From Motorbikes to Metro: Transportation in Việt Nam

Introduction:

Transportation is how people move from place to place. In Việt Nam, travel can look different from what students in the United States are used to.

Cities like Hồ Chí Minh City (Saigon) are very busy, with many vehicles on the road. Learning how people get around helped me understand daily life here. To save money, I usually take the bus (sometimes two hours to the city from my rural community and then two hours back every weekend). I also ride my bicycle in my community.

How do people get around?:

The most common way people travel in Việt Nam is by motorbike. There are over 65 million motorbikes in the country! Many families share one motorbike to go to school, work and home.

  • Buses – Cheap and common. A ride costs about 7,000–10,000 VND ($0.30–$0.50 USD).

  • Bicycles – Many students ride bikes.

  • Cars – Less common because they are expensive.

  • Electric vehicles (EVs) – Electric bikes and cars are growing in popularity.

Many people use apps on their phones to get rides.