What is Siem Reap? A small provincial town that has recently become the main tourist center of Cambodia. The fact is that next to Siem Reap was opened ancient city Angkor, which houses the grand temple of Angkor Wat. About two million tourists come here every year to see with their own eyes the “wonder of the world” located in Cambodia. Such a huge influx of tourists stimulated the development of urban infrastructure. Modern hotels, cafes, and restaurants were built here. In addition, the notorious times of the Khmer Rouge did not leave their mark on the city - all the ancient buildings in it have been preserved. Now there is an interesting situation in the city architectural ensemble, consisting of colonial buildings, Khmer era houses and modern buildings.
Anchor Wat is a half-hour tuk-tuk ride from the city. And if you want to visit it, then our method may be useful to you.
We considered three options:
1. Air travel. One way for two in 2012 it would have cost us more than 12 thousand Thai baht. And this is in just 1 hour of flight! High price flight is due to the fact that only one monopoly airline, Bangkok Airways, flies from Bangkok to Siem Reap. Of course, if you have extra money, then there is no problem...
2. Buses from Khao San Road. Khao San Road is a famous street in Bangkok where you can see independent travelers from all over the world. There is active trade on it, a lot of cafes, massage parlors, currency exchange offices and offices selling tours or tickets to all corners of Thailand and Siem Reap. A ticket will cost you about 1000 baht per person.
3. Taxi. We used this type of transport. During my stay in Bangkok, I constantly asked taxi drivers how much they estimated the cost of a taxi to the Aranyaprathet (Aranyaprathet, Thailand) - Poipet (Poipet) border crossing. Aranyaprathet is a border town in Thailand. The amount ranged from 2,500 to 6,500 thousand baht. As a result, it was decided to bargain up to 3 thousand...
We left Bangkok around 5 am. Without agreeing with anyone in advance, we went to the Monument of Democracy, next to which we lived. And we caught the first taxi we came across. There are a lot of them there. We were able to immediately negotiate with this taxi driver up to 3 thousand baht. Yes, it's that simple. Apparently early morning played a role in this.
The early departure was also not accidental - we wanted to arrive at the border before 12 noon, because at this time rush hour begins - a lot of tourists arrive in an organized manner from the nearest resorts and cities of Thailand. They say that you can stand in queues for more than 2-3 hours at the border.
The journey from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet took about 4 hours.
By the way, a taxi will not take you exactly to the border. You have to walk there on foot. Don't be shy to ask for directions! We walked to the border along the Navigator, and on the way we met Japanese (father and son traveling on their own). They were also looking for a border crossing and trusted our Navigator... ooh, in the end we ended up in some kind of dead end, next to the fish market. Although the navigator claimed that we were there...
Once you pass the Thai border crossing, walk towards the huge Angkor Wat style gate. There, on the right side, you will see a two-story pale yellow building where visas are issued.
The cost of a visa is $20. But you can do it in advance for $25 and skip this step...
Of course, we didn’t do anything; we somehow decided to get it at the border. In principle, nothing complicated, the main thing is to have a photograph. We didn’t have any pictures with us... Everyone wanted to stop by in Bangkok, take a photo for a visa, but everyone jumped by. So we got there...
In general, if you don’t have a photo for a Cambodia visa, don’t be sad. You can get it without it for an additional fee, of course.
We were lucky then - at the visa center there was only a small group of Germans traveling independently, who had already submitted their documents and were awaiting the issuance of a stamped passport.
I had a one-man circus. The forms were filled out without any problems, no photos. A friendly dialogue took place with the border guard. They speak excellent English.
- Here's the form. We don't have a photo. Where can I do it?
- Nowhere. You can pay.
- How many?
— 800 baht per person on top.
- I don’t understand (at such moments it is very useful not to understand anything)
- I say 800 baht.
“I don’t speak English well at all...” I pull out a 100 baht piece of paper and blink my eyes. “Is that enough?” I don't understand.
- We still need... we need 800 baht. 1 person - 800 baht.
... I switch to Russian, communicate with my husband, shrug my shoulders, take out another 100 baht piece of paper.
