Getting Around Phan Thiet
Phan Thiet is a coastal ward of Lâm Đồng province in Vietnam, and it serves as a practical base for exploring the surrounding area, including the Mui Ne and Ham Tien resort strip. Getting around is fairly straightforward, though the options are limited and you will rely mostly on buses, taxis and motorbike taxis. There is no metro or tram network here, and the rail system is geared toward intercity travel rather than moving around town.
Rail
Phan Thiet has two railway stations, but neither functions as a local transit option. They are useful for arriving in or leaving the area by train.
- Phan Thiết Railway Station sits a short distance from the center and is where you can catch the bus onward to Mui Ne and the Ham Tien resort strip. This station only serves trains to and from Ho Chi Minh City. Trains depart daily around 06:30 from Ho Chi Minh City and arrive roughly five hours later, with the return trip leaving Phan Thiet around 13:30.
- Bình Thuận Railway Station is farther out from Phan Thiet and is reached only by taxi or by hitchhiking. All trains running between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi stop here.
Taxis are abundant from both stations, so you should have no trouble continuing your journey once you arrive.
Buses and Public Transport
Several public bus routes cover the city, and route information is posted at some bus stop shelters, which makes them reasonably easy to use once you find a stop. The buses are also your link to the coast: routes no. 1 and 9 run to and from Mui Ne. When boarding or alighting these routes, look for stops either near Lotte Mart or at the next larger junction south of Lotte.
For longer journeys, Phan Thiet Bus Station has connections to the main nearby cities and tourist destinations, including Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat, Nha Trang and Quy Nhon, as well as to smaller towns. Timetables are displayed at the station.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are the easiest way of getting around the city. Ride-hailing through Grab is rare here, so it is better not to count on it as your main option. As a rough guide to cost, a short ride of about two kilometers can set you back somewhere in the range of 70,000 to 90,000 dong.
Motorbike taxis are another common choice and are worth relying on, particularly for short hops where a car taxi may be more than you need.
Walking
Walking works for getting around within a given area, but the city is spread out enough that you will likely want a bus, taxi or motorbike taxi for longer trips. The bus network and the availability of taxis from the railway stations make it easy to combine walking with a short ride when needed.
Getting There from the Airport
Phan Thiet does not have its own airport. The nearest practical arrival points are Tan Son Nhat International Airport, which serves Ho Chi Minh City, and Cam Ranh International Airport, which serves Nha Trang. Both are relatively close to Phan Thiet and both have routes to Korea, Russia and other large cities in Vietnam.
From either airport, your onward options into Phan Thiet are the intercity bus network, a taxi, or the train. If you arrive by train, note that Phan Thiết Railway Station connects only with Ho Chi Minh City, while Bình Thuận Railway Station handles the longer north–south services and is reached by taxi. Once you are in Phan Thiet, buses no. 1 and 9 continue on to Mui Ne and the Ham Tien resort strip if that is where you are headed.