Mobile data in Ho Chi Minh City for visitors
Ho Chi Minh City, still Saigon to most of the people who live there, has its airport inside the city and its first metro line running out from Ben Thanh. Grab and the electric Xanh SM taxis fill the gaps, and the Mekong Delta begins a couple of hours south. The Vietnam eSIM connects to Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone; it is data only, so calls stay on your usual number and WhatsApp keeps it.
At a glance
- Does an eSIM work in Vietnam?
- Yes. It connects to Viettel Mobile, Vinaphone, MobiFone (5G).
- Price
- From 6,29 € (3 GB, 15 days).
- For a one-week trip
- 5 GB for 30 days: 9,99 €.
- Does an EU phone plan work there?
- No: Vietnam is outside EU roaming, so even a plan from an EU country charges it as abroad.
- When does the plan start?
- When your phone first connects to a network in Vietnam. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
Tan Son Nhat, an airport inside the city
Tan Son Nhat is surrounded by the city, a short drive from the centre. International flights use Terminal 2, while Terminal 3, the newest building, handles much of the domestic traffic. Bus 109 links the airport with the centre and stops at Terminal 3, so if you land at Terminal 2, check on the day where to board it.
Most people take a car: Grab from the pickup area, Xanh SM through its app or a metered taxi from the rank. With the eSIM switched on as you walk to immigration, the car is booked before you reach the kerb, and for a street taxi you can show the hotel's address in Vietnamese on the map. The plan starts with that first connection in Vietnam, not on the day you bought it.
eSIM for Vietnam
Data on your phone the moment you land in Vietnam. No account, no app, no shop.
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For one to two weeks of maps, messaging and the odd video.
Buy up to 180 days before you fly: the plan only starts when the eSIM connects at your destination.
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Will it work on my phone?
On iPhone: Settings → General → About, and scroll to EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Every iPhone from the XS (2018) onwards does.
On Android: Settings → About phone → Status, and look for EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Most Galaxy S20, Pixel 3 and later do.
It also has to be carrier-unlocked. If you bought it outright or your contract is over, it almost certainly is.
Not sure about your model? Ask us before you pay and we will tell you — a person answers within 24 hours.
How it works
- 1Choose and payCard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account.
- 2Install it at homeThe QR arrives by email. Scan it on wifi in a minute.
- 3Connect when you landTurn on data roaming for the eSIM and you are online.
Metro line 1 and a city on two wheels
Metro line 1 runs from Ben Thanh, by the market, out to Suoi Tien in the east, much of it on a viaduct. At the gates you tap a contactless bank card or a phone, in and out with the same one, and the operator's HCMC Metro HURC app sells tickets too. The line is more use for trips east towards Thu Duc than for short hops in the centre.
For everything else the city moves on motorbikes, and Grab and Xanh SM offer bike rides as well as cars, with the fare shown before you confirm. Sign up at home, because their verification code arrives by SMS on your usual number and this eSIM has none. In the heat, a phone running the map all afternoon drains fast, so carry a power bank.
Cu Chi, the Mekong Delta and the river to Phnom Penh
The Cu Chi tunnels lie north-west of the city, an hour and a half or more by road, usually on a half-day tour. In the Mekong Delta, My Tho and Ben Tre work as a day trip, while Can Tho and the Cai Rang floating market are far enough to need a night. On the river and among the orchards signal can be uneven, so keep the guide's number and the pickup point saved.
Two well-used routes lead into Cambodia: the bus to Phnom Penh through the Moc Bai and Bavet crossing, and the speedboat up the Mekong from Chau Doc, which crosses at Vinh Xuong. Either way the Vietnam pack stops at the border and the Cambodia eSIM takes over; both can sit installed on the phone from home. The Southeast Asia guide covers the switch.
Which pack for Ho Chi Minh City
Four days of the city, the tunnels and a delta trip are covered by the 3 GB pack, which lasts 15 days, if you use hotel wifi in the evenings. A week with a night in Can Tho, or a stay that ends on the beach, works better on 5 GB for 30 days. Starting a trip north here, all the way to Hanoi? One pack covers the whole country, so take 10 GB, valid for 30 days.
Buy it up to 180 days ahead and install it on wifi before the trip. If you run low, top up the same eSIM in a minute; the hotspot is included for a laptop or a second phone. Work out your figure with the data calculator and see the packs on the Vietnam eSIM page.
Can I pay for the metro with my phone?
Yes. Metro line 1 takes contactless bank cards and phones at the gates; tap in and out with the same one. The payment goes on your bank card, not on the eSIM.
Is there a bus from Tan Son Nhat to the centre?
Yes, bus 109 runs between the airport and the centre and stops at Terminal 3. Most visitors still take Grab, Xanh SM or a metered taxi.
Does the eSIM work on the boat from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh?
On the Vietnamese stretch, yes. After the Vinh Xuong border it stops, so switch to a Cambodia eSIM for the rest of the way.
Do I need another eSIM for Cu Chi or the Mekong Delta?
No. Both are in Vietnam and the same pack covers them, as it does the rest of the country.
Get your eSIM before you fly: the QR arrives by email in minutes and the plan only starts when you connect at your destination.
See eSIMs for Vietnam