Ho Chi Minh City is the starting point for tourists to explore South Vietnam, including Can Tho City in the Mekong Delta region.
From Ho Chi Minh to the central city of Can Tho, the distance is 140 km to 160 km, depending on the starting point and the finished place. Various transportation takes different durations, from 2.5 to 4 hours.
There are four options for traveling between these two cities, including the car/van (the most comfortable), bus (budget), and motorbike (adventurous game).
Let’s dive into each!
1. Travel with a private car/van – the most comfortable transfer from HCMC to Can Tho:
Booking a private car or van with a driver offers the most comfortable option for road travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho City. If there is heavy traffic on this route, the journey can take 2.5 hours or more.
What you will get with this type of vehicle:
- Door-to-door service, picking up at your hotel in HCM City or Tan Son Nhat Airport
- Spacious traveling in a private vehicle with an air conditioner, a modern car/van, depending on the group size
- Flexible to stop for a cup of coffee or a few photos of the countryside on the way to the land of the Mekong Delta
- Perfect for a group of 4 members and a small family with a reasonable price on this route
When transferring from city to city, you do not want to miss beautiful stops between them, such as Ben Tre City, which has a charming lifestyle on the river.
You can also do many activities on the river, such as rowing a small boat through the channels and biking or using a classic cart through the countryside.
When you have an extra day, you can spend one more night in this region, staying at a homestay to learn more about local life.
However, if you do not spend overnight in Ben Tre, you need to start early in the morning from Ho Chi Minh City to do so.
Table price for reference to a direct transfer at this distance:
| Type of vehicle | From Hotels in HCMC | From Tan Son Nhat Airport | Guest number |
| 4-seat car | $135 | $155 | 1 or 2 guests |
| 7-seat car | $160 | $190 | 3 or 4 guests |
| 16-seat van | $220 | $250 | 5 to 8 guests |
2. Catch a bus – the budget travel for this distance:
The bus system covers the country. Typically, the routes from HCMC to Can Tho, two of the five biggest cities in Vietnam, make it easier to find a bus on this route.
Many local buses start from the Western Bus Station in HCM (Bến Xe Miền Tây in Vietnamese) and then go to the Can Tho Bus Station in Can Tho (Bến Xe Cần Thơ), which is the cheapest way to travel between these two destinations.
The ticket price is only 165,000 VND and over, depending on the coach company and the quality of the bus seats.
The bus station in HCM sells tickets from 5 AM to 9 PM. So, you can catch an early local bus around 5:30 AM or a late one around 9 PM. On average, a few buses move out of this station every 15 minutes to Can Tho.
Western Bus Station in HCM:
- Address: 395 Kinh Duong Vuong Street, An Lac Ward, Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City
- Phone number: 19007373
- Website: https://www.bxmt.com.vn/en
Bus Station in Can Tho:
- Address: Highway 1, Hung Thanh Ward, Cai Rang District, Can Tho City
Please note for buses:
- On Google Maps, the journey from the HCM bus station to Can Tho takes 2 hours and 19 minutes. However, the local buses usually take 3 hours or more.
- These local buses are not recommended for luxury travelers or tourists who do not have much time. This is because of the inconvenience of traveling from hotels to the bus station in HCM City and from the Can Tho bus station to your accommodations.
- Most buses are often full of guests, which makes them noisy and hot while they are on them.
3. Adventurous soul with motorbikes to Can Tho from HCM
As you know, motorbikes in Vietnam have become a unique vehicle for the locals. For the last few years, many tourists have also chosen this means of transportation to explore this country.
You may choose motorbikes to travel from Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho as an adventurous trip.
Please pay attention to:
- Crowded with motorbikes and other transportation on the roads
- Long ride in the hot weather (often)
- Different traffic habits of the local people in Saigon and the Mekong Delta
- International driving license or domestic ones are requested to drive
Although traveling with motorbikes attracts many young people for flexible trips and scenic routes, I (the writer – Mr Thom) do not recommend you ride this type of transportation.
Despite that, you hire professional drivers for your group. Those motorbike drivers often cooperate with the hotels and local travel agents in HCM City for this service. You may check with the receptionists if you are already in Saigon.
Your motorbike trip can take 4 hours or one day from HCM City to Can Tho City, depending on your timing to stop long or short along the roads.
Your adventurous journey will start now.
Each way to Can Tho from HCM City above has advantages and disadvantages. The most suitable method to move is the best one based on your time, traveling habits, and budget that you want to do.
Please note that I (Mr Thom) do not mention travel by air for this route! It is because although Can Tho City has an airport of the same name, there are no direct flights from the airport in HCM to there, which may be too short to fly.
In short, a private car or van is the most comfortable option for a group or family, buses are good for budget travel, and motorbikes are adventurous.
