Ho Chi Minh City Airport: history, infrastructure, how to get to the city

And now you look with impatience in the scoreboard. Ho Chi Minh City (an airport with this name, of course not, but there is Tan Son Nhat) attracts many tourists. Here fly charters and loukosty. Even the airport of the capital, Hanoi, is inferior to the Saigon hub by passenger traffic. This is understandable. After all, from Ho Chi Minh City it is easy to get to all the famous Vietnamese resorts: Phan Thiet, Vung Tau, Mui Ne, Nha Trang, Fukuok. The planes fly from here to Cambodia (Siem Reap). But what does the tourist expect upon arrival? Is it possible to transit from the airport to the resort without going to Saigon? And how not to get lost in the largest hub of Vietnam? Read about this in our article.

History

When did this largest airport in Vietnam appear ? Ho Chi Minh City (at that time the city bore the old name Saigon) acquired its own hub in the early 30-ies of the last century. It was built by the French colonial authorities in the village of Tan Son Nhat, so the airport is named. During the Vietnam War, the runway served as the base for American aircraft. In 2007, a new terminal was built. He began to accept international flights. And the old building began to serve as a terminal for domestic transport. These two buildings are divided four hundred meters. There is no free shuttle between the terminals. It is necessary to overcome this path on foot or order a transfer for ten dollars. Now, Tan Son Nhat takes about sixteen million passengers a year. Soon it is planned to complete the construction of a new hub. Ho Chi Minh City International Airport will be located in Longtan Village from 2015. At the same time, Tan Son Nhat will completely switch to servicing the passengers of domestic flights.

How to get to Saigon from Russia

From Moscow Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo, several regular flights fly to Ho Chi Minh City airport. The departure board indicates not the name of the hub, but the name of the city of arrival. From large cities of Russia in Saigon numerous charters are sent. But this happens only in the tourist season. A number of foreign carriers offer air tickets at a very favorable price. The flight will take place with transplant in the cities of Europe or Asia.

Infrastructure hub Tan Son Nut

The capital of South Vietnam has a very comfortable, but not too spacious airport. Ho Chi Minh City is about nine kilometers from Tan Son Nhat. You can reach the city center by public transport. In the international terminal there are all the amenities and services required from a hub with this status. However, some of them are located not in the building itself, but on the street (for example, a luggage room and ATMs). In the neutral zone there is a very decent duty free, and across the street from the hub building is a shopping complex. Wi-Fi is only in business halls, but sometimes it catches good in other rooms. So what should a Russian tourist do upon arrival at Ho Chi Minh City airport? First you need to go through border control. Then go down to the basement for luggage. After this, you should pass along the green or red corridor of the customs. And, at last, go out to the hall of the arrivals hall. All procedures usually take no more than 20 minutes. If you plan to travel through Vietnam by air, you need to get off the international terminal, turn right and go 400 meters.

Can I get from Tanshonniat to the resorts

Unfortunately no. You need to leave Ho Chi Minh City Airport and get to the bus station or the city railway station. Perhaps you will have to spend the night in Saigon. Tourists are advised to go to famous resorts by bus. From Ho Chi Minh are sent very comfortable night sleeping bus, in which the seats are equipped in such a way that they are laid out almost horizontally. There are also tourist "open bass". The cost of tickets for buses is low, and the cars themselves are comfortable, equipped with air conditioning, toilet. Tickets are sold at travel agencies, as well as at the reception desk in major hotels. You can take a taxi to the nearby resorts (Mui Ne, Vung Tau and Phan Thiet). But this pleasure will cost an average of one hundred dollars per car.

Ho Chi Minh City: how to get from the airport

The proximity of the hub to the city center causes many bus routes. This, on the one hand, is not bad - there is always the opportunity to get to Saigon, even at night. Because of this, there are no hotels near the airport. But on the other hand, an inexperienced tourist can get lost and sit on the wrong route. Pham Ngu Lao is the most popular area for foreign tourists, where many hotels are concentrated. There is a route number 152. If you are interested in the bus station "Sholon", then you need number 147. Travel by public transport is extremely cheap. The trip will cost you less than a quarter of a dollar (three thousand dongas). The bus stop is located to the right of the exit from the terminal. You try to intercept the taxi drivers. On average, a trip by car will cost about ten dollars. It makes sense to hire a taxi, only if you want to get to the nearby resorts. But motor-rickshaws are cheaper. But this is a convenient option for tourists who are not burdened with luggage.

How to get back

Also by bus or taxi. Ho Chi Minh City International Airport consists of four floors. The first two are the arrival compartment. If you mistakenly got here, do not try to get to the upper floors from the inside. It's impossible. Between the second and third tiers there is no passage. You should go outside and climb the overpass. Vat Refund, or VAT refund, is located in the departure hall. After registering for the flight, you can proceed immediately to the waiting area, go through border controls and look into the duty-free shop.