# Saigon Central Post Office, Ho Chi Minh City > Saigon Central Post Office is a working post office built by the French in 1886–1891: a yellow facade with a clock and a vaulted iron-framed hall across the square from Notre-Dame Cathedral. Entry is free and 20–40 minutes is enough. It opens daily: safely 8:00–17:00, unofficially from about 7:00 until 18:00–19:00. Web page: https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-central-post-office - City: [Ho Chi Minh City](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city), Vietnam - YesGo score: 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 30 min - Entry: Free - With kids: Fine with kids - Admission: Free, no ticket - Hours: Unofficial: daily from about 7:00 until 18:00–19:00; guides disagree, the safe window is 8:00–17:00 - Closed: No weekly closing day; hours may be shorter around Tet - Time needed: 20 minutes for the hall, 40 with postcards and photos - Address: 2 Công xã Paris, Sài Gòn ward (old District 1); in Grab, ‘Bưu điện Trung tâm Sài Gòn’ - Metro: Line 1, Opera House (Nhà hát Thành phố) station — about 10 minutes on foot - Payment: Stamps and postcards: carry small VND notes - Coordinates: 10.77990, 106.69990 - Facts checked: 05.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1886–1891** — when the present building went up, under French rule in Cochinchina (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia; vietnamtourism.com) - **Still open** — a working Vietnam Post office, not a museum: stamps, letters, parcels (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **Not Eiffel** — often credited to Gustave Eiffel, but records name French colonial architects instead (source: English Wikipedia; vietnamtourism.com) - **Foulhoux** — Alfred Foulhoux is the usual attribution; Vietnamese Wikipedia credits Auguste Henri Vildieu, assisted by Foulhoux (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **2 maps** — hand-drawn maps on the hall walls: Saigon and its surroundings in 1892, and the telegraph lines of southern Vietnam and Cambodia (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **Iron** — metal columns and trusses with decorative joints hold up the vaulted roof (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **Scientists** — plaques on the facade name pioneers of telegraphy and electricity: Morse, Ampère, Volta, Ohm, Faraday (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **Clock** — a large clock above the main arch crowns the facade (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia; vietnamtourism.com) - **Eclectic** — European architecture with Eastern decorative touches (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia) > **Go before 9am** The post office is on every Saigon city tour, and **from about 9:30 until lunch** groups file through one after another. The glass roof heats the hall, and in the dry season it gets stuffy by midday. The calmest time is right after opening, roughly 7:00–8:30; late afternoon is the next best. ## What are Saigon Central Post Office opening hours? It opens **every day, weekends included**. Vietnam Post doesn’t publish separate visiting hours, and guides disagree. The most common answer is **about 7:00–19:00 daily**; others give weekdays until 17:00, Saturday until 18:00 and Sunday 8:00–18:00. The window every source agrees on is **8:00–17:00**. If you want to post a letter or buy stamps at a counter, come then: the postal counters can close before the hall and the souvenir stands do. Around Tet (Lunar New Year) and national holidays, hours may be cut. Mornings are the safe bet on those days. ## Is Saigon Central Post Office free? Yes — there is **no ticket** and no donation box you have to fill. You only pay if you buy a postcard, stamps or a souvenir. Bring small Vietnamese dong notes: the counters and souvenir stands are a cash world, and cards are not something to count on here. Grab, for getting here, takes cash or a card linked in the app. Allow **20 minutes** for the hall and facade, or about **40 minutes** if you write postcards and take photos. ## Is it worth visiting? Yes, if you are in the centre: it is one of the city’s finest buildings, it is free, and it shares a square with Notre-Dame Cathedral, with Book Street and the Opera House a short walk away. Don’t cross town just for it, though — it works best as one stop on a walk around the old French quarter. The real reason to come is the hall itself: a long iron-framed vault that still does its original job. Buying a stamp at a 19th-century counter is the cheapest souvenir in Saigon. ## A short history: who built it, and was it Eiffel? In Vietnamese it is **Bưu điện Trung tâm Sài Gòn** — ‘Saigon Central Post Office’. It was built in 1886–1891, when the south of Vietnam was the French colony of Cochinchina. The style is eclectic: a European facade of arches and pilasters outside, and inside a long barrel-vaulted hall on iron columns. You will often read that Gustave Eiffel designed it. He didn’t — there is no record of it. English Wikipedia credits Alfred Foulhoux; Vietnamese Wikipedia names Auguste Henri Vildieu with Foulhoux assisting. We stick with French colonial architects and leave Eiffel out. The building still works as a post office, run by Vietnam Post: people buy stamps and send letters and parcels. It is also very much a sight, with postcards, books and souvenirs on sale in the hall. ## What to see inside - **The clock facade** — yellow render, green shutters and a big clock above the main arch. It