Transport and the shape of the city in Ho Chi Minh City

Apps do the heavy lifting

Grab, Be and the electric fleet operator Xanh SM cover cars and motorbikes across the city, with fares fixed in the app and no negotiation. A motorbike ride across a district costs very little and beats a car in traffic almost every time. For most arrivals this replaces both car ownership and any need to learn the bus network.

• Motorbike rides are cheapest and fastest; car options exist on the same apps.
• Helmets are provided by the rider and legally required.
• Link a local card or e-wallet to the app; cash works but slows everything down.

The metro, and what it does not yet cover

The city's first metro line opened at the end of 2024, running from the centre out to the eastern suburbs, and further lines are under construction. It is clean, fast and useful along its corridor, and irrelevant if you do not live or work near it. Treat it as a bonus when choosing a flat rather than the organising principle it is in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur.

• One line in operation, with extensions and further lines in progress.
• Buses are extremely cheap and hard to use without Vietnamese.
• Check construction routes before signing a lease — building works are noisy and long-running.

Riding and driving yourself

If you intend to ride or drive, get the licence right. Vietnam recognises international driving permits issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention but not the older 1949 form, and the motorbike class you hold has to match the engine size you are riding. Converting a foreign licence is done through the transport department and requires a translation and a medical certificate. Traffic penalties were raised substantially in 2025 and are enforced.

• 1968-convention international permits are recognised; 1949-convention ones generally are not.
• Anything above 50cc needs the corresponding Vietnamese licence class.
• Licence conversion: notarised translation, medical certificate, transport department application.
• Riding uninsured or unlicensed after an accident is the genuinely costly scenario.

Weather and the airport

The rainy season runs roughly May to November, and heavy afternoon downpours flood streets quickly — a rain poncho lives on every motorbike here for a reason. Tan Son Nhat airport sits inside the city, which is convenient and means the approach roads are congested; allow far more time than the distance suggests. A much larger airport is under construction to the east, which will change these calculations when it opens.