How to go from Chau Doc to Can Tho

How to go from Chau Doc to Can Tho
by |Published -Updated

Fresh from our arrival on the boat from Cambodia, down the Mekong (and other rivers) after a night in Chau Doc we were ready to head off.  We’re aiming for the Vietnam Delta – where the Mekong River empties into the South China Sea.  We’ve not visited this area of Vietnam before and so it’s a great adventure.  And more transport options.  So this is our guide on the ways to go from Chau Doc to Can Tho, how long they take, how much they cost, what your choices are, and the details of our journey.  Here’s our guide on how to get to Can Tho from Chau Doc.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

Chau Doc has grown somewhat since we were here last. However in the direction of the Vietnamese Delta, towards Can Tho, there’s not that much has changed in terms of how to get there, and it’s relatively simple.  There are no trains this far down Vietnam, and while there are a lot of waterways around, there’s not always a boat route either. Some routing options will send you via Ho Chi Minh City and turn what is about a 4 hour journey into 11 hours. (here’s a hint, don’t do it!).

BEST WAY TO TRAVEL

Bus Icon

The Easiest Way to go from
Chau Doc to Can Tho

By far the easiest way to go to Can Tho from Chau Doc is to take the bus. Book early for the best prices.

Book your bus here

Can Tho is the largest city of the Vietnam Delta and is about 120 kilometers (74.5 miles) from Chau Doc, road transport to Can Tho will take around 3 hours (for a taxi), and about 4 hours for a bus/minivan.  You’ll need to bear in mind that the bus station in Can Tho is some way out of the city, and while (if you pick the right bus company) you will get a van service from the bus station to your hotel in Can Tho, this also adds to the time it takes, as the connecting van probably won’t leave immediately.

We arrived in Chau Doc from Cambodia – and our guide going from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc is here.

How to Go from Chau Doc to Can Tho – Transport Options

Your options for traveling to Can Tho from Chau Doc are only road transport.  There used to be a boat but it stopped years ago.  So you can only do this route by bus/minivan or by private transfer.  However, there are quite a lot of buses that do this route every day, they’re all run by the same bus company though, so your choice is just about the time of day that you leave Chau Doc.

How to get to Can Tho from Chau Doc

You have two options, you can take the van-bus-van combo offered by Futa Bus Lines, or you can arrange a private transfer.  If you search on some sites you’ll find options that go via Ho Chi Minh City which is pretty pointless and just adds to the time the journey takes.  So pick the direct route.

Minivans / Bus / Minivan from Chau Doc to Can Tho

It’s 120 kilometers (74.5 miles) by road from Chau Doc to Can Tho and taking a bus from Chau Doc to Can Tho is the most popular way to go from Chau Doc to Can Tho.  This is also the cheapest way to travel from Chau Doc to Can Tho.

The first bus of the day leaves Chau Doc at 04:00 arriving at Can Tho bus station at around 08:00.  The last bus of the day to Can Tho from Chau Doc leaves Chau Doc at 18:00 arriving in Can Tho at 22:00.  You can check the times of the buses here.

The bus runs every two hours, with an additional bus at 09:00.  This bus goes from the Futa Bus Lines Chau Doc bus station (which is pretty central in Chau Doc) to the New Can Tho Bus station (which is in the middle of nowhere).  Our ticket also included a pick-up from our hotel in Chau Doc.  Once we arrived at Can Tho New Bus Station we headed to the waiting room for our shuttle bus into Can Tho itself.

Book your bus from Chau Doc to Can Tho here.

It takes about 4 hours to go from Chau Doc bus station to Can Tho bus station.

We were collected from our hotel in Chau Doc in a small cramped van and taken to the Chau Doc bus station.

Chau Doc Bus Station

At the main bus station, we then got on our seats on the larger bus that took us to Can Tho.

Seats on Futabus to Can Tho

The buses run by Futalines are comfortable with great seats.  A world away from some of the old sleeper buses that we’ve encountered in our times with Vietnam transportation.  Bang on four hours later we arrived at the New Can Tho bus Station.  Which is nowhere near Can Tho itself. 

Waiting room in Can Tho New Bus Station

Once you get off the bus from Chau Doc you’ll need to go into the waiting room (it’s the only place around), and go up to the desk, tell them where you’re going.  There wasn’t much English spoken here, but we had the address of our hotel written down and handed it over at the desk.  We were then given our “tickets” for the next shuttle to our hotel area.

Shuttle Tickets to Can Tho

The announcements are made in Vietnamese for the shuttles going into Can Tho, so you’re best waiting close to the counter and looking quizzical each time there’s an announcement.  Someone will come to your rescue and point you to the door when it’s your shuttle that’s going.

Shuttle Van to Can Tho center

And then you’ll, as we did, decamp to a shuttle bus, telling the driver where you’re heading to, and he’ll drive around Can Tho in circles gradually losing, I mean dropping off, passengers, until you get to your hotel.

And there you are.  In Can Tho.  Ready to explore all that this major city of the Delta has to offer.

Taxi from Chau Doc to Can Tho

Taking a private taxi to Can Tho from Chau Doc is the fastest way to go to Can Tho, as you’ll get transported from your hotel in Chau Doc to your hotel in Can Tho.  If there are four or more of you, this is likely a really good deal.  This is the most comfortable and convenient way to travel from Chau Doc to Can Tho.  You’ll need to arrange this with your hotel.

Map of Bus Stations to go from Chau Doc to Can Tho

You can also see the full map of bus office in Chau Doc and the Can Tho bus station here.

Chau Doc to Can Tho map

Key Routes to Travel in Vietnam

Want to know more about different forms of transport in Vietnam? Our guide to Vietnam transport is here. And here’s how to travel some of the popular routes around Vietnam, your options, and how we did it.

The cheapest way to go from Chau Doc to Can Tho

The cheapest way to get to Can Tho from Chau Doc is to take the van + bus + van service – reserve your seats here.  

FAQs about this journey from Chau Doc to Can Tho

Drop us a line if you have questions about this trip or if our answers below don’t cover it for you.

What is the distance from Chau Doc to Can Tho?

It’s about 120 kilometers (74.5 miles) by road from Chau Doc to Can Tho.

How long does it take to travel from Chau Doc to Can Tho?

It takes about 3 hours by private taxi from Chau Doc to Can Tho, if you take the bus then is about 4 hours to go from Chau Doc bus station to the New Can Tho Bus Station, which is quite a way out of the city of Can Tho, so you’ll have to also factor in time to get from the Can Tho bus station to the center of Can Tho.

Is there a boat from Chau Doc to Can Tho?

No, there are no boats that go from Chau Doc to Can Tho.  (There was years ago, but it stopped, years ago too)

Travel Tips for Exploring Vietnam

Final Words on How to Go from Chau Doc to Can Tho

While there is only one bus company that goes from Chau Doc to Can Tho, it does run up to 9 buses a day on this route.  It’s an easy trip, complete with pick-up and drop-off at both ends of the journey from and to your hotels if you buy the right ticket.  And it’s a comfortable journey, taking around 4 hours for the main part of the trip (not including transfers).

ASocialNomad is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, and amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

AUTHOR

Sarah Carter
Sarah Carter is an avid reader, writer and traveller. She loves hiking, sailing, skiing and exploring the world through food. She left a successful career in IT security and compliance in both the UK and US to travel the world with husband and partner in adventure, Nigel.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *