Gate-side in T2, Mobifone is your first SIM stop
Just past immigration in Terminal T2, Mobifone Shop is one of the first telecom counters you’ll see on the arrivals level. It focuses on SIM cards and top-ups for Vietnam’s Mobifone network, which covers Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hanoi reliably. Staff usually speak at least basic English and handle passport registration for you, which is required for local SIMs in Vietnam. Figure 10–15 minutes if there’s a short line and people ahead of you are activating data packages.
Opening hours at T2 tend to track international arrivals, roughly early morning to late evening, but not 24/7, so late-night flights landing after 23:00 can find it closed. Prepaid tourist SIMs across Vietnam often sit in the 150,000–300,000 VND range depending on data and validity; expect Mobifone here to price roughly in that band. You’ll need an unlocked phone to use a local SIM, and activation usually happens on the spot while you stand at the counter.
Coverage from Mobifone is generally solid in Ho Chi Minh City and on main routes between SGN and District 1, with 4G usable for maps and ride-hailing apps like Grab. Data packs at airport counters in Vietnam often come with 5–15 GB or more front-loaded, which is enough for a short 7–30 day stay if you mainly use hotel Wi‑Fi. If your flight connects onward from SGN T2, remember you can only use this shop after clearing immigration, not in transit.
Practical tip: screenshot your passport photo page and have 200,000 VND in cash ready at Mobifone T2 to keep the process under five minutes.