- OK?
- No, few.
- 200. Ok?
The border guard sighed sadly. Took the money. Within 5 minutes we received our visa.
We also quickly passed the Khmer border control.
In the end, it took us about 20 minutes to cross the border.
So you've crossed the line. The destination, Siem Reap, is still far away. You can achieve it in two ways:
1. By bus.
As soon as you cross the border, you will be caught by touts.
— Free shuttle to Siem Reap!
We didn’t fall for the bus because we had previously read a lot of stories about incomprehensible divorces. It’s like they’re bringing you in and you don’t know where, then you don’t know how to get out of there and you pay twice as much...
But, by the way, later, already walking through the temples, we met that same group of Germans. They reported that they used the free shuttle and were taken to the bus station. A minibus arrived and they paid $10 per person to the city, and then they took a tuk-tuk and went to the hotel. They actually got to the place around 3-4 o’clock in the afternoon, and waited a long time for the bus. But this method also has its place, and at least it is divorce-free.
2. Taxi.
There is a small ring near the border. Walk along. Those who want to give you a ride will find you themselves. Before this, I read that you can get to Siem Reap for $30. I was counting on this amount...
- Hello! Taxi to Siem Reap.
- How many?
— 50$
— 20
— 45
— 20
“It’s not enough at all, no one will take it away for that amount.” Let's go 40.
- Okay, 25.
— 40
— 25
- No, few.
- Few? Then, ok. No need.
— 35…
- Ok, not for you - not for me... $30
- Give me at least $5 on top.
- I already threw 10 to 20. 30. Are we going?
As you can see, in Cambodia you can and should bargain!
As a result, we were in the city 2 hours later….
Welcome to Cambodia! Meet me my...
* This action took place in July 2012.
Small, but useful article for those who want to find out how to get from Bangkok to Cambodia the fastest and cheapest.
Before you decide to travel to Cambodia, I advise you to read the previous one. Once you decide whether to get a visa in advance or apply for it on the spot, you should think about how to get from Cambodia.
There are several ways:
Air Asia has always had the most low prices in this direction. You can even fly for pennies if you catch a promotion on the company’s official website or through Aviasales.
And if you want to find the cheapest air tickets, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the set of techniques that we use to catch the cheapest air tickets:
Useful advice for those who want to travel around Asia by bus - be sure to take warm clothes on board! Asians love to turn the air conditioning on full blast, so we always drive in pants, sweatshirts and sneakers, and always cover ourselves with a blanket. This is especially true for those traveling with small children.
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Updated: 10/25/2017 Oleg Lazhechnikov
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This time we went to Thailand with the information we received in Moscow. First, and now in Bangkok it’s time to get to the border and back to use the second time. Were considered different variants, starting from a visa to Cambodia to a flight to Vietnam/Burma. By the way, you can say not visaran, but border run, because the trip is carried out only to the border (border), and a Thai visa at the embassy cannot be obtained, although visaran is a more commonly used word.
Unfortunately, I waited until the last minute with Visaran, because I really didn’t want to go anywhere with Egor, so there were no cheap options left. As a result, we still chose to go to the border and spend the night near it. For those who are forced to carry a child with them to visas and want to do it more or less comfortably, perhaps our experience will be useful. But I will tell you more about others economical ways Same. Read about why you need visarans in the article.
From Bangkok it is easiest and fastest to travel to Cambodia, because the drive is only about 250 kilometers, and if you really want to, you can turn around in half a day. Since various visaran services do not accept small children, we did not even consider them, and were initially going to rent a car. Moreover, we need the ability to stop at any time, a suitcase of toys and space for games, as well as a schedule coordinated with daytime sleep. We also wanted to spend the night near the border to make the journey easier and, again, it would be easier to fit into Yegor’s dream. We couldn't leave him at home with his grandmother, because it was too long for now. I think in about six months it will be possible.
Car rental - 3000 baht (1500 baht/per day)
Gasoline - 1500 baht
Hotel – 680 baht
Cambodian visa – $40 for two (20+20)
Total we get 6500 baht.
