What is the Ho Chi Minh City Metro?
The Ho Chi Minh City Metro, also known as the Saigon Metro, is the city’s first urban rail system. Its first line opened at the end of 2024, after more than a decade of construction and many years of delays, and it was a genuinely big moment for a city that had never had a metro before. That first line, Line 1, runs for nearly 20 kilometres from Ben Thanh in the city centre out to Suoi Tien in the northeast, with 14 stations along the way, three of them underground in the centre and the rest raised above the streets.
It is worth being clear about what the metro can and cannot do for you right now. With only one line open so far, this is not yet a network that will take you everywhere, the way the metro does in Bangkok or Singapore. It is excellent for the handful of trips it covers, and it is cheap, clean and a pleasure to ride, but for a lot of central sightseeing you will still be better off walking or taking a Grab. More lines are being built, and the system will become far more useful over the next few years, but for now it is best thought of as a great option for certain journeys rather than your main way around the city.
The metro line and its stations
Line 1: Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien
For now there is just one line to know, Line 1, which runs from Ben Thanh in the heart of District 1 out to the northeast of the city, ending at Suoi Tien near the border with Binh Duong. The full trip takes around 30 minutes end to end.
The line has 14 stations. The first three, in the city centre, are underground: Ben Thanh, Opera House and Ba Son. From there the line climbs onto an elevated track and runs above the streets for the rest of the way, heading out through Binh Thanh and Thu Duc, with the remaining eleven stations raised high over the road. For a visitor, only a handful of these stations are genuinely useful, and those are the ones covered later in this guide.
Riding above the city on the elevated section is part of the appeal. You get a view out over the rooftops and the traffic below, which is a nice change from being stuck in it, and it makes even a short hop feel like a small part of the sightseeing.
Future lines
Line 1 is only the beginning. A second line, running from Ben Thanh out to the northwest, is already under construction, and further lines are planned, including one intended to connect the city to the airport. The long-term plan is for a proper network of several lines crossing the city.
None of that is open yet, so it does not help you on a trip today, but it is worth knowing that the metro will become far more useful over the coming years as these lines open. For now, Line 1 is the one and only.
How to use the Ho Chi Minh City Metro
Tickets and fares
The metro is cheap. Fares are based on distance, so a single trip costs somewhere between 7,000 and 20,000 dong depending on how far you go, which is a matter of cents either way. Paying by card or phone rather than cash is very slightly cheaper.
If you plan to use the metro several times, there are passes worth knowing about. A one-day pass giving unlimited trips costs 40,000 dong, and a three-day pass is 90,000 dong, either of which pays off quickly if you are hopping on and off. Travel is free for seniors and people with disabilities under the city’s policies.
How to buy tickets and pay
This is where the Ho Chi Minh City Metro is genuinely easy for visitors. The simplest way to ride is to tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard, or your phone or smartwatch, straight on the reader at the ticket gate. There is no need to buy anything in advance: you tap in at your starting station, tap out at your destination, and the correct distance-based fare is charged automatically. For most travellers, this is by far the easiest option.
If you would rather not use a card, you can buy a single-journey ticket or a pass from the automated machines or the staffed counters at every station, paying by cash or card, and there is also an official app and local wallets like MoMo and ZaloPay. One thing to remember, because the fare depends on distance: you must tap both when you enter and when you exit, so keep your ticket or card handy for the way out.
Hours and how often trains run
Line 1 runs from early morning until late at night, from around 5am to 10pm on weekdays, and until 11pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Trains come often, roughly every ten minutes, so you rarely wait long.
As with any metro, it is worth avoiding the morning and evening rush hours if you can, when the trains fill with commuters. Late morning and early evening are comfortable, quieter, and better for taking in the view from the elevated sections.
What it is like to ride
If you have used a modern metro anywhere in the world, this will all feel familiar, and if you are used to the chaos of Saigon’s streets, it will feel like a small miracle. The trains are new, spotless and properly air-conditioned, the platforms have safety screen doors, and the signage and announcements are in both Vietnamese and English, so it is very easy to find your way. It is calm, cool and orderly, and after a few hot days battling the traffic, that alone can be a welcome break.
Metro stations and what to see near each
As with the route itself, only a handful of the metro stations are truly useful for sightseeing, and most of the elevated stops further out are residential rather than places you would get off to explore. Below are the stations worth knowing, running from the city centre outward, with what you can visit near each one.
Ben Thanh
The start of the line and the main hub, right in the middle of District 1. This is the station you are most likely to begin from, and it sits on the doorstep of a lot of the city centre.
- Ben Thanh Market: the famous central market, directly above the station, packed with souvenirs, clothes and food.
- Bui Vien Walking Street: the backpacker party street, a short walk away and the heart of the city’s cheap nightlife.
- September 23 Park: a green space right by the station, with the Sense Market food court underneath it.
Opera House
The best station for the central sightseeing spine, coming up right in the middle of the main colonial-era sights. If you only use the metro once, this is a great stop to aim for.
- The Opera House: the grand French theatre the station is named after, right at the exit.
