Cambodia: Overland Travel and International Border Crossings

The Thai crossing at Poipet is the most accessible to Siem Reap; the Thai crossing at Koh Kong and the Vietnamese crossings at Ha Tien and Phnom Den give international access to southern Cambodia; and the Vietnamese crossings at Moc Bai and Chau Doc are most convenient to Phnom Penh.

Crossings with Thailand

1. Aranyaprathet, Thailand/Poipet, Cambodia (Most direct access to Siem Reap)
2. Hat Lek, Thailand/Koh Kong, Cambodia (Cham Yeam Checkpoint) (Most direct access to Sihanoukville)
3. Chong Jom, Thailand/O'Smach, Oddar Meanchey, Cambodia
4. Chong Sa Ngam, Thailand/Anlong Veng, Oddar Meanchey, Cambodia
5. Ban Pakard, Chantaburi, Thailand/Phsar Prom Pailin, Cambodia (Prom Checkpoint)
6. Ban Laem, Chantaburi, Thailand/Daung Lem, Battambang, Cambodia (Daung Checkpoint)

Crossings with Vietnam
7. Bavet Checkpoint: Moc Bai, Vietnam/Bavet, Svay Rieng, Cambodia (To/from Phnom Penh)
8. Ving Xuong, Vietnam/Kaam Samnor, Kandal, Cambodia ("The Chau Doc Crossing") (To/from Phnom Penh)

9. Tinh Bien, Vietnam/Phnom Den, Takeo, Cambodia (To/from Phnom Penh or Kampot/Kep)

10. Trapeang Phlong Border Pass: Xa Mat, Vietnam/Trapeang Phlong, Kampong Cham, Cambodia

11. Xa Xia, Vietnam/Prek Chak, Cambodia ('Ha Tien crossing') - (To/from Kampot/Kep) Newly opened international border crossing.

12. Le Tanh,Gia Lai Province, Vietnam/O’Yadaw, Ratanakiri, Cambodia - Newly opened international border crossing. Travelers report Cambodian visas available at the border. Vietnamese visas NOT available at the border. Visa status is unconfirmed by official sources.

13. Trapeang Srer International Border Checkpoint, Kratie Province

14. Banteay Chakrey International Border Checkpoint, Prey Veng Province

Crossings with Laos
13. Voeung Kam, Laos/Dom Kralor, Cambodia

Visas at Overland Border Crossings

See Visas page for prices and other details on visas.

Border crossing with Laos: This is a semi-official crossing. Border policies are not stable. Cambodian visas are available at the border. Laos visas are not available.

Border crossings with Vietnam: Cambodian visas are available at the Bavet/Moc Bai and Chau Doc (Kaam Samnor) crossings. Availability of visas at the new Phnom Den and Kampong Cham crossings is unknown. Vietnamese visas are not available at any crossing.

Border crossings with Thailand: Cambodian visas and 30-day Thai transit visas are available at all Thai/Cambodian border crossings. Thai transit visas are free of charge. Other types of Thai visas are not available.

Border Crossings with Vietnam

Bavet Checkpoint: Moc Bai, Vietnam / Bavet, Cambodia (Route 1 to Phnom Penh)
Cambodian visas available at the border. Vietnamese visas NOT available at the border. Cambodian E-Visa accepted at this crossing.
The Moc Bai crossing is the closest and most convenient to Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City. The road from Phnom Penh, through the Moc Bai crossing to Ho Chi Minh City is in very good condition except for short stretches under construction between Neak Loung and Phnom Penh. At peak traffic hours and holidays there can be long waits at the Mekong River ferry crossing at Neak Loung.

Bus: There are several bus companies offering direct a/c bus service between Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City for $10-$12. No bus change at the border. The trip usually takes about 6 hours barring traffic back ups at the Neak Loung ferry crossing.

Phnom Penh does not have a centralized bus station. Buses from different companies depart from different stations. In Ho Chi Minh City, most of the bus stations and offices are in the Pham Ngu Lao area.

Bus Schedules: Phnom Penh to/from HCMC

Mailinh Group

Phnom Penh to/from HCMC (direct): 6:30, 8:30, 14:30

HCMC to/from Phnom Penh (direct): 6:30, 13:00, 14:30

Phnom Penh Office: #391 Sihanouk Blvd at Street 274 , Phnom Penh. Tel: +(855) (0)23-211666/888

www.mailinh.vn

Phnom Penh Sorya

Phnom Penh to/from HCMC (direct): 6:45, 8:30, 11:30, 13:30

HCMC to/from Phnom Penh (direct): 6:45, 8:30, 11:30, 13:30

Phnom Penh Office and arrival/departure: opposite the southwest corner of Phsar Thmey. Tel: 023-210359

Mekong Express

Phnom Penh to/from HCMC (direct): 6:30, 7:00, 8:30, 13:15

HCMC to/from Phnom Penh (direct): 7:00, 8:30, 11:00, 13:00

Deluxe buses.

