crossing land borders terrifies me. I don’t know why. In my early years of travel, I jumped from one country to another by plane. but when you’re backpacking across continental Southeast Asia, it typically can’t be helped because it is the easiest, most affordable way, especially for the Bangkok-Siem Reap route.
I’ve already crossed the Thailand-Cambodia border overland three times now. I still remember how nervous I was on my first time doing it. The whole time, I didn’t know where to go, what to do, how to go about the whole thing. The dozens of touts swarming around me on the way into and out of the immigration building were not helping. I’ve read about the scams that run rampant in the area, and the thought of falling victim to one frightened the hell out of me.
If you’re traveling from Bangkok to Siem Reap and you’re a bit nervous, I know the feeling. Hence, I’m sharing with you this step-by-step guide. You have these options: by direct bus, by common bus, or by train.
यस गाईडमा के भयो?
Bangkok to Siem Reap by direct Bus
Bangkok to Siem Reap by regular Bus
Bangkok to Siem Reap by Train
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यूट्यूबका पोष्टहरूमा थप सुझावहरू:
Bangkok to Siem Reap by direct Bus
You have two bus options. You can travel by bus to Aranyaprathet, the town on the border, then switch to another bus once you’re through with the immigration processes. but you can book a direct bus.
DIRECT BUSES are those that would take you from Bangkok to Siem Reap without switching cars in 9 hours. Although you will still need to get off and go through the immigration counters on your own, you don’t need to bring your luggage with you. You can leave your bags on the bus, go through Immigration, and the same bus will meet you on the other side.
Here’s the whole process:
Go to the bus terminal and board your bus.
Get off at the border. You will be given a badge which you shouldn’t lose because you’ll need it to board the bus on the other side.
Go through the immigration processes as rapidly as you can. Yes, the bus will wait for you, but be mindful of other people’s time too. You’ll enter the Thai immigration building first, go through Immigration, emerge on the other side, walk to the Cambodian side, go through their process this time.
Find your bus on the other side. Hop in and you’ll be on your way to Siem Reap’s city center.
If you have questions or need help, do not hesitate to ask the driver. They’re trained to assist you.
IMPORTANT! You’ll find AN terrible lot of advertisements for direct buses, but many of them are NOT really direct. They still switch buses after the border. I even experienced booking a supposedly direct bus but then at the border, we transferred to a much smaller minibus (van). some of these scammers will squeeze money out of you. There have been reports from other travelers where the bus would make a stop at a travel agency and insist on purchasing visa from them. The catch: these are overpriced inauthentic visas. (If you’re an ASEAN resident, you don’t need a visa!)
If you want a genuinely problem-free direct bus, book only with the following companies:
Transport Co. (Nattakan).
Terminal: Morchit (Mo Chit) aka North Terminal
Leaves Bangkok at 8am and 9am.
Fare: THB 750 ($22) if you book at the terminal; THB 870 ($26) if online.
Giant Ibis
Terminal: Khao San huge Ibis
Leaves Bangkok at 7:45am
Fare: THB 1091 ($32) is you book online
You can purchase tickets at the terminal itself, but there are limited buses per day so you might want to reserve online.
Reserve here: Bangkok-Siem Reap Buses
Book Buses and Trains