looks best from the cathedral side of the square. - **Scientists’ names** on the facade plaques — Morse, Ampère, Volta, Ohm, Faraday and other pioneers of telegraphy and electricity. - **The main hall** — a barrel vault on iron columns and trusses with patterned joints. Stand at the entrance to see all the way to the far wall. - **Two old maps** on the side walls: Saigon and its surroundings in 1892, and the telegraph lines of southern Vietnam and Cambodia. Both are hand-drawn and restored. - **The portrait of Ho Chi Minh** — a large portrait on the far wall, part of the interior. - **Wooden phone booths** along the wall and the old counters — barely used now, but still in place. - **Souvenir stands** — postcards, collectors’ stamps, notebooks and books. ## Sending a postcard from Saigon This is the thing to do here: buy a card, stick on a stamp and drop it in the box in the historic hall. **Stamps are sold at the postal counters** at the normal rate. International postage depends on the destination and rates change, so ask at the counter rather than trust a figure online. Cards in the hall cost more than on Book Street next door — buy them there and come back for the stamp. Write the address in Latin letters with the country in capitals. Unofficially, cards take **two to four weeks** to reach Europe or North America. The public letter writer who once helped visitors write and translate letters is no longer here: the last one worked at his desk in the hall until the early 2020s. ## How to get to Saigon Central Post Office 1. **The post office is on Công xã Paris square**, facing Notre-Dame Cathedral. Look for the cathedral’s twin towers. 2. **By metro** — Line 1 to **Opera House (Nhà hát Thành phố)** station, then about 10 minutes’ walk north-west up Đồng Khởi street to the square. 3. **From Ben Thanh Market** — 15–20 minutes on foot via Lê Lợi and Đồng Khởi, or one metro stop to Opera House. 4. **From Nguyen Hue walking street** — about 10 minutes on foot. 5. **By Grab or taxi** — set ‘Bưu điện Trung tâm Sài Gòn’ or 2 Công xã Paris. Grab takes cash or a card in the app. 6. **From Tan Son Nhat airport** — Grab or taxi in 25–40 minutes, or bus 109 to the centre near Ben Thanh Market, then walk or take the metro. 7. Next door: [Notre-Dame Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-notre-dame-cathedral) across the square and the [Independence Palace](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/independence-palace) about 10 minutes’ walk away, via Công xã Paris and Lê Duẩn. ## Next door: Notre-Dame and Book Street Right across the square stands **Notre-Dame Cathedral**. It is under a major restoration, it is closed to sightseers and open inside only for Mass, so check its page before planning around it. To the right of the post office runs **Book Street** (Đường sách Nguyễn Văn Bình), a pedestrian strip of bookshops and cafés between Công xã Paris and Hai Bà Trưng. Postcards are cheaper here. Unofficially it is open about 8:00–21:00, a little later at weekends. ## Post office, cathedral or Book Street? | | Central Post Office | Notre-Dame Cathedral | Book Street | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Working post office, 1886–1891 | Catholic cathedral under restoration | Pedestrian street of bookshops | | Entry | Free | Free | Free | | What you can see | Hall, postal counters, souvenirs | Mostly the exterior | Shops and cafés | | Hours | Daily, safely 8:00–17:00 | Outside at any time | Unofficially about 8:00–21:00 | | Time needed | 20–40 minutes | 10–15 minutes outside | 20–30 minutes | Cathedral details from vietnamtourism.com and Tuổi Trẻ; Book Street from Vietnamese media and travel guides. All three sit around one square, so an hour covers them. ## Before you go Tick off what’s ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Arrive before 9:00 or in the late afternoon - [ ] Small VND notes for postcards and stamps - [ ] Addresses for postcards written in Latin letters - [ ] Water: the hall gets hot by midday - [ ] Know that Notre-Dame next door is under restoration ## Historic sights in Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City’s historic places scored by YesGo. - [Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-notre-dame-cathedral) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free; inside only during Mass - [Saigon Central Post Office](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-central-post-office) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Independence Palace](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/independence-palace) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 40,000–80,000 VND - [Saigon Opera House](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-opera-house) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free outside; inside with a show ticket - [Ben Thanh Market](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/ben-thanh-market) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry - [War Remnants Museum](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/war-remnants-museum) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 60,000 VND; concessions 30,000 - [Museum of Vietnamese History](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/museum-of-vietnamese-history) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 60,000 VND; kids and students free - [Cu Chi Tunnels](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/cu-chi-tunnels) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ≈ 90,000–110,000 VND ## Central Saigon morning: palace, cathedral, post office, opera and market Start at the Independence Palace, then the cathedral and post office on the same square, the Opera House at the bottom of Đồng Khởi and Ben Thanh Market for lunch. Add it to your route and YesGo sets the times and walks. 