Phnom Penh Office located at #87 Sisowath Quay at the corner of Street 102 on the riverfront. Tel: 023-427518. Stations located at Phsar Orrusey and at the office.

Capitol Tours

Phnom Penh to/from HCMC (direct): 6:45, 8:00, 13:30

HCMC to/from Phnom Penh (direct): 7:30, 9:00, 13:30

Deluxe buses.

Phnom Penh Station: Capitol Guesthouse, corner of Streets 107 and 182.

Taxi: Local taxis depart Phnom Penh from Market Chhbar Ampeou. Shared taxi costs $5 for a cramped, harrowing ride to the border. Private taxi for $35. At the border, check through immigration, walk across the border arrange another taxi or van the rest of the way to Ho Chi Minh City.

Kaam Samnor, Cambodia/Ving Xuong, Vietnam ("Chau Doc crossing") (On the Mekong River)
Cambodian visas available at the border. Vietnamese visas NOT available at the border
This Mekong River border crossing is near the Vietnamese city of Chau Doc. Coming from Cambodia, this crossing is accessed primarily from Phnom Penh.

From Phnom Penh, you will taxi (shared taxi: 10,000 riel) or bus east on National Route #1 to Neak Luong town (where the Route #1 meets the Mekong River.) At Neak Luong, take a ferry down the Mekong to the Kaam Samnor crossing near Chau Doc (10,000 riel.) Stamp out of Cambodia, take a motorcycle taxi to Vietnamese Immigration, stamp into Vietnam, and then catch another motorcycle taxi into central Chau Doc a couple of kilometers away. There are guesthouses and hotels in Chau Doc. Allot about 5 hours for the trip from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc. Mini-vans leave Chau Doc for HCMC regularly all day long. They can found clustered around the central market area and cost about US$3/person. The mini-van drivers wait for a full van before they leave so, to minimize your wait, try to get into a van that's almost full.

If you'd prefer to buy a package ticket for the trip from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc instead of arranging all of the transport yourself, Capitol Guesthouse and Neak Krorhorm Travel in Phnom Penh offer daily transport to Chau Doc (by bus and ferry) for about $7-$8.

Phnom Den, Takeo, Cambodia/Tinh Bien, Vietnam
Cambodian visas available at the border. Vietnamese visas NOT available at the border
This border crossing in Takeo province Cambodia is about 10 km south of the the Vietnamese city of Chau Doc. Coming from Cambodia, this crossing can be accessed from either Phnom Penh or Kampot.

From Phnom Penh, take a shared taxi from Phsar Domkor (Market Domkor) to Phnom Den in Takeo province ($8-$10.) Walk across the border to Tinh Bien, Vietnam. From Tinh Bien, take a motorcycle taxi or car taxi to Chau Doc about 10km north. From Chau Doc, most travelers continue on to HCMC.

From Kampot, arrange a taxi to the border (Phnom Den) through your guesthouse. Private taxi costs about $30-$40 and take 2-3 hours. If you like, the guesthouse can help to find other travelers to share the taxi with you and reduce the per person cost. The taxi will travel through Kampong Trach district of Kampot province to the border crossing at Phnom Den. Much of the road is hardpack and may deteriorate in the rainy season increasing the travel time. At Phnom Den, walk across the border to Tinh Bien, Vietnam. From Tinh Bien, take a motorcycle taxi or car taxi to Chau Doc about 10km north. The 'right price' is reportedly about $3, though drivers ask as much as $10. Don't forget to bargain! There are guesthouses and hotels in Chau Doc. Mini-vans leave Chau Doc for HCMC regularly all day long. They can found clustered around the central market area and cost about US$3/person. The mini-van drivers wait for a full van before they leave so, to minimize your wait, try to get into a van that's almost full.

Trapeang Phlong Border Pass: Xa Mat, Vietnam/Trapeang Phlong, Kampong Cham, Cambodia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that Cambodian visas available at the border. As yet unconfirmed by travelers. Vietnamese visas NOT available at the border.
Recently opened. In Kampong Cham province, Memot district, bordering the Vietnamese province of Tay Ninh.

Xa Xia, Vietnam/Prek Chak, Cambodia (Ha Tien crossing)
Cambodian visas available on arrival at the border. Vietnamese visas NOT available at the border. (You must get your Vietnam visa in advance.) There are conflicting reports about whether Cambodian E-visas are accepted.

Open 07:00-18:00

The Prek Chak/Xaxia (‘Ha Tien’) checkpoint is the nearest, most easily accessed border crossing from Kampot/Kep. The crossing lies near the Vietnamese towns of Ha Tien and Rach Gia which are the jump off points to the Phu Quoc Island.

The road from Kampot to the border crossing is, for the most part, in good condition, taking about 1h-1h30m to traverse. Take Route 33 east from Kampot to the intersection of Route 31 at Kampong Trach town. Turn south on Route 31. All but the last few kilometers to the border is sealed. There is also a shorter cut off road from Route 33 before Kampong Trach town. It is slightly shorter but the road is rough hardpack dirt, which can deteriorate in the wet season. Regularly scheduled multi-daily vans and mini-buses travel from Kampot, through the border crossing and all the way to Ha Tien, most in time for the ferry to Phu Quoc. Price: $8-$11. Arrange a ticket through your guesthouse or one of the listed tour operators in Kampot. If you want to do-it-yourself, a motodup from Kampot to to the Prek Chak crossing costs about $8; tuk-tuks run about $15-$20 and a taxi is $20-$25. Some motorcycle taxis from Kampot are also able to cross the border with you and take you as far as Ha Tien for an additional $2-$3.

The Phnom Den/Tinh Bien border crossing near Chau Doc Vietnam is an alternative border crossing with Vietnam accessible from Kampot. It is not a regular taxi route but taxis to the crossing can be hired for about $30-$40 for the whole car. 2-3 hours. Contact your guesthouse to arrange a taxi.

Border Crossings with Thailand

Visas at Overland Border Crossings with Thailand

Cambodian visas and Thai transit visas are available at all Thai/Cambodian border crossings. Thai transit visas are free of charge. Other types of Thai visas are not available. Cambodia visas are available at some border crossing with Vietnam, including the Prek Chak crossing. Vietnam visas are not available at any international border crossing.

Travelers report that Cambodian immigration at the Cham Yeam crossing will not accept payment in US dollars and is currently charging 1200 Thai baht for a tourist visa and 1600 baht for a business visa. There have long been similar reports from the Poipet crossing, though the practice seems to be on the wane. These days the trick seems to be that visas are dispenced at the correct price, but for a $5 fee you can get express service. At peak times of the day, non-express service can take hours.

A photo is supposedly required and, unlike the international airports in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, an extra charge of 100B is sometimes leveled if you don’t have one.

The visa process at the border is straightforward and do-it-yourself. Touts will insist you need their help to obtain a visa but this is untrue. Do not accept their ‘assistance’ as it is not necessary and will only increase the cost

Cham Yeam Checkpoint: Had Lek, Thailand / Koh Kong, Cambodia (The way to Sihanoukville)

Cambodian visas available. Thai transit visas available.

Open 07:00-20:00

The Route: Bangkok to SIHANOUKVILLE via KOH KONG
The usual route runs from Bangkok, to Trat (with some people opting for a detour to Koh Chang), then on to the border crossing at Had Lek Thailand where you cross to Koh Kong City, Cambodia. From Koh Kong, bus or taxi to Sihanoukville. (Or take the ocean ferry when it is in service.)

Details: Bangkok to the Had Lek / KOH KONG crossing
1a. From Bangkok: A/c bus to Trat (new bus station). ~200 baht, 5-6 hours.
1b. From Koh Chang: Boat from Koh Chang to Leam Ngop, 80 baht. Share taxi to Trat, 40 baht. Moto to new bus station, 20 baht.
2. Take a van from Trat market to the Thai border town of Had Lek (120 baht). Vans depart every 30 minutes or so and take about 1h30m to the border.
3. Stamp out of Thailand. Walk to the Cambodian immigration station to buy a visa and stamp in (see page 51) Drivers will approach you as soon as you come out of the immigration station. Prices into Koh Kong City 8 km away run about 100B for moto, 150 for a tuk-tuk and 250-300B for private taxi into town
4. You can travel from Koh Kong to Sihanoukville by bus, taxi or, when in service, coastal ferry. Be aware that the last bus for Sihanoukville leaves Koh Kong at about 8AM.

