Ho Chi Min City to Phnom Penh by bus
Why catch a flight between these two cities and just see the inside of two similar airports when I could take the bus. It’s much, much cheaper and you get to see the countryside from the coach window and really get to see more of these two fascinating countries. Modern air-con coaches, with even a free snack and bottled water, ply the route between these two cities frequently.
On this trip I also spent time in Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Cambodia and Malaysia. It was an amazing time of differing cultures, sights, sounds and smells and remains my most magical long-stay venture so far.
Read how you can combine several of these countries into a easy tour and get the most of the region while there.
Click below for my trip and reviews of these places.
How to travel from Ho Chi Min City to Phnom Penh by bus
I bussed it from Ho Chi Min City to Phnom Penh by bus during my month-long tour of South East Asia. Here is my account of how to do this with great ease.
I needed to get to Phnom Penh from HCMC and thus some research was needed. I was determined not to do yet another flight between cities on my S E Asia tour if I could avoid it. The two cities were not that far from each other and I fancied a land route. I wanted to see some of the countryside. So in advance, I started my research to see which I would prefer
To fly would cost around £103 (flight and taxis to/from airports) and would take a total of around 6 hours door to door (includes taxi journey times, security, airport advance arrival etc). I wouldn’t get to see anything in between the two cities and the airports would be just more forgettable modern airports on my journey.
If I got adventurous and took the bus it would could cost £14 and take 7 hours door to door (both my hotels at either end were within 15-20 mins walk of the bus pick ups/drop downs). I would get to see the passing countryside ….. and more importantly ….. take a ride over the Mekong River ….. something I’d just done by ferry but now it would be by bridge. Little things like this please me, sorry!
So, you guessed it – the coach won me over. I decided to go Ho Chi Min City to Phnom Penh by bus.
Which companies travel Ho Chi Min City to Phnom Penh by bus
There are around 6 bus companies that travel the Ho Chi Min City to Phnom Penh by bus route. They have schedules that range from twice daily to 10 times daily, some have overnight buses. All leave from different parts of the city as there are no central coach terminals in either city. Prices range from £6 to £14,
Coach quality ranged from older non air-con minivan to 60 seater modern air-con, wifi usable coaches that also give you a snack and a bottle of water. Times varied from 6 , 6.5 and 7 hours with a variable number of stops.
I read up on as many reviews about the companies as possible and I would advise you to do the same. When trustworthy repeated bad reviews about a few of them kept coming up they were eliminated from my research. They were usually the cheapest and longest journey ones.
One coach company kept coming up trumps – Giant Ibis Transport – so I delved deeper. I checked out their website. WOW, impressive. It was clear, logical, really easy to use, lots of pics and used modern coaches, did the trip in 6.5 hours.
It stopped at a rest spot for food, toilets etc on the way and even gave me a snack and bottle of water for my journey on boarding.
Which bus Company I chose
Was this all too true ? I really liked what I saw. Their fare was the highest at £14 but what the heck – I would pay more than that for a round of drinks in the UK so it was so cheap anyhow.
They had online booking in advance by credit and debit card so I took the plunge and booked and paid. Ticket came back to me to print off straight away ….. I was ready 2 months in advance.
Here is their website. Click here
On the day the taxi took me to the pick up point. It’s worth noting that the pick up is not in a bus station – neither city seem to have them for private trans-country transport. It is on Phan Ngu Lao street, just next to Liberty Hotel and opposite Cong Vien 23 Park (September 23 Park).
It has a small streetside office with a waitng area with chairs (a bit like a travel agent which it seemed to double as also). The coach came on tim,e stopped by the road edge, driver came in and announced the coach, loaded all our luggage underneath, we boarded and we were off.
Phnom Penh here I come. Bye HCMC, it was a blast, hope to see you again soon!
The coach was a big modern, air con one, plenty of room as it was not full and was comfy. The snack (a kind of cake pastry) and bottle of water was handed out as we set off as the attendant came round and checked our tickets. Friendly attendant who actually chatted to me as one of the few foreigners on board.
The wifi was patchy and slow so whilst it was there, it wasn’t worth the hassle of using it. I was more than content to watch the world go by from the big picture windows.
Sights en-route
Going out of the city was interesting. You get to see the suburbs, urban rivers, tower blocks and flyovers, and some run down areas. Surprisingly most areas were ok and in good condition. I mentioned in my HCMC post see here, that scooters were present in their thousands in the city. Today they seemed to be present in their millions!
Now I saw what seemed like millions on the street. There were so many that on several sections on main road they have their own fenced off area to separate them from cars and trucks, presumably as a safety measure. They whizz past like hordes of motorised ants – at least they wear crash helmets here unlike in Indonesia.
I videoed 30 seconds worth of passing scooters on the other side of the road and thousands must be on that footage. I’ve never seen so many scooters. I even saw monks in a scooter tuk-tuk pass by my window!
Once we were out of the city the land whizzed by and it was really much more different than I first thought it would be, especially after the recent typhoon two days before.
More open spaces, less jungle, loads of polluting plastic rubbish thrown by the roadside, views into peoples homes and gardens and more towns than expected.
