Ho Chi Minh City SIM Card: Airport, Shops, and 5G Coverage

After a long flight, you reach the Tan Son Nhat arrivals hall with no data, and you still have to find a ride and show a driver your hotel address. A Ho Chi Minh City SIM card solves that, and so does an eSIM set up before you leave home. The eSIM is simpler for most US travelers, because many newer iPhones have no SIM tray at all. The city's mobile internet is strong either way. On nPerf maps, 5G leads for all three networks at the airport, on the ride into town, and on the main streets of District 1.

In short:

  • International flights land at Terminal 2. Viettel says its counter is in the arrivals hall, past baggage claim.
  • All three networks have shops close to the tourist streets of District 1, and all three list Sunday hours.
  • User tests show 5G across most of the center. Bui Vien is more mixed, with more 4G+ on MobiFone.
  • For a week in the city, 3 GB to 5 GB is enough if you watch video on hotel Wi-Fi.
Vietnam eSIM from $4.50Install at home, connect when you land.See plans

Tan Son Nhat Airport: your first hour

International flights use Terminal 2. Domestic flights use Terminal 1 or the new Terminal 3, which opened in April 2025, so check your ticket if you are flying on to Phu Quoc or Nha Trang. Free shuttle buses link Terminal 3 with Terminals 1 and 2.

SIM counter. In its tourist guide dated November 1, 2025, Viettel places its counter in the international arrivals hall, after baggage claim. Look for the red and white logo and a "Tourist SIM" or "SIM Du Lich" sign. The same guide listed 30-day tourist plans at 120,000 to 180,000 VND, about $4.65 to $7 at 25,800 VND to the dollar on October 30, 2026. The SIM itself costs extra.

Other operators. The store finders for Viettel, Vinaphone, and MobiFone listed no shop in the airport ward on October 1, 2026. Outside the arrivals hall, your next stop is a shop in town.

Free Wi-Fi. The airport named free Wi-Fi among its passenger services in January 2025, per Tuoi Tre. VNPT says Wi-Fi at Terminal 3 is also free. Treat it as a backup, not a plan.

Network inside the terminals. On nPerf, Viettel shows solid 5G at Terminal 2, and Vinaphone and MobiFone show mostly 5G with some 4G+. At Terminal 3, VNPT says VinaPhone 5G reaches all zones.

The ride into District 1

From Terminal 2 to Ben Thanh Market is about 4.6 miles on the shorter route, by way of Nguyen Van Troi and Nam Ky Khoi Nghia. The other common route, along Phan Dinh Phung and Hai Ba Trung, is about 5.2 miles.

On nPerf, both routes have user tests at every point we read, on all three networks, and 5G leads throughout. So if your data works at the curb, you can book your ride and watch the route all the way to your hotel.

Where to buy a SIM card in the city

Take your original passport. Staff can't register a number without it. Since April 15, 2026, Circular 08/2026/TT-BKHCN has required each new number to be confirmed with data that includes a face scan, and a foreigner's details are checked against the national entry and exit records. Expect a photo at the counter.

Check your phone first. A plastic SIM only works in a phone that has a tray and is not locked to your US carrier. Check your phone here.

Here are the nearest shops to the tourist streets. MobiFone was checked on October 30, 2026. Viettel and Vinaphone were checked on October 1, 2026.

OperatorAddressNearHours
Viettel166C-D-E Tran Hung DaoAbout 800 feet from the west end of Bui VienDaily, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
MobiFone101 Tran Hung DaoSame street, closer to Ben Thanh MarketMon to Fri 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sat and Sun 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Vinaphone (VNPT)80 Nguyen DuAbout 300 feet from the Central Post OfficeDaily, 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

If you are staying near Nguyen Hue Street, the Vinaphone shop is the closest. On weekends, MobiFone closes early, so go to Viettel if it is late in the day.

Have staff install the SIM while you wait. Turn off Wi-Fi and open a map to prove it works before you walk out. If your phone has one SIM slot, taking out your US SIM also stops texts to your US number, including bank codes.

Where 5G works in Ho Chi Minh City

This table comes from nPerf, a site that maps speed tests run by ordinary users over the past two years. These are other people's tests, not ours. The maps were updated on September 30, 2026, and we read them on October 1, 2026, using about a 300-foot circle around each place.

PlaceViettelVinaphoneMobiFone
Airport, Terminal 25GMostly 5GMostly 5G
Airport, Terminal 3Mostly 5GMostly 5GMostly 5G
Nguyen Hue Street5G5G5G, some 4G+
Ben Thanh Market5G5G5G
Notre Dame Cathedral and Post Office5G5G5G, some 4G+
Bui Vien, east end5G5G, some 4G+5G, some 4G+
Bui Vien, middle and westMostly 5G5G, 4G+, and 4GMostly 4G+
Bach Dang riverfrontMostly 5GMostly 5GMostly 5G

Vinaphone shows a few no-signal points at the west end of Bui Vien, where the street is packed. For maps, rides, and video calls, 4G+ is plenty, so you do not need to hunt for 5G.

Going to the Mekong Delta for the day? Download an offline map first.

Signal on Metro Line 1

Line 1 runs from Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien. It opened on December 22, 2024, and has 14 stations. The first three, Ben Thanh, Opera House, and Ba Son, are underground. The rest are on an elevated track.

We read 67 points along the elevated part, one every 800 feet or so. nPerf has user tests at all of them. 5G leads at every point for Viettel and Vinaphone, and at 66 of 67 for MobiFone. Some of those tests come from the street below the track.

For the underground stations, plan your route while you are still above ground. It stays on your screen if signal drops.

How much data to bring

We use careful numbers: 1 GB covers about 5 hours of maps and rides, or about 1.5 hours of video calls. Plan prices are from our catalog as of October 30, 2026.

Your day5 days10 daysPlan to take
1 hour of maps and ridesAbout 1 GBAbout 2 GB3 GB, 30 days, $9.50
2 hours of maps, 15 minutes of video callsAbout 3 GBAbout 6 GB5 GB for 5 days, $14. 10 GB for 10 days, $24

Save streaming for hotel Wi-Fi. You can add data to the same eSIM if you run short.

Setting up an eSIM before you fly

Scan the QR code at home while you have Wi-Fi. Days start at your first connection in Vietnam, so you can install it weeks ahead. When you land at Tan Son Nhat, turn on data for that line, and your map can load before your bag arrives.

Our Vietnam plans list Viettel, Vinaphone, and MobiFone as networks, and they run from 1 GB for 7 days at $4.50 to 20 GB for 30 days at $42. The eSIM is data only. Your US number stays on as a second line, so you can keep getting bank codes.

Skip it if your US plan already includes enough data in Vietnam. Look it up in your carrier app before you pay for anything. On a daily pass, Verizon lists TravelPass at $12 a day in most countries, and AT&T lists its International Day Pass at $12 a day. See how that adds up.

Going to the beach after the city? We cover the road and the dunes in our guide to internet in Mui Ne and Phan Thiet.

Questions

Can I buy a SIM card at Tan Son Nhat Airport at night?

Don't count on it. Viettel says its counter is in the international arrivals hall, but no hours are posted. An eSIM installed at home works no matter when you land, and the airport has free Wi-Fi as a backup.

Where can I buy a SIM card on a Sunday?

All three shops in our table list Sunday hours. Viettel is open until 8:00 p.m., Vinaphone until 7:00 p.m., and MobiFone until 5:00 p.m.

Is there 5G in Ho Chi Minh City?

Yes, across most of the center. User tests show 5G leading at the airport, on Nguyen Hue, at Ben Thanh Market, and along the riverfront. Bui Vien is more mixed.

Will I have internet on the ride from the airport?

Yes. Both common routes to Ben Thanh Market show 5G leading on all three networks.

Does mobile data work on the metro?

On the elevated part of Line 1, user tests near the track show 5G. The first three stations are underground, so load your route before you go down.

How much data do I need for a week?

3 GB covers an hour of maps and rides a day. Take 5 GB if you add a short video call most days.

Sources

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