Bus services to Cambodia
December 11, 2012 by Rapeepat Mantanarat
Filed under Cambodia, Mekong Region, News
BANGKOK, 11 December 2012: The Transport Company is scheduled to launch daily bus services between Bangkok and Phnom Penh and Siem Reap 29 December.
Crossing the border from Aranyaprathet on the Thailand side to Poipet in Cambodian, the bus will operate twice daily to Siem Reap and daily to Phnom Penh.
The bus to Siem Reap will depart the Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal Chatuchak (Morchit) at 0600 and 1600. The service will depart from Siem Reap at 0600 and 1500. Travel time is roughly seven hours.
To Phnom Penh the bus will depart at 0700 both ways with a travel time of around 11 hours. The fares are Bt750 (US$25) to Siem Reap and Bt900 (US$30) to Phnom Penh.
The services will use 40-seat air-conditioned buses.
It marks the first public bus service between the two countries and the only alternative to airline services. A rail service has been proposed, but when tracks are completed, possibly by the end of 2013 they will be used for just cargo services.
There are private mini-bus operators based in Poipet that offer services to Siem Reap that connect with similar services between Bangkok and Aranyaprathet. They are mainly used by expatriates working in Bangkok who need to renew visas or cross the border to get a stamp in their passport.
Currently, the Transport Company operates regional services to just Laos; the latest being Bangkok-Vientiane and Bangkok-Pakse routes, launched 1 October.
Other routes include: Udon Thani-Vientiane; Nong Khai- Vientiane; Ubon Ratchathani-Pakse; Mukdahan-Savannakhet; Khon Kaen- Vientiane; Nakhon Phanom-Thakaek; Chiang Mai-Luang Prabang and Udon Thani-Vang Vieng.
I plan to go to Bangkok from Siam Reap riding the direct bus? Any information where to buy and the bus schedules for the direct bus? Thanks!
Anyone done the reverse? Siem Reap to Bangkok? Where to purchase? No local or hotel I’ve spoken to seems to know the answer. Should I just visit the bus station & see if I can buy?
Travelled from Bangkok to Siem Reap on 22 Feb 2013 by direct bus.
Tickets sold from booth 22 at Mo Chit bus station. Get evisa first and take your passport if you go to buy a ticket in advance.
750 baht for the ticket. Bus left at 9.00. No stops or pick ups on the way. Water and a snack given out. Bus a/c with toilet. Brief stop at a bus stop in Aranyaprathet. Arrived at border at around 13.40. Despite assurances to the contrary we changed buses at the border but it was literally get off one and straight on the other. Probably due to driving on the left in Thailand and the right in Cambodia. Lunch snack served, pork and rice. Lots of people got off as they didn’t have visas. They went to get visas at the border and make their own way onwards. Crew didn’t speak much English but several Thai passengers did and were very helpful explaining what was going on. However, at the border an English speaking crew member joined us. All passenger Passport details were filled in on a form and then passports and visas plus 100 baht per person were taken off to immigration by the driver. We were given our passports back and got off the bus to clear Thai exit immigration. The Thai side of the Border was not that busy but we went through the group tours lane. Got back on the bus and drove past the casinos. Saw people who were on the bus earlier but didn’t have visas in a queue to get through Cambodian immigration. Drove into Poipet and then pulled over just after the roundabout and the driver took the passports to Cambodian immigration. We sat and waited on the bus and then passports arrived back. Departed at 15.30. Arrived in Siem Reap at 17.30 and took a $4 tuk tuk to the hotel. No hassle with the driver, accepted we had booked a hotel and didn’t need him the following day.
Summary – Prolonged but comfortable journey and no hassle. Would definitely do it this way again, especially after seeing how people are targeted by beggars and touts as they cross into Poipet.
Thanks for alerting us. The service has been postponed; hopefully it should start by February. The Transport president said that the problem is on the Cambodian side which concerns license and the buses themselves that need to be as specified and authorised under that country’s regulations. As for the tel number, you can contact 1490 or 02 793 1111
On the 10th January I went to Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal Chatuchak (MoChit2) to prebook a ticket from Siem Reap to Bangkok for Thur 17th Jan but got told that currently the service is only from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet, and return, and that it was hoped that the Siem Reap and Phnom Penh extensions would happen next month ((Feb)).
The service would depart Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal Chatuchak (MoChit2 at Platform 106, and this was clearly advertised both at Platform 106 and inside the Bus Terminal on Level 1, the lower level. It was to use 38-seat a/c buses.
– Michael Leahy –
– Early morning on the 17th I took an early morning VIP Gold Tour Bus from Siem Reap to the Cambodian-Thailand border, crossed the border shortly after it opened at 0700hrs and was in Thailand at 0800hrs. Fourteen of us got our 0900hrs follow-on Minibus to Bangkok. As I did not want to go as far as Kao San Road, I got off at Lat Krabang Airport Link Line at 1215hrs and was at Makassan Station by 1240hrs.
Called the number this service has been cancelled
Has anyone taken this direct bus could you give me some more details… Bus stop number etc..
Sawadee,
It is great to hear or the new service by The Transport Company.
Departs Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal Chatuchak (Morchit) at 0600 and 1600, which gate/stop number?
Depart from Siem Reap at 0600 and 1500hours, -please confirm that this is from the main Siem Reap Bus Station on the East of Siem Reap.
Where is the Phnom Penh Bus Stop, as there are many around the city.
Thanks, kraup-chun-crap,
Michael Leahy
Call centre 02 8721777 or 1490.
Can you give the contact details of this company?