The route was remarkedly free flowing, even though it was mostly only single carriageway in each direction. Driving discipline was ok in Vietnam but took a drastic drop once we crossed the border and throughout Cambodia in general.
The landscape was remarkably flat but very green. Clearly there were thousands of rice fields here from what I could see and large plots of root vegetables being grown among small outcrops of trees.
Again the landscape became semi-flooded and at some points it did become monotonous because of the deluged fields. However folk seemed to still be in the fields in many parts working.
I snoozed for a while when the outlook became just too samey – nice to experience it and know that I have finally seen it but it was pretty unremarkable in areas.
Border crossing
We arrived eventually at the border with Cambodia. Our passports were collected by the bus attendant and handed to the Vietnamese guards. They checked them, handed them back and we were waved on through.
Then everyone had to disembark for the Cambodian part of the border crossing. We were directed into a large modern building that served as the security building and duty free shopping area too.
I needed a Visa to enter Cambodia and I applied for an e-visa well in advance back home and had a all my documents printed off and ready.
Be warned that that you must declare which entry point you will be entering Cambodia on the e-visa and there is only one land entry for foreigners between the two countries. This one is called Krong Bavet. We were directed to the immigration desk and one by one slowly presented passports etc.
At my turn I presented my passport and copy of my e-visa. Both got a cursory glance, passport stamped ferociously – the guard seemed more interested in smoking his cigarette and watching the nearby TV screen than my documents …. it was so laid back, he never even looked me in the face so I could have been anyone presenting that passport!
He kept the e-Visa copy and I had been warned to make several copies from others who had done the Cambodia crossings with Visas. They take your copy at each check point and don’t allow you to make further copies if you have none. So, be wary and ensure you make at least several copies. They also kept a copy when I flew out of Siem Reap airport.
There were signs to not take photos everywhere and then we had to identify our luggage and carry it through the control point to be collected at the other side. Why this was necessary was unclear as we walked past the security scanners and x-ray machines that appeared turned off or broken.
Nothing was scanned or searched and there was no guard to check us passing through. An absolute lack of real security or monitoring !
Duty free at the border
The duty free area was well laid out and like a mini mall but was so devoid of customers. Assistants stood around bored and the prices were not particularly cheap anyhow so very few people were buying. It was an opportunity to stretch our legs as we were told that boarding would recommence about 20 mins after we were checked through customs.
We re-boarded and recommenced our journey.
We drove further into Cambodia and PP was not that far off now. Every now and again we went through a linear town with shops and houses lining the main road. At regular intervals and certainly within the larger towns, several Temples appeared in various sizes and conditions.
One such Temple came into view from a distance.
The red and yellows stood out and we passed the animal statued gates slow enough to catch a few pics of this beautiful looking place
The coach did stop at a couple of places for a toilet break and to buy something snack -wise. It was usually at a small roadside centre that doubled as a cafe, shop, petrol station, souvenir stop.
You thus have no problems about getting drinks or food. I didn’t eat at any of these places as was unsure of countryside Cambodia standards but the chance to stretch your legs, feel the sun and wind and buy a bottle of water if needed is welcome.
We crossed the huge, wide Mekong on a modern bridge that gave amazing views downstream. The River was clearly in flood, was very fast flowing and had burst its banks from the storm rains we had a few days before.
There were trees standing in the river and clearly the houses that were on stilts now had water lapping at their edges.
So I had crossed the mighty Mekong River, the river that I had heard stories about as a kid in school that was so big and long and essential to this region of the world.
Africa has its Nile, South America has its Amazon, India has its Ganges, S E Asia has its Mekong !!!
The approach into Phnom Penh was pretty much the same as the departure from HCMC. Lots of traffic, scooters everywhere but many more Temples and shrines built into the urban landscape.
The coach stop is at a similar street office/travel agents in a long line of stores. This time the pick up/departure point was opposite the night market and tuk -tuks and taxis were already awaiting our arrival in the hope of getting a fare. Again it had a waiting area with chairs. The bus pulled up, we disembarked and collected our luggage ……. I was in Phnom Penh.
I would definitely use this bus company again (as I was to on my next journey to Siem Reap). Their website is easy to use and buy tickets from and once you get used to the pick up points being on the roadside next to their street office, then all is well. Comfy, modern coaches with no issues. No complaints from me.
I checked to make sure this is where I pick up my coach to Siem Rep (again with Giant Ibis) in a few day’s time. It was, so I was re-assured I knew where to get to for my next journey.
My hotel was about a 20 mins easy walk along the nearby river promenade.
Later I was to explore PP to see what this city had in store for me
If you are wondering how to get tickets and info on getting to the location in this post, please take a look at Bookaway. Their website is here https://www.bookaway.com
If you need specific ticket and timetable info on the destination I have featured here on this post, then click here for a link below to their site for this destination.
I use many forms of travel and often have to go to multiple sites to find prices, timetables and availability of tickets etc, but Bookaway has it all in one handy site.
I can recommend this site as I use many of the methods of transport and even the very companies they advertise on their site.
