MY THO TO CAN THO — TRAVEL Q&A

1/ What is the connection between My Tho and Can Tho for travelers doing the Mekong Delta?

My Tho serves as the gateway from Saigon for island tours, while Can Tho offers the authentic "deep delta" experience with its iconic floating markets. Travelers typically bridge these two hubs via a 2-hour drive on the CT01 expressway, crossing the impressive My Thuan cable-stay bridge.

2/ How far is My Tho from Can Tho?

The 111 km journey via the Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway and CT01 has eliminated ferry delays, cutting travel time to roughly 2 hours. While the expressway sections allow for high-speed transit, travelers should account for city traffic at both the My Tho departure and Can Tho entry points.

3/ My Tho to Can Tho Route Map

Route: My Tho → Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway → My Thuan Bridge → CT01 → Can Tho

4/ Is there a direct bus from My Tho to Can Tho?

Yes — Phuong Trang and other operators run buses between My Tho and Can Tho, typically taking 2.5–3.5 hours including stops and the time spent loading and unloading passengers. The bus drops at Can Tho Mien Tay bus station, which sits outside the city center and the riverside area — from there you need a taxi or rideshare to reach Ninh Kieu Wharf or your accommodation, adding 20–40 minutes and additional cost. For a solo traveler on a budget with no time pressure, the bus is functional. For anyone who wants to arrive directly at their hotel, who is traveling with family or luggage, or who wants the departure time to be theirs rather than the bus company's, the private car covers the same 111 km in 2 hours 3 minutes door-to-door. The expressway makes the private car considerably faster than the bus on this route.

My Tho to Can Tho: Transport Options Compared (2026)

5/ How to book and pay?

Send your pickup address in My Tho, your preferred departure time, number of passengers, and luggage count via WhatsApp, Zalo or Viber: (+84) 976 694 384 or email muineprivatecarservice@gmail.com. We confirm the same day.

Book at muineprivatecar.net. Payment in cash at drop-off, or in advance by Visa, Mastercard, or Bank Transfer. Available 24/7.

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MY THO TO CAN THO PRIVATE CAR TRANSFER

I. My Tho to Can Tho via Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway and CT01

Based on your preferred departure time, the driver arrives at your guesthouse, hotel, or any My Tho address and the transfer begins. The route heads west from My Tho on the Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway — the expressway that connects My Tho to the My Thuan Bridge crossing. At My Thuan, the road crosses the Tien River on the My Thuan cable-stay bridge, one of the earliest cable-stay bridges built in the Mekong Delta and still one of the most impressive from a vehicle at deck height. After the bridge, the route joins CT01 heading west and then south through Vinh Long province before arriving in Can Tho.

Private Car from My Tho to Can Tho (Around 2 Hours 3 Minutes)

Leaving My Tho, the road passes through the city's western outskirts before the expressway begins. The Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway section is flat, fast, and flanked by delta lowland on both sides — rice paddies, fish ponds, and the occasional village tree line. The My Thuan Bridge crossing is the visual highlight of the route: a cable-stay span over the wide brown Tien River with views upstream and downstream of the river traffic and the flat delta horizon. After the bridge, CT01 continues through Vinh Long province and into Can Tho, where the driver navigates to your exact hotel address — near Ninh Kieu Wharf, the Cai Rang floating market boat departure area, the city center, or anywhere else in Can Tho.

On arrival the driver drops you at your exact address, assists with luggage, and completes a final vehicle check. Remaining balance settled at drop-off if not pre-paid.

Pick-Up & Departure

We pick up from any location in My Tho — hotels near the My Tho riverfront, guesthouses in the city center, the My Tho boat pier for island tours, or any private address. If you are finishing a delta circuit from a nearby location — Ben Tre, Cai Be, or Vinh Long — and want pickup from there rather than My Tho, we can adjust the route and quote accordingly.

For a comfortable arrival in Can Tho, a 7:00–8:00am departure from My Tho arrives by 9:00–10:00am — early enough to arrange a Cai Rang floating market boat for the following morning, check in before midday, and spend the afternoon on the Can Tho canal network. If you want to be on the floating market boat the same morning you arrive in Can Tho — the market runs from around 5:00am and is largely over by 9:00am — the private car cannot cover that same-day connection from My Tho, as the market would already be winding down by your arrival time. Plan the market for your second morning in Can Tho.

During the Journey

The driver takes the expressway route: Trung Luong–My Thuan from My Tho, then CT01 after the My Thuan Bridge. The expressway is consistent pace throughout — no town-center slowing, no market-hour junctions. The entry and exit sections — navigating out of My Tho and into Can Tho — are the only national-road sections where pace reduces, and both are short. At just over 2 hours, this is one of the shorter transfers in the delta and does not typically need a rest stop. If you want a brief coffee pull-over near Vinh Long, the driver can arrange it without significantly extending the total journey time.

The My Thuan Bridge — The Crossing That Changed the Delta

Before the My Thuan Bridge opened in 2000, crossing the Tien River on this corridor required a car ferry that could queue for 30–90 minutes during peak times. The bridge was the first cable-stay bridge built in the Mekong Delta and its opening transformed the travel time between the upper and lower delta significantly. The Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway added further in 2021 by connecting My Tho to the bridge on a fully separated expressway rather than the old QL1A national highway route that passed through every town on the way. The result is the current 2-hour drive from My Tho to Can Tho — a journey that once took 4–5 hours with the ferry crossing and the town-center delays. From the bridge deck, the view over the Tien River shows the full width of this major Mekong arm and the river traffic that still defines the delta's commercial life.

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II. Can Tho to My Tho (Reverse Direction)

Traveling the opposite direction — from Can Tho to My Tho — we run the same expressway route in reverse on CT01 and the Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway east. Common reasons include travelers finishing their Can Tho delta visit and heading to My Tho for the island tours before returning to Ho Chi Minh City, or travelers making a day trip from Can Tho to the My Tho river islands and returning. The drive is the same 111 km / approximately 2 hours 3 minutes.

Book both legs together for the best combined rate and confirmed vehicles in both directions.

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From travelers who have used Mui Ne Private Car across southern Vietnam and the Mekong Delta.

My Tho — What to Do Before Heading to Can Tho

My Tho is the provincial capital of Tien Giang province and the northernmost city of the Mekong Delta, situated on the northern bank of the Tien River where the Mekong splits into its main Vietnamese channels. Its position — 70 km from Ho Chi Minh City, accessible by a straight expressway — has made it the most visited delta city for day-trippers from HCMC, and the boat dock at the My Tho waterfront has been sending tourist boats to the river islands for decades. The four main islands in the Tien River downstream from the city — Unicorn Island (Con Lan), Phoenix Island (Con Phung), Dragon Island (Con Rong), and Tortoise Island (Con Qui) — give the area its tourist name, the Four Dragon Islands. They are river islands in the true sense: fruit orchards, beehive farms, coconut candy workshops, and the particular narrowness of the canal channels that run between the orchard rows. The Tien Giang honey bee farms are the best in the delta. The Vinh Trang Pagoda, 2 km outside the city center, is a working Buddhist temple of genuine size and architectural interest — French–Chinese hybrid style built in 1849, with enormous Buddha statues visible from the road.

What to do in My Tho before your Can Tho departure:

• Boat trip to the Four Dragon Islands: A half-day boat from the My Tho waterfront pier covers the main islands in 3–4 hours and is the primary reason most travelers stop in My Tho. The circuit typically includes a visit to a coconut candy workshop, a honey bee farm tasting session, a stretch through the narrow canal channels between the orchard rows, and time at a fruit stall eating longan, mangosteen, or pomelo depending on the season. Morning departures from 7:30am are standard. If you plan to take a boat and then continue to Can Tho by car, arrange your boat for the morning and car departure for the early afternoon.
• Vinh Trang Pagoda: The largest pagoda in the Mekong Delta region by grounds area — a French–Chinese architectural hybrid built in 1849 and substantially expanded since. The main gate is a genuinely impressive piece of ceramic tile mosaic work; the grounds contain multiple Buddha statues including a large reclining Buddha visible from outside the walls. Active monks in residence; no entrance fee. 2 km from the My Tho city center by motorbike taxi or a short drive from your hotel.
• My Tho market and the Tien Giang fish sauce stalls: The central market area near the river runs from early morning with fresh river fish from the Tien River, delta produce, and the particular variety of Tien Giang dried seafood that is sold here at source prices. The waterfront walking street above the pier is the best place to see the My Tho river traffic — cargo boats, island ferries, and the tourist boat fleet preparing for morning departures.
• Hu tieu My Tho — the city's signature noodle soup: Hu tieu My Tho is a specific regional variant of the southern noodle soup — thinner noodles, pork broth, a combination of ground pork, prawns, and pork liver, served with a plate of fresh bean sprouts and lime. It is distinct enough from the Can Tho or HCMC versions that locals from other delta cities visit My Tho specifically to eat it. The best versions are at street stalls and small shops near the central market that open from 5:00am and close by 10:00am when the first batch is sold out.

Can Tho — What to Do When You Arrive

Can Tho is the largest city in the Mekong Delta and the one that rewards staying longer than a single day. The city sits on the Can Tho River, a branch of the Hau River (one of the main Mekong channels), and the entire waterfront from Ninh Kieu Wharf southward is lined with riverside restaurants, boat departure piers, and the night market that fills the waterfront walkway from 6:00pm. The Cai Rang floating market — the largest wholesale floating market still operating in the delta — is on the Can Tho River 6 km from the city center and is best reached by a 30–40 minute boat from the Ninh Kieu pier at 5:00–5:30am. It is a genuine wholesale market where boats loaded with watermelon, pineapple, durian, and other delta produce sell to buyers from smaller boats — the wholesale character, operating without tourist-market pricing, makes it more interesting than many staged alternatives elsewhere.