KOH KONG to/from SIHANOUKVILLE

From Sihanoukville you can travel to/from Koh Kong City by road or daily coastal ferry. The road trip to/from both Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh follows Route #48 from Koh Kong through the picturesque Cardamom Mountains, which, after several years of construction, is now complete and in excellent condition. Route #48 connects to National Route #4 which leads north to Phnom Penh and south to Sihanoukville.

Bus Since the completion of Route#48, most now choose to travel to/from Koh Kong by road rather than by ocean ferry. Virak-Buntham bus company offers direct daily bus service between Koh Kong and Sihanoukville using full size a/c buses. $10/person. About 4 hours duration. Departs about 8AM. Check current schedule. In Koh Kong the bus office is located on Street 3 in the center of town. In Sihanoukville the office in located at the bus station.

Taxi 40,000R/person for a share taxi or $60 for a private taxi.

Coastal Ferry Since the completion of the road, ferry service became less regular and is currently suspended entirely. Ask at your guesthouse for current ferry schedule. The ferries are in no way up to international safety standards. In Koh Kong the ferry dock is located on the riverfront 500m south of the bridge. In Sihanouk Ville, the ferry arrives/departs the ‘Port of Passenger Ship.’

PHNOM PENH to/from KOH KONG
Taxi 500 baht per person for a share taxi or 3000 baht for a private taxi.

Bus Virak-Buntham bus company offers direct daily bus service between Koh Kong and Phnom Penh using full size a/c buses. $12/person. About 4 hours duration. Departs about 7:45AM-8:00AM. Check current schedule. In Koh Kong the bus office is located on Street 3 in the center of town. In Phnom Penh on Street 106 just off the riverfront. (Tel: 012-322302)

Aranyaprathet, Thailand/Poipet , Cambodia
Cambodian visas and Thai transit visas available on arrival at the border. Cambodian E-Visa accepted at this crossing.

Open 08:00-20:00

Most overland Thailand to/from Siem Reap travelers cross the border at the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border crossing. Most people travel by bus, but train (on the Thai side) and taxi travel is also available. Cambodian visas are available at the border. The practice of overcharging for tourist visas is on the wane. Going the other direction, 15-day Thai transit visas are available at the border free of charge. Other types of Thai visas are not available.

You will likely be confronted by a couple of annoyances at the border. Touts and drivers on the Thai side of the border will tell you that you should or even must get a Cambodian visa from a ‘local consulate’ on your way to the border crossing. DO NOT USE THEIR SERVICES. DO NOT GET YOUR VISA AT THE ‘LOCAL CONSULATE.’ It is not a consulate. The visa is valid but is wildly overpriced. Do not get your Cambodian visa until you have stamped out of Thailand, crossed the border into Cambodia and arrived at Cambodian immigration. Also, the touts will tell you that you need to exchange foreign currency for Cambodian riel. THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO CHANGE MONEY AT THE BORDER. It is a scam to get you to change money at a rip-off exchange rate. DO NOT change money at the border.

It’s a 465km, 6-9 hour trip from Bangkok to Siem Reap. The usual route begins with a 4-5 hour bus or a train ride from Bangkok to the border crossing at Aranyaprathet, cross the border into Cambodia (visas available on-arrival), and then 3 more hours on to Siem Reap. On the Cambodian side, the road to Siem Reap is in excellent condition. There are currently three options in planning an overland trip: 1) Package ticket; 2) Direct bus; 3) Do it yourself:

Package Tickets
In Bangkok package tickets price ranges from 400-800 baht on Khao Sarn to over 1000 baht in the Sukhumvit area. Most buses leave in the morning, arriving at the border crossing 4-5 hours later. You will be told to cross the border on your own and how to locate your onward transportation once on the Cambodian side. This option will probably disappear as the direct bus becomes more popular.

Direct Bus
NEW!!! There are now direct buses between Siem Reap and Bangkok. One ticket, one price, no bus change at the border. The bus makes 2-3 rest stops along the way in addition to the stop at the border. Total trip: 6-8 hours. Price: $25-$30, not inclusive of visa fees. Buses leave early, 7AM-9AM. In Bangkok tickets are available and buses depart from Morochit station. In Siem Reap purchase tickets through a travel agent or your guesthouse. In Siem Reap the ticket usually includes free pick up from your hotel.

Do it yourself
1) From Bangkok take a bus or train to Aranyaprathet. Bus: 4 hours, departing the Northern Bus Terminal (Morchit) hourly from 4AM to 6PM. Train: 6 hours, departs Hualamphong
2) From Aranyaprathet, take a moto or tuk-tuk from the bus station to the border.
3) On the Cambodian side, take a shuttle bus to the transport station for $1-$2.50. From there you can bus or taxi to Siem Reap.
a) The buses depart the transport stations at regular intervals, cost $7-$9 and takes about 4 hours. The buses stop at a couple of places right in town, not at a formal bus station. Hop off and grab a tuk-tuk to your hotel.
b) Taxis offer the fastest, most comfortable travel option. Though the local rate is about $25, tourists usually have to pay $45-$50. 2.5-3 hours. Share with other travelers and split the cost. NEVER pay in advance (in any taxi in Cambodia.) Pay once you arrive in Siem Reap.

Chong Jom, Thailand/O'Smach, Cambodia
Cambodian visas available. Thai transit visas available.
Remote border crossing north of Siem Reap in Oddar Meanchey province. From Siem Reap travel to Kralahn, then north to Samrong and then on to the border. Guesthouses available in Samrong.

Chong Sa Ngam, Thailand/Anlong Veng, Cambodia
Cambodian visas available. Thai transit visas available.
Remote border crossing northwest of Siem Reap in Oddar Meanchey province, opposite Thailand's Si Saket province.

Ban Pakard, Chantaburi, Thailand/Phsar Prom Border Crossing: Pailin, Cambodia
Cambodian visas available. Thai transit visas available.
Located in Pailin, Cambodia, opposite Thailand's Chantaburi province. From Bangkok, bus to Chantaburi for about 150 baht (4 hours). Mini bus to border for about 100 baht (1-2 hours). Cross border. Motodup to Pailin. Taxi from Pailin to Battambang (shared taxi for 200baht, private for $25-$30.) 3 or 4 hours but road conditions change with the season.

Ban Laem, Chantaburi, Thailand/Daun Lem, Battambang, Cambodia
Cambodian visas available. Thai transit visas available.
Located in Kamreang, Battambang province, Cambodia, opposite Thailand's Chantaburi province.

Border Crossings with Laos

The following information regarding the Laos border crossing has not been updated for approximately 3 years.

Voeung Kam, Laos/Dom Kralor, Cambodia
Cambodian visas are available at the border (Don't forget to bring a photo!). Some travelers report that visas are only available at the road crossing, not at the river crossing. Laos visas NOT available at the border. No special permits required from either Cambodia or Laos.

Open 08:00-17:00
There are two border crossing points with Laos relatively close to one another: 1) the riverine crossing at Koh Chheuteal Thom; 2) the road crossing at Dom Kralor. Expect extra fees for “stamps” on both sides of the border.

To get to the Lao border crossing from Phnom Penh, take a taxi or bus to Stung Treng town, and then arrange transport to the border from Stung Treng. The road from Phnom Penh all the way through Stung Treng and to the border has recently been improved and is currently in comparatively good condition.

To get to Stung Treng either:

1) Take a Phnom Penh Sorya Transport bus (station near the Central Market in Phnom Penh) for 42,000 riel, 7-10 hours. The bus departs the Phnom Penh station daily at 7:00AM,

or;

2) To get to Stung Treng via Kratie: Take a Phnom Penh Sorya Transport for 21,000 riel, 7 hours. Departs daily at 7:30AM. Then take a share taxi to Stung Treng for 20,000 riel, 2-3 hours.

To get to the border crossing from Stung Treng, either take a ferry ($5/person, $30 for a private boat, 1 - 3 hours) or the minibus to the road crossing.

Going the other way, from Laos to Cambodia, you can cross the border by road or river. By river, take a boat from Don Khone or Don Khong to Voeung Kam ($2-$5). From Voeung Kam, get a Cambodian boat to Stung Treng for $10. (There had been several reports of price gouging by the boats to Stung Treng, but there have been fewer reports of this as of late.) Then take a bus to Phnom Penh on the Phnom Penh Sorya Transport for 42,000 riel.

From Laos to Cambodia by road, travelers report that people who bought package tickets from their guesthouse in Laos to travel from Laos through to Stung Treng Cambodia are met by onward transportation at the border after they cross into Cambodia. But otherwise, there is no regularly scheduled onward transportation available on the Cambodian side of the border. Traveler's the arrive without pre-arranged onward transportation report that there are sometimes private taxis and motos waiting at the border but there are times when no transportation is available, requiring a long wait for transport to show up.

Last update February 2013