Their prices are similar to what you would find on the individual company sites, and often cheaper. The big advantage is that u have one site to visit for all destinations they cover and it is a fast and reliable system that you can depend on.
Hope you make use of Bookaway to ensure you get the best value and service for travel tickets.
Oct 2017
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What a great choice to take a bus. Not much more time and lots of things to see the whole way. Great tip about the e-visa copies.
It was just one of many subsequent bus journeys I did, knowing the benefits of it over a plane.
Sounds like bud was the right choice as you got to see more of the countryside than you would have via other transport. I’m envious that you’ve had the opportunity to explore so much of this part of the planet!
I;lookingat going back there for a third time, just to see a few places that I missed the last two times – can’t wait as it is presently my favourite part of the world. I will try to bus around more now that I have got a taste for it !
Taking the bus is a no-brainer really in this case. My dream is to do a month-long trip throughout SE Asia. Your trip sounds wonderful!
You could probably do most of it by bus and train too.
This was a really interesting post. Travelling overland offers a much more immersive – and significantly cheaper – experience than flying and, as you said, the difference in the overall transportation time wasn’t that long. Lots of great practical info too, especially the advice connected with the border crossing and visas. And the mighty Mekong really is a sight to behold!
The more I travel by bus and train the more I enjoy it and see its benefits over air travel. I’m already planning several trips now using road and rail as an alternative. It’s often cheaper, more comfortable and more visually rewarding. Thanks for the kind comments on the info details.
Taking the bus was certainly a very good option. We also took the bus, although in the opposite direction, going from Cambodia into Vietnam. We used the same bus company and totally agree that they were great.
We were in Asia in early 2020, just before the Pandemic and we would love to return there in the near future.
Great post 😀
So glad you liked the post and had a similar great experience with this bus company. I would certainly use them again and would definitely also love to go back and explore more of both countries. Thanks for your lovely comments.
I love that you see so much when taking the bus! Important info about having several copies of your paperwork. I usually only carry one, so definitely important to know to bring a few. Seeing the Mekong river must have been really cool!
Seeing the world go by from the bus window is the biggest benefit to this type of travel. It gives another outlook into the country you are visiting. I crossed the Mekong earlier in the week in Vietnam by ferry but travelling over it on a bridge was a new exciting way to see it.
These guides of yours are always very useful and enlightening, especially for those who intend to visit Asia. No doubt that mobility and transportation is always a useful topic to have tips. Thank you for sharing
Thank you for those delightful comments, I’m glad you enjoy the posts. I hope many others see them and find them helpful too.
Travelling by bus makes us a more responsible tourist. You’re setting a great example by looking at sustainable ways to travel but also that are cost effective. By going by bus you get to see the landscape as you’ve done and all those scooters.
I can’t wait for the day that buses are electric and thus pollute even less. Train is my preferred option for this reason but on this occasion, there were no train connections between these two cities. The added bonus is always seeing the countryside through the windows of the bus.
I would have probably chosen the bus, too. If time allows it, why not? It looks modern and clean and if the landscape did turn out to be disappointing you could have always slept through it all. So for me this would be an option to consider, too. Agree with Renee. It’s great you’re a responsible traveller and always share a few alternative routes rather than sticking religiously to the most costly7environmental unfriendly option.
Carolin | Solo Travel Story
Glad we both think similarly on the environmental impact of travel. I’ve chosen bus and train over plane many more times since for the reasons of environmental impact, that also meant cheaper costs and views of the country and ease. I fully intend to continue that trend where possible.
I would have 100% gone with the bus option too. For a fifth of the price and only one hour more? Amazing. Even if the scenery wasn’t always remarkable it’s still better than the inside of an airport. Good to know about the border and how you need extra e-visa copies. If I had out to HCMC again I would definitely consider this way of getting to Cambodia
Buses are convincing me that this is a much better way to travel than planes. They are usually so much cheaper as well, which is always a benefit in my view.
Taking the bus sounds like a great way to travel. It’s great they stopped to give you a chance to stretch. Great tip to make numerous copies of the e-visa
I’m doing more long distance journeys by bus and train than ever before, including international trips. It just seems so much easier than the airport trip, security, restrictions on baggage etc etc that a plane trip entails.
I love how you give detailed information on your experience taking certain routes, in this case, a bus. It’s so informative and beneficial, because I feel like if a traveler is trying to take a cheaper transportation alternative, they get a sense of what it’s like to take a bus. Not only what it’s like but what the process is and what to expect.
Thank you for the lovely comments. I always try to give details as I have read so many reports of how to get from A to B but often nothing about the experience, what to expect as to quality, stops for toilets etc. The border crossing building in Cambodia was a bit surreal, a semi deserted small mall with stuff I could buy in any European airport, so it was a bit normal rather than different.
Great reasons to take the bus! This trip sounds really relaxing and interesting, unlike what plane travel can be. I love the pictures of the landscapes out the bus window. Great tips, too!
You capture it exactly. This was a relaxing trip rather than the hustle and bustle of a crowded boring airport. It gave an insight into the country more, especially as the majority of the bus travellers were locals.