How to get from Bangkok to Cambodia by yourself

The fastest way to get from Bangkok to Cambodia is by air.

The train will take you to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, where Bangkok Airways, Air Asia have daily direct scheduled flights to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, home to the Cambodian symbol Angkor Wat. The flight takes about an hour and costs an average of 50$.

Another quick and convenient way is to take a cab, but only to the border with Cambodia (Aranya Prakhet). The trip takes about four hours.

The cost varies: at the airport and train station they ask for 100$ (official cab), but you can bargain for 60$ (15$ per seat). Then cross the border and take a cab again for 50$ (12$ per seat). The travel time is 2.5 hours. It's expensive, but comfortable.

Border checkpoints are open from 7am to 8pm.

However, speed is not the main characteristic of Eastern life. If you are a leisurely traveler who wants to get into the atmosphere of the country, see the life of ordinary Thais and Cambodians from the side, get to know their mentality more closely, perhaps to communicate, then the best option would be less speedy, but more intense trips from Thailand to Cambodia.

Budget ways

Like everywhere else, bus service in Asia is an easy and cheap way to travel. There are two bus terminals in Bangkok - the northern (Morchit Bus Terminal) and the eastern (Ekamai Bus Terminal). From both - buses go to the Thai border village of Aranya Praket (250 km from Bangkok) hourly. Travel time is about 5 hours. The trip will cost about 10$. The buses are air-conditioned and equipped with televisions.

Every two hours there is a stop: you can take a short walk, get something to eat, go to the store, use the restroom.

The same route to Aranya Praketa can be taken by train. It departs from Hualamphong Station in Bangkok at 5:55 daily. Within Bangkok, you can take the train at 6:10 and 6:20 at Phaya Thai and Makkasan stations, respectively.

The trip will take five and a half hours. The fare is only 1.5$. The ticket is purchased just before the departure of the train. At the ticket office at the station can sell a comprehensive ticket that includes a train ride and then in Cambodia by bus. It is better not to do this, as the train may be late and you will have to wait for another bus, which may not come at all. Punctuality and following a plan are not the main features of the East Asian mentality.

The early train departure is convenient because you can arrive at the border by noon and in the evening to Siem Reap. The second train departs Bangkok at 1:05 p.m. and arrives in Aranyapraket near 6 p.m. The train is 3rd class, simply put - electric train: benches for seating, local people on all sides, open windows allowing natural air flow into the car, everything is clean and tidy.

Both the bus and the train do not go all the way to the border. From Aranyapraket to the border crossing is 6 km. You have to take the tuk-tuk 10 min for 2$: it is a long walk (1 h). Be guided by the direction of the people: they all go to Cambodia. If you have experience in crossing state borders by land, then you know that all passport and visa issues are resolved directly at the border crossing. Cambodian visa is given after leaving Thai territory. It costs 30$. In order not to create problems at the border, it makes sense to make an electronic visa of Cambodia in advance.

Settlement on the Cambodian side - Poipet. There are free buses to it from the border (10 minutes). From the bus station Poypeta buses run to many cities in Cambodia, including Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Battambang. From here to Siem Reap is 152 km. The trip takes three hours. The ticket price is 9$.

The optimal way

In 2014, an official nonstop bus route was launched under the auspices of the state from Bangkok to Siem Reap. The bus leaves from MoChit station on Sukhumvit, crosses the border, and continues through Cambodian territory to its destination.

It's convenient: duration of the trip - about 7 hours, not including the time spent at the border checkpoint (from 30 minutes to 1 hour). The cost is just over 20$. It is highly recommended to have an electronic Cambodian visa to avoid overpayment at the so-called visa center, to which tourists are sure to be driven even by a bus on behalf of the Thai government.

The same route is offered by all Bangkok tour companies. For about 20$ they will take you by minibus across the border and take you to Siem Reap. When using the services of travel companies, you should be aware of the possibility of unexpected "force majeure" associated with the fact that transportation is not their core business. In order to reduce costs and form the most cost-effective routes, travel companies practice changing at the border or, for example, lengthening the route by stopping at other settlements on the way.

In terms of the price to effort ratio, an organized non-stop bus service between Bangkok and Siem Reap is the best way to travel from Thailand to Cambodia.

Helpful hints

1. Be careful and don't let yourself be deceived. Deceptions of all kinds flourish on both sides of the border. Tuk tuk tukers cheat tourists out of unnecessary and often expensive trips and inflate prices for foreigners. For example, when approaching the temples of Anchor, there are tuk-tukers who, when asked which road to take, will tell you that the temples are already closed to the public. Just for the purpose of getting you as a customer and making money. Another example is the proposed purchase of insurance, without which it is allegedly impossible to move around the country. Or already mentioned visa centers near the border, the only purpose of which is to get money from tourists for services they do not need. So do not believe anyone, check and analyze the information you get from the locals. A critical tourist saves money.
2. Haggle everywhere. Both Thais and Cambodians belong to cultures in which bargaining is always appropriate for everything from tuk-tuks to hotels. Insist on your price with a smile and kindly, be patient and polite, and know how to say "no" to terms that do not suit you - then you can save up to 50% of the cost. Places where haggling is inappropriate: restaurants and large supermarkets.