Ho Chi Minh City is a sprawling, motorbike-dominated city, and for most visitors the easiest and most reliable way to get around is a ride-hailing app rather than hailing taxis or navigating buses directly.
Ride-hailing apps
Grab is the dominant ride-hailing app in Vietnam, offering both car and motorbike rides at fixed, upfront prices shown before you book — a useful way to avoid any fare negotiation entirely. It's widely used by both locals and visitors and is generally the recommended default for getting around.
Taxis
Metered taxis are still common and generally reliable if you stick to well-known, reputable companies with clearly branded cars; ask your hotel which local companies they'd recommend, since fewer well-known brands operate consistently across the whole city.
Metro Line 1
Ho Chi Minh City's first metro line runs 19.7km from Ben Thanh in District 1 out to Suoi Tien in Thu Duc City, with 14 stations along the way — an air-conditioned, traffic-free alternative for the stops it covers. Standard hours run roughly 5am to 10pm, with later Friday–Sunday closing times introduced periodically to handle evening demand, so check the current timetable if you're planning a late return trip. Metro Line 2 broke ground in January 2026 and will eventually connect through the city centre, but it isn't expected to open for several years — for now, Line 1 is the only operational line. See our news section for the latest transport updates.
Motorbike rental and grab-bike
Renting a motorbike gives the most flexibility but requires confidence in genuinely chaotic traffic conditions, and isn't recommended for visitors without prior riding experience in similarly dense cities. Grab's motorbike option lets you experience being a passenger without the risk of driving yourself.
| Easiest option | Grab app (car or motorbike, fixed price) |
|---|---|
| Rail option | Metro Line 1 (covers a limited but growing route) |
| Not recommended | Self-driving a rental motorbike without prior experience |