We left Bangkok around 5 pm. We were in Aranyaprathet (or rather near the border) in 3.5 hours (270 km). We checked into the hotel, ate, watched a movie and went to bed. The next morning, we took turns (one of us sat with Yegor at the hotel) crossed the border and used the second route. After that, in the afternoon we started for Bangkok and got there in 4.5 hours with stops. We picked up the car at Suvarnabhumi airport and returned it there, it’s convenient. In general, I can say that such a trip, divided into two days, is not very tiring and allows you to adapt to the child’s needs (sleep, stops, etc.).
The only thing is that it is better to drive during the day, because the markings on the road are faded and driving in the dark is not very pleasant. Otherwise, I liked the trip by car: the roads are good, there are often gas stations with toilets, shops and cafes, and trucks do not interfere with the two-lane road.
This is the point where you need to go. And keep in mind that if you build a route through Google, it is better to take road 304, and not along road 359, as he suggests. Because this section of the road (Road 359) has one lane, the advantage is only 20 km, and you will be exhausted from overtaking trucks. The entire journey is approximately 270 km one way.
However, there is nowhere to go for a walk with your child. There are no green lawns and a lot of garbage around. And for some reason there is an eerie smell of fish on the street, although I have not seen either a fish market or a river nearby. The border is located a few kilometers from the city of Aranyaprathet, where there is everything you need, including shopping centers and green areas. And the city on the Cambodian side is called Poipet.
Our visa run is not very budget-friendly, but we needed to go with an overnight stay in order to spend less time in the car per day. However, those for whom this is not critical can reduce their expenses by renting a car in advance (I rented two days before the trip and before New Year in general, so there were no options) and only for one day. Then we get: 1200 baht rent + 1500 baht gasoline + $40 visa for two = 4000 baht. For two people it will be the same price as a visaran on a minibus from some travel agency. And if there are 4 people, then that’s a good saving.
We could also rent a car for one day, for example from 5 pm to 5 pm the next day, but we decided to take our time and not risk it. In the end, it turned out that we needed the car for 28 hours due to the fact that it took a long time to cross the border and did everything slowly and measuredly.
Having read horror stories about Cambodian border guards, I expected a catch every minute. But I was lucky, and everything went smoothly and without much extortion on their part. More details about everything below.
Border opening hours are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. It is better to do all procedures in the morning or in the late afternoon. Because all the travel agents brought by travel agencies end up here around noon.
You will need to go 3 points in one direction (Thai border => Cambodian visa point => Cambodian border), and then two points in the opposite direction (Cambodian border => Thai border). We went all the way on December 23, and perhaps that’s why there were a lot of people. I completed all the procedures in 1.5 hours (from 9 to 10:30), Daria completed them in 3 hours (from 11 to 14).
First pass the Thai border. The border checkpoint is on the left side of the road. Look for the Passport Control and Departure sign, you will find yourself in a long narrow corridor, walk along it and you will find yourself in front of the Thai border guards. Make sure you join the Foreigner queue to avoid wasting time. If you have no overstays and no one is looking for you, the border guard will put a stamp and you will move on.
Once through Thai border control, you will need to obtain a Cambodian visa. Exit the Thai building and move on. Near the Khemer arch (with “corns”) on the right side of the road you will see a Cambodian emigration. Fill out the form, attach 20 dollars (or 800 baht), and your passport. Most likely, they will ask you with a serious look for another 100-200 baht, but you, on the contrary, refuse with a good-natured look. If they ask several times, you refuse several times. Most importantly, don't forget to smile. They asked me twice and I refused twice, smiling. The visa was in my passport within 5 minutes. There is another option to get , but I don’t see the point in it. Well, only if you save space in your passport.
Now the traffic has changed from left to right, which means you need to walk on the right side of the road. After passing the tempting casino signs, head towards the Cambodian border to the Arrival sign. You receive an immigration card, fill it out ( better straight in line, standing), give the documents to the border guard. You will be fingerprinted and then released in peace to the kingdom of Cambodia. They say they can ask for money here too, but they didn’t ask me.
After the Cambodian border checkpