxis are easy.  There is a taxi stand when you exit the airport.  If you take a Vinasun or Mai Linh taxi (you can request them and they will pull one up for you when you are next) you won't be cheated.

Vinasun taxis are white cars with green and red.  Mai Linh are solid green with yellow lettering.   It's somthing like 20,000vnd per km.  Get in the car, show them the address you want to go to on your phone and that's it.  You won't have to speak at all.  Pay the fare from the meter when you arrive.  AIrport to District 1 will be around 200K, District 2 is 250K

@SteinNebraska Thank you!

If you are really worried about transport you can ask your hotel to send a car. It will be dearer but it will be a set price.
What is the taxi fare i would expect to pay in Vietnam per KM? How much to get from ho chi minh airport to downtown? is it hard to get a taxi at the airport? i dont speak Vietnamese. Thanks! Also, any kind of scams to look out for?
- @myajenni

Download the app "Grab" like Uber but spelt different, does cars and bikes, private cars, much cheaper than Taxi's.

Depends on if raining and how many cars available, time of day - example 144,000vnd @ 7:08 pm light rain from airport to Hotel Saigon Continental, bonus is the app Grab is in English if your phone is in english.

They phone you on arrival or you can send them a message reply in english, it has car, drivers photo and licence plate.

Can use VN wide also does food delivery.
When I was there 3 years ago there used to be a bus for about 15,000 dong to District 1...probably still runs. Drops you at the bus depot there or close by. There's also a public bus out to Moc Bai, was 50,000 dong back then and drops you within 500m of the border :)  easier to catch it back from the border though. I imagine it leaves from the District 1 depot going out there.
Follow up question: I applied for an evisa coming from the u.s. It was issued the next day. Does that sound right? Im pretty sure I used the official vietnam immagration site. The application was really simple. just photo and passport info. no flight or accomodations required. also read covid testing is not required. is that correct? Thanks.
Follow up question: I applied for an evisa coming from the u.s. It was issued the next day. Does that sound right? Im pretty sure I used the official vietnam immagration site. The application was really simple. just photo and passport info. no flight or accomodations required. also read covid testing is not required. is that correct? Thanks.
- @myajenni


Show the link to the site you applied for the e-visa.
Follow up question: I applied for an evisa coming from the u.s. It was issued the next day. Does that sound right? Im pretty sure I used the official vietnam immagration site. The application was really simple. just photo and passport info. no flight or accomodations required. also read covid testing is not required. is that correct? Thanks.
- @myajenni
Welcome to the Vietnam forum @myajenni

As Colin requested, we would need to see the website link you used.

Also, when you have a "follow up" question that doesn't match the title of the thread (I asked ADMIN to change it yesterday) it's considered off topic.

It's best for the forum (see Code of Conduct link) and also for you, as your specific question attached to the right topic will give you a better chance of attracting a useful answer.

Good luck with your travel plans!

O.B.
Vietnam advisor
Expat.com team

Thank you for the code of conduct. Will follow the guide moving forward. Hope it's still appropriate to followup in this thread for my E Visa question. I applied at this link, evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/web/guest/khai-thi-thuc-dien-tu/cap-thi-thuc-dien-tu.

Thanks in advance.

Thank you for the code of conduct. Will follow the guide moving forward. Hope it's still appropriate to followup in this thread for my E Visa question. I applied at this link, [link under review].

Thanks in advance.
- @myajenni

Hi Myajenni,

Try typing just the name of the website, links from new members and some links don't get posted.

example:- expat dot com
@Andybris2020

Hi Thank you. It's evisa.xuatnhapcanh dot gov dot vn. Do you also know if visa on arrival is possible for U.S citizens?
It's evisa.xuatnhapcanh dot gov dot vn. Do you also know if visa on arrival is possible for U.S citizens?
- @myajenni
That's the correct website.

Unfortunately, no.

Only the 30-day e-visa is currently available for citizens of 80 countries (including the US) and it cannot be extended or renewed in Vietnam.

If you want to stay longer you must apply for a new e-visa, exit the country and re-enter.

I hope you won't mind my advice, but current visa information is much more critical and necessary than knowing the cost of transportation in Ho Chi Minh City.

We have a sticky thread in the Vietnam forum that has been an ongoing discussion of the visa situation here since 2021.

I highly recommend that you read through it and get a better sense of what to expect when planning your upcoming trip.

Hopefully it will be a good experience for you if you are fully informed about what to expect.

Cheers!

O.B.
Vietnam advisor
Expat.com team
The taxi stand is to the left about 40m left as you come out the front of the airport. You'll see a few people lining up. Only get a Vinasun or Mai Linh taxi. The rest will rip you off. That said I got in a taxi in HAnoi once and the meter was going so fast there was smoke coming off it :)

Should be somewhere around 170,000-200,000 dong for a taxi to the city centre...

Get a sim after you pass through customs. Vinaphone is good and to the left as you go down the elevator.

I'm in Nha Trang now. The town post covid looks like a hurricane has been through it. Will take some time to recover to its former glory. Hardly any tourists here. Beach is still as perfect as ever. Looks like a lot of businesses have gone bust. They would have never seen the covid devastation coming. Still some of my favourite eating places are still alive.
I'm in Nha Trang now. The town post covid looks like a hurricane has been through it. Will take some time to recover to its former glory. Hardly any tourists here. Beach is still as perfect as ever. Looks like a lot of businesses have gone bust. They would have never seen the covid devastation coming. Still some of my favourite eating places are still alive.
- @panda7
It would be great if you could also post about your current observations there (Nha Trang) in the Nha Trang forum (link)

Thanks!