What to do in Can Tho:

• Cai Rang floating market at dawn: Depart the Ninh Kieu boat pier no later than 5:30am for the 30–40 minute boat ride to Cai Rang. The market is most active from 6:00 to 8:00am — after 9:00am the wholesale trading slows and the market thins. The boats sell from the prow with the goods they carry hung on a pole above — a bamboo stem with the product visible from a distance, the traditional delta market signaling system. Arrange the boat through your hotel or a boat operator on the Ninh Kieu waterfront the evening before arrival.
• Phong Dien floating market: Smaller and less visited than Cai Rang, Phong Dien market is a retail floating market — direct sales to individuals rather than wholesale to boat buyers — located 20 km southwest of the city center. It operates from around 5:00am and has a more local, less tourist-oriented character than Cai Rang. Best reached by motorbike or private car rather than boat. If you have already seen Cai Rang on a previous visit, Phong Dien is the better morning option.
• Ninh Kieu Wharf and the waterfront night market: The Ninh Kieu riverfront is the social center of Can Tho — a promenade with river views, the statue of Ho Chi Minh facing the water, boat tour operators, and the string of restaurants and cafes that face the river. The night market on the waterfront runs from 6:00pm with grilled seafood, fresh spring rolls, banh xeo (sizzling crepe), and the riverside seating that makes evening in Can Tho considerably more pleasant than most delta cities.
• Binh Thuy ancient house: A well-preserved 19th-century merchant's house in the Binh Thuy district of Can Tho, built in a hybrid Vietnamese–French colonial style that reflects the delta's history as both a trading center and a colonial administrative city. The house appeared in the film adaptation of Marguerite Duras' novel The Lover and has been maintained in its original condition. The surrounding orchard gardens and the canal views from the grounds are as interesting as the house interior.
• Can Tho Museum: A free provincial museum in the city center covering the natural history, ethnic minority groups, and historical development of the Can Tho delta region. The Khmer cultural artifacts and the section on the American War's impact on the delta are the most distinctive parts. Takes 1–1.5 hours; best visited in the heat of midday when outdoor activity is uncomfortable.

Why Book With Us?

• Expressway speed, no ferry uncertainty. The Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway and CT01 combination covers this route in just over 2 hours with no ferry waits and no town-center delays. The old QL1A national highway route through the same distance took 3–4 hours. Expressway driving is what makes the private car faster than the bus on this particular route.

• Arrival directly at Ninh Kieu Wharf area. Can Tho's guesthouses and the boat departure piers for Cai Rang market are concentrated near Ninh Kieu on the riverfront. The private car takes you there. The bus drops at Mien Tay bus station on the city outskirts and you add another 20–40 minutes by taxi.

• Departure after your My Tho island boat trip. A morning boat to the Four Dragon Islands typically returns by 11:00am–12:00pm. A private car pickup at 12:00–1:00pm puts you in Can Tho by mid-afternoon — the natural sequence for travelers spending a morning on the water in My Tho before moving on to Can Tho for the afternoon.

• Modern fleet, 2023–2026 models. Sedan for couples, SUV for families, Minivan or Van for groups. All fully air-conditioned — the expressway drive between these two delta cities is one of the most straightforward transfers in the region.

• Driver details the night before. Name, direct phone number, and license plate via WhatsApp before 21:00 Vietnam time. Direct line if your My Tho departure time shifts after the island boat returns later than expected.

• Fixed price, expressway tolls included. Fuel, driver costs, and all Trung Luong–My Thuan and CT01 toll fees are included. You pay what we quote.

Mui Ne Private Car Team

111 km, just over two hours. The drive on the Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway and CT01 crosses the Tien River on the My Thuan Bridge and arrives in Can Tho in time for the afternoon. A private car makes it the simplest connection in the delta: your departure time, your hotel door in Can Tho, and the evening free for Ninh Kieu waterfront and the night market. Get in touch today with your My Tho pickup address and preferred departure time and we confirm your booking by return message.

How the Service Works

1. Night before: driver details to your WhatsApp
   Before 21:00 Vietnam time, you receive your driver's full name, direct phone number, vehicle type, and license plate. No surprises on departure day.
2. Pickup in My Tho — at your door, on time

   The driver arrives at your hotel, boat pier, or any My Tho address at the agreed time. Bags loaded, Can Tho drop-off address confirmed. If you are returning from an island boat trip, tell us your expected return time and we schedule pickup accordingly.

3. Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway → My Thuan Bridge → CT01 → Can Tho

   Approximately 2 hours 3 minutes. Expressway from My Tho to My Thuan Bridge over the Tien River, then CT01 west and south through Vinh Long into Can Tho. All expressway toll fees included. No ferry crossings, no national highway town-center sections.

4. Arrival in Can Tho — drop-off at your exact address
   Delivered to your hotel or guesthouse near Ninh Kieu Wharf, the city center, the Cai Rang area, or anywhere in Can Tho city. Bags unloaded, balance settled on the spot.

FAQs — Private Car My Tho to Can Tho

Related Routes from My Tho and the Upper Mekong Delta

• Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho private car (via CT01)
• Can Tho to Ben Tre private car
• Cai Be to Can Tho private car
• My Tho to Ho Chi Minh City private car

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