# How do you get from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho in the Mekong Delta?

> Saigon to Can Tho takes about 3.5 to 4.5 hours by bus for roughly 165,000 to 240,000 VND ($6 to $10). FUTA runs 25+ trips a day from Mien Tay station.

- Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/ho-chi-minh-city-to-can-tho-mekong-delta-bus-guide
- Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries)
- Published: 2026-08-14

**The bus is the answer for almost everyone: about 3.5 to 4.5 hours from Saigon's Mien Tay bus station to Can Tho for roughly 165,000 to 240,000 VND ($6 to $10), with FUTA (Phuong Trang) alone listing 25 to 30 departures a day.** Limousine vans cost a little more and can pick up closer to your hotel; a private car takes about 3 hours and is the only option that changes the experience much. There is no train to Can Tho and no practical flight from Saigon. We spent 2 nights in Can Tho in mid-May 2023, in the middle of a week based in Ho Chi Minh City, and this page is about the 170 km road between them.

## Why the road got faster: the My Thuan 2 bridge and expressway

For years the trip meant crawling along National Highway 1 through Tien Giang and Vinh Long. That changed on **24 December 2023**, when the **My Thuan 2 bridge** and the **My Thuan to Can Tho expressway** opened on the same day, joining the existing Trung Luong to My Thuan expressway. Vietnam's Ministry of Transport described the drive falling from about three and a half hours to about two hours for a car with clear roads.

Buses do not hit that best case. They leave from western Saigon, stop for passengers and usually take one rest break, so real timetables still list **about 3.5 to 4.5 hours**, and longer on Friday evenings, Sunday afternoons and around **Tet** (see our [Tet 2027 guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/tet-2027-vietnam-dates-holiday-closures-travel-guide)), when the whole delta goes home at once.

## Option 1: FUTA (Phuong Trang) and other big bus companies

**FUTA Bus Lines**, still called **Phuong Trang** by most Vietnamese, is the default. Its own route listing gives **25 to 30 trips a day**, running from very early morning into the night, and booking sites in 2026 show fares of roughly **165,000 to 240,000 VND (≈ $6.4–9.3)** depending on seat or sleeper type. Most of the fleet on this route is sleeper-style coaches with reclining berths, which is more bus than a 4-hour trip needs but comfortable.

• **Departure point:** **Mien Tay bus station (Ben xe Mien Tay)** at 395 Kinh Duong Vuong in Binh Tan district, on the western edge of the city. From District 1 it is a long Grab ride across town, so allow 40 minutes or more at rush hour. FUTA also lists An Suong and other Saigon pickup points, so check which one your ticket uses.

• **Arrival point:** **Can Tho central bus station** on Highway 1 in Cai Rang district, south of the riverfront, not in Ninh Kieu where most visitors stay. Some listings show a drop-off in Ninh Kieu instead; check your ticket, and expect a 10 to 15 minute Grab ride into town from Cai Rang if not.

• **How to book:** the FUTA website or app, the counter at Mien Tay, or aggregators such as 12Go, Baolau or redBus, which add a fee but take foreign cards. A day ahead is enough outside weekends and holidays; book several days ahead for Tet.

## Option 2: limousine vans

Several companies run 9-seat **limousine vans** (converted Ford Transits or similar with captain's chairs) between Saigon and Can Tho. The advantage is pickup and drop-off: many collect from central districts or a company office instead of Mien Tay, which can save more time than the drive itself. Fares on aggregators sit a little above the big buses, and timetables change often, so compare on 12Go or Baolau and confirm the exact pickup address before paying.

Vans are the better choice if you are carrying little luggage and staying in District 1 or 3. With large suitcases, the big buses have proper luggage holds.

## Option 3: private car or driver

A private car with driver is the fastest door-to-door option, about **3 hours** on the expressway with light traffic, and the only one that lets you stop on the way, for example in **Ben Tre** or **Cai Be** for coconut workshops and orchards. Prices vary widely by vehicle and agency, so get quotes from your hotel and from transfer sites and compare. Split between three or four people, a car can be competitive with four bus tickets plus two cross-town Grab rides.

Grab can also quote long-distance car rides on some days, but availability is unreliable for a 170 km trip; arrange it in advance rather than counting on it.

## No train, no useful flight

There is **no railway to Can Tho**; Vietnam's north to south line ends in Saigon, as our [Reunification Express guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/vietnam-train-travel-reunification-express-sleeper-guide) explains.

River boats between Saigon and the delta are mostly packaged multi-day tours, not a scheduled public service, so the road is the realistic choice.

## Day trip or overnight?

Can Tho's main reason to go is the **Cai Rang floating market**, which is busiest roughly from dawn to about 8 or 9am. A same-day trip from Saigon cannot reach it at that hour without leaving in the middle of the night, which is why one-day Mekong tours from the city usually go to closer places such as My Tho and Ben Tre instead. Our [day trips from Ho Chi Minh City](https://clevertourists.com/resources/day-trips-from-ho-chi-minh-city) page covers those.

If Can Tho itself is the goal, stay at least one night, preferably two, in Ninh Kieu by the riverfront. Our [Can Tho guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/can-tho) covers the market and the town, and our [Ho Chi Minh City guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/ho-chi-minh-city) and [how many days in Ho Chi Minh City](https://clevertourists.com/resources/how-many-days-in-ho-chi-minh-city) help you fit the delta into a Saigon stay.

## Practical tips

• Sit on the right side of the bus heading south for views when the coach crosses the Mekong on My Thuan 2; the river is wide and the bridge is high.

• Buses carry one large bag in the hold free; oversized luggage or bikes may be charged.

• At Mien Tay, ignore people approaching you to sell tickets outside the official counters; buy at the operator's own window.

• Cash in dong is easiest at counters; online bookings take cards. Check our [Vietnam visa guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/do-i-need-a-visa-to-visit-vietnam) and the [2-week Vietnam itinerary](https://clevertourists.com/resources/vietnam-itinerary-2-weeks-hanoi-to-saigon) when planning the wider route.

• The south is hot and wet from about May to November; afternoon storms can slow the road. See [best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City](https://clevertourists.com/resources/best-time-to-visit-ho-chi-minh-city).

## Frequently asked questions

### How long is the bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho?

About 3.5 to 4.5 hours, longer on weekend evenings and around Tet. A private car takes about 3 hours on the expressway.

### How much is the bus from Saigon to Can Tho?

Roughly 165,000 to 240,000 VND ($6 to $10) one way in 2026, depending on the operator and seat type.

### Where does the bus to Can Tho leave from in Saigon?

Mostly from Mien Tay bus station in Binh Tan district, on the western edge of the city. Some operators and limousine vans pick up closer to the centre.

### Is there a train from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho?

No. There is no railway to Can Tho, and flying is not practical, so buses, limousine vans or a private car are the options.

### Can you visit Can Tho as a day trip from Saigon?

Not really for the Cai Rang floating market, which is busiest from dawn to about 8 or 9am. Stay at least one night in Ninh Kieu.