- Nguyen Hue Walking Street: the wide pedestrian boulevard, a couple of minutes away.
- The People’s Committee Building: the city’s most beautiful colonial building, at the top of Nguyen Hue.
- Dong Khoi Street: the elegant old shopping street running down to the river.
- The Cafe Apartment: the block full of tiny cafes on Nguyen Hue.
Ba Son
The last of the underground stations, just east of the centre, and handy for combining the metro with a river trip.
- Landmark 81 and Vinhomes Central Park: the tallest building in Vietnam and its riverside park, a little way upstream.
- Ba Son Bridge: the striking modern bridge with its leaning towers.
- The Saigon Waterbus: the Ba Son pier is nearby, so you can pair the metro with a river cruise.
Tan Cang
The closest station to Landmark 81, on the elevated section just after the line crosses the river.
- Landmark 81: the tower and its Skyview deck are the main draw here, though be aware it is around a kilometre from the station, so it is a walk or a very short Grab rather than right outside.
- Vinhomes Central Park: the large riverside park at the foot of the tower, good for a stroll.
Thao Dien
The station for Thao Dien, the leafy expat neighbourhood, and one of the more useful stops for visitors who want a change from the downtown bustle.
- Thao Dien: the whole area is full of international restaurants, cafes, cocktail bars and boutiques.
- Vincom Mega Mall Thao Dien: a large modern mall with shopping, food and a cinema.
- The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre: Vietnam’s first dedicated contemporary art space.
Suoi Tien (National University)
The end of the line, and a genuine destination in its own right if you fancy riding the metro all the way out.
- Suoi Tien Theme Park: a wonderfully over-the-top Buddhist-themed amusement park, full of dragons, statues and water rides, and a fun, kitschy day out that is completely unlike anything back home.
The stations in between
The remaining elevated stations through Binh Thanh and Thu Duc, between the centre and Suoi Tien, are mostly residential and serve local commuters, universities and suburbs rather than sights. For a visitor there is little reason to get off at them, though the ride past them on the elevated track, looking out over the city, is pleasant in itself.
Practical tips for the Ho Chi Minh City Metro
Tap a contactless card to ride
For a visitor, the easiest way to use the metro is to tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard, or your phone, at the gate. It saves buying a ticket, works out slightly cheaper, and means you never have to queue at a machine. Just remember to tap both in and out, since the fare depends on distance.
Avoid the rush hours
The metro fills up with commuters in the morning and again in the late afternoon, so if you are riding for the experience or the views, aim for the middle of the day or mid-evening instead. It will be quieter, cooler and far more comfortable, and you will get a better look out of the windows on the elevated stretch.
Use it to beat the heat and the traffic
On the routes it covers, the metro is the best way to get around, precisely because it is cool, fast and completely free of the traffic above. A trip out to Thao Dien or across town that might crawl in a Grab takes a fraction of the time on the train, in air-conditioned comfort. On a hot day, that alone makes it worth using.
Combine it with the waterbus
For a fun, car-free way to spend part of a day, pair the metro with the Saigon Waterbus. The two meet near Ba Son, so you can ride the train out and the boat back, or the other way round, and see a good stretch of the city by rail and river without ever getting in a car.
Ride to the end for the fun of it
If you have a spare few hours, riding all the way to Suoi Tien and back is a genuinely enjoyable thing to do. You get the full elevated journey out over the city, and the theme park at the end is a bizarre, colourful day out. It is a nice way to see a side of Saigon well beyond the tourist centre.
Know its limits
Be realistic about what the metro can do. With only one line, it is brilliant for the specific trips it covers but useless for most others, and a lot of central sightseeing is still quicker on foot or by Grab. Do not plan your days around the metro. Use it when your route happens to line up with the line, and use other options the rest of the time.
A cool escape in the rainy season
The metro is entirely covered and air-conditioned, which makes it a handy refuge when the weather turns. During the rainy season, a metro ride is a dry, cool way to cross part of the city while the afternoon downpour passes, rather than getting soaked waiting for a Grab.
Is the Ho Chi Minh City Metro worth using?
Yes, for the right trips, and it is worth trying at least once simply for the experience.
Where the metro shines is on the specific journeys it covers. A trip out to Thao Dien, a hop between the centre and Landmark 81, or the ride all the way to Suoi Tien is faster, cooler and cheaper on the train than fighting through the traffic in a Grab. It is spotless, modern and genuinely pleasant, and gliding above the city on the elevated track is a nice change from being stuck in the chaos below. At a few thousand dong a ride, it is superb value.
Be realistic about it, though. This is one line, not a network, so it will not replace walking and Grab for most of your trips around the city, and a lot of central sightseeing is still easier on foot. Think of the metro as a great option for certain journeys rather than your main way of getting around, and use it when your route lines up with the line.
That will change over the coming years as more lines open and the network grows. For now, ride it when it suits your day, enjoy it for what it is, and take the short trip out to Suoi Tien if you have the time. It is one of the most comfortable, and cheapest, ways to see a different side of Saigon.
