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Saigon water bus is a great way to see HCMC from a different angle – Sai Gon River. And surprisingly, this experience is way more affordable than the cruises on Sai Gon River.
In this post, I’ll be sharing my review of the Saigon Water Bus, including its timetable, ticket price, and all the tips I learned during my trip.
Read more: Ho Chi Minh City travel blog: ultimate guide for first-timers
Table of Contents
1. Overview of Sai Gon Water Bus
The Sai Gon water bus is a means of public transportation that operates on the Saigon River. The Saigon Water Bus route is 11km long, starting from Bach Dang station (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) to Linh Dong station (Thu Duc City).
The bus has a total of 66 seats, divided into 2 rows, each row with 3 seats.
Each seat is equipped with a life jacket right underneath it, in addition to life jackets being placed outside the boat’s awning and inside the restroom as well.
- Opening hours: 7:00 – 19:30, daily
- Saigon Water Bus Route: Bach Dang (District 1), Thanh Da (Binh Thanh District), Binh An (District 2), Linh Dong (Thu Duc District), and Hiep Binh Chanh (Thu Duc District)
- Website: click here
- Facebook: click here
3. Sai Gon Water bus ticket price
The one-way ticket for the Sai Gon Water bus is only 15.000 VND per person. No matter which station you get off, the fixed price applies to the whole journey from Bach Dang station to Linh Dong station.
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3. Sai Gon Water bus timetable
As you can see from the Sai Gon Water bus timetable, the blue hours of departure are the daily departure hours, while the yellow hours of departure are the departure hours on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays (see the full picture: click here).
For tourists: If you just want to experience a ride on the Saigon River for a while, I would recommend taking the water bus from Bach Dang station to Binh An station, which takes about 15 minutes (just enough to not get bored). The Binh An station is also near Landmark 81, so you can visit there as well. Additionally, this route passes by Landmark 81, providing the best view for taking pictures.
More posts about Ho Chi Minh City
- Explore 12 hidden gems and unusual things to do in HCMC
- 10 Best budget hotels near Bui Vien Street
- Ho Chi Minh to Danang: Is sleeper bus or train better?
- HCMC travel blog: Ultimate travel guide for first-timers
4. How to buy tickets for Sai Gon Water bus?
You can buy it at the station or buy it online:
- Buy at the station: it’s better to go there about 30 minutes earlier to buy the ticket (just in case it’s sold out).
- Buy tickets online: you can buy tickets for the Sai Gon Water bus at THIS LINK. However, the website is in Vietnamese, you may need help from a Vietnamese (maybe your friend or hotel staff).
5. My experience with the Sai Gon Water bus
After getting advice from the staff, my friends and I chose to sit outside to capture better pictures of the view (of course, you need to queue early to secure your preferred spot).
From here, I could take videos of the tallest skyscraper in Vietnam – Landmark 81 (see videos above). This is the highlight of the journey, and I highly recommend visiting in the evening when the scenery is splendid with the lights on. The lighting effect of Landmark 81 is particularly impressive and adds to the stunning view.
After a 15-minute ride (the timing is quite punctual), we arrived at Binh An station. From this station, you can also take photos with Landmark 81 in the background as well.
Note: Since there are no announcements of the next station, it’s important to see the name of the station to ensure that you get off at the right one.
From here, you can book a taxi to Landmark 81 or return to Bach Dang station by the waterbus.
The overall experience was good, except that I missed a water bus and had to wait for the next one after an hour. The good thing is that it’s cheap for a ride on Sai Gon River.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a fancier experience with dinner on the Saigon River, you may want to consider the Sai Gon Princess cruise (you can reserve your spot via THIS LINK).
More posts about Ho Chi Minh City
- Explore 12 hidden gems and unusual things to do in HCMC
- 10 Best budget hotels near Bui Vien Street
- Ho Chi Minh to Danang: Is sleeper bus or train better?
- HCMC travel blog: Ultimate travel guide for first-timers
Above is my review of the Saigon Water Bus including its timetable, ticket price, and my experience taking the Saigon Water Bus. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below.
Thanks for reading!
