About the ride from Bangkok to Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is an enticing city, where ancient temples and modern skyscrapers sit side by side. While the Genocide Museum and Killing Fields of Choeng Ek are must-visits, there’s much more to Cambodia's capital than the story of the civil war. Leave time to explore the attractive waterfront, café culture, food and surrounding countryside.
Phnom Penh is also Cambodia's primary transportation hub, connected by air to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore and other Asian cities, and by bus and train to destinations including Angkor, Sihanoukville, Kampot, Kratie, and Battambang. You can also catch a ferry from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap.
Flying is the fastest way of getting to Phnom Penh from Bangkok, but there are options for more eco-conscious travelers too. The 710 kilometers (440 mile) bus journey, which takes around 13 - 15 hours, is a more adventurous choice, allowing you to travel through rural parts of both countries. Minivans also operate on this route.
What you’ll see when traveling from Bangkok to Phnom Penh
The overland journey uses major highways, but this doesn’t mean it's boring. The most common route heads east out of Bangkok to the border with Cambodia at Poipet and then continues east, passing through Siem Reap before heading south to Phnom Penh. You’ll get to see the suburbs of both cities, as well as skirting national parks and passing through remote countryside in both countries.
How to get from Bangkok to Phnom Penh
Taking a flight
Flying between Bangkok to Phnom Penh takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes. There’s a choice of airlines, including some budget ones like Thai Smile and Thai AirAsia. Book early to snag a bargain.
Suvarnabhumi Airport is around 30 minutes from the center of Bangkok and there’s a direct Airport Rail Link from Phaya Thai (BTS) station. The center of Phnom Penh is around 30 minutes from the airport and can be reached by train, bus, taxi and tuk-tuk.
Taking a bus
All buses on this route are modern and have AC. The Sleeper and Semi Sleeper Buses are the most comfortable with reclining seats, blankets and mini TV systems. There’s also the Tourist Bus and the Express Bus, which is the cheapest. In all cases, the driver will stop along the way for food and bathroom breaks. The Travel Mart Tourist Bus stops for one hour in Siem Reap.
Taking a long-distance bus with Bookaway makes crossing from Thailand into Cambodia easy. Drivers are English-speaking and will guide you through the process. Just be sure to have two printed copies of your e visa or USD if you’re purchasing a visa at the border. You remain on the same bus on both sides.
A few things you might want to take on the bus are toilet paper, earplugs and an eye mask if you plan on trying to sleep. Wear layers as AC on the buses can make them quite chilly.
Taking a minivan
Virak Buntham Express operates modern, air conditioned Toyota minivans on this route. The ride takes 13 hours which is quite a long time to spend in a minivan, even with breaks, so you might feel a little cramped after a while.