Ho Chi Minh City - Post Report Question and Answers
Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Yes, local transport is safe and very affordable. I use Grab (which is like Uber) on a daily basis. Motorcycles and scooters are less safe than cars, but many of us take them anyway as it’s the main mode of transportation for the vast majority of the population in HCMC. Traffic can be daunting, but it’s really not that bad. - Jul 2024
Public transportations is plentiful and safe to use, primarily Grab. - Sep 2021
Taxis are cheap. Uber was here, then went under. Grab (Singapore’s version of Uber) is about half the cost of a taxi, but quality varies. Drivers are not as familiar with the city layout as taxi drivers. I prefer to take a taxi. From my apartment to the airport costs $4. I never paid more than $12 for a taxi. The train system was built by the French a hundred years ago, and it is substandard. Slow and not comfortable. For intercity travel, many people rent a car. It’s actually cheaper to rent a car with a driver than to rent a car without a driver. - Jul 2019
There is now one local bus (no. 35) that runs from D1 to D2 that is acceptable. The rest forget it. Taxis - the nicest drivers are with Mai Linh Taxis. Very available. Also there is now Uber! - it's cheap and the cars are really nice. There is an elevated light rail line being built but it won't be ready for years. - Mar 2016
Taxis are safe and very affordable. A 20-minute taxi ride to D1 costs about $7. It is recommended to use Mailihn or Vinasun taxis and not the other ones due to honesty and reliability. - Aug 2015
Not really. People use buses and trains but they are often overcrowded or otherwise dangerous. Driving here is nuts. We do find Mai Linh taxis reliable though seatbelts in taxis are rare. - May 2014
Taxis are cheap, VERY cheap, but you get what you pay for. They will drive you around for hours and still claim they know the way. Buses are scary and appear very uncomfortable. They are really cheap, like 20 cents a ride, I took one from the airport to Ben Thanh market and it was 20 cents just to try it out. If you were on a shoestring budget of five bucks a day for all costs, you would need to use buses, if not, then splurge for the 50 cent taxi flag drop, first kilometer included. - Jul 2011
Taxi's yes we use the Mai Linh taxi company, never any problems. Buses and trains hmm why would you want to put yourself through that mayhem and crush, if you are on a shoe string and really counting the pennies,or very adventurous,I suppose. I have a friend here who takes the buses, she is very intrepid and speaks the local lingo adequately. - Sep 2010
No trains. Buses are crowded, and the locals do not appreciate your presence. Taxis are safe if you take the ones used by foreigners - there are three main companies. But Vietnamese drivers have a strange way of using the gears (only manual cars are allowed by the government); they will drive 20km per hour in 5th gear as they think it saves gas. Really irritating, but they will not change. - Nov 2009
Yes, affordable, safe...yes for the most part. The risk of a traffic accident with the tourist buses was the only thing that was scary about riding them. They drive fast to make good time. - Dec 2008