1. [Independence Palace](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/independence-palace) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 40,000–80,000 VND 2. [Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-notre-dame-cathedral) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free; inside only during Mass 3. [Saigon Central Post Office](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-central-post-office) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 4. [Saigon Opera House](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-opera-house) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free outside; inside with a show ticket 5. [Ben Thanh Market](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/ben-thanh-market) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry > **Photographing the post office** The whole facade fits in the frame from the cathedral side of the square. In the morning the sun is on the front, and the yellow render glows. Inside, the classic shot runs from the entrance down the hall as the vault recedes to the far wall — come at opening time to get it empty. ## Don’t confuse Saigon Central Post Office is not the Hanoi Post Office by Hoan Kiem Lake, a different building at the other end of the country. ‘Saigon’ and ‘Ho Chi Minh City’ are the same city: locals still call the centre Saigon. ## Tips - Arrive before 9:00 — tour groups fill the hall later in the morning. - Buy postcards on Book Street, where they are cheaper, and the stamps at the post office counter. - Write the destination country clearly in capitals. - Bring cash in small VND notes for stamps and cards. - Pair it with the cathedral and Book Street — all three are on one square. - In the dry season the hall is hot under the glass roof by midday; carry water. ## Questions ### What are Saigon Central Post Office opening hours? It opens daily. Unofficially, about 7:00 until 18:00–19:00; guides disagree, and the safe window is 8:00–17:00. ### Is there an entrance fee? No, entry is free. You only pay for postcards, stamps and souvenirs, best in cash. ### Where is Saigon Central Post Office? At 2 Công xã Paris, facing Notre-Dame Cathedral across the square, in the old centre of Ho Chi Minh City. ### How do I get to Saigon Central Post Office? Metro Line 1 to Opera House station, then about 10 minutes on foot; or 15–20 minutes’ walk from Ben Thanh Market. In Grab, set ‘Bưu điện Trung tâm Sài Gòn’. ### Can you send a postcard from Saigon Central Post Office? Yes, it is a working post office and sells stamps at the counters. Unofficially, cards take two to four weeks to reach Europe or North America. ### Did Gustave Eiffel design Saigon Central Post Office? No, that is a myth. Sources credit French colonial architects, most often Alfred Foulhoux. ### How long do you need there? About 20 minutes for the hall and facade, or 40 if you buy postcards and take photos. ### What is inside the post office? An iron-framed vaulted hall, two old maps of Saigon and the south, a large portrait of Ho Chi Minh on the far wall, wooden phone booths and souvenir stands. ### Is Notre-Dame Cathedral next door open? It is under a major restoration, it is closed to sightseers and open inside only for Mass. See its own page for details. ### Is Saigon Central Post Office worth visiting? Yes, as a stop on a walk around the centre: it is free and next to the cathedral, Book Street and the Opera House. It isn’t worth a special trip on its own. ## How we checked The post office publishes no visiting hours, so hours come from travel guides and are marked unofficial. They differ: 7:00–19:00 daily (vietnamtourism.com), 7:30–18:00 (vietjetair.com), and weekdays 7:00–17:00, Saturday 7:00–18:00, Sunday 8:00–18:00 (mia.vn and others); we give the overall range plus the safe window of 8:00–17:00. Architect: English Wikipedia and vietnamtourism.com credit Alfred Foulhoux, Vietnamese Wikipedia Auguste Henri Vildieu assisted by Foulhoux; we mention both and treat the Eiffel link as a myth. The telegraph map is dated 1892 in English Wikipedia and 1936 in Vietnamese Wikipedia, so we give a year only for the Saigon map (1892 in both). Cathedral status is from Tuổi Trẻ’s restoration coverage and vietnamtourism.com; work is still under way. Postage rates change and sources disagree, so we don’t quote a figure. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Saigon Central Post Office — dates, architects and the Eiffel myth, maps, scientists’ plaques, portrait, owner - Vietnamese Wikipedia: Bưu điện Trung tâm Sài Gòn — current address, iron-framed vault, maps, facade clock, 2014 repainting - Wikidata Q2227270 — name, coordinates - vietnamtourism.com (English and Vietnamese) — unofficial hours, entry, time needed, phone booths, postcards, walk from the metro and market, best time - vietjetair.com, mia.vn — opening hours - Tuổi Trẻ — Notre-Dame Cathedral restoration - English Wikipedia: Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1 — Ben Thanh and Opera House stations - VOH, Vinpearl — Book Street location and hours - VietnamNet, Al Jazeera — the post office’s last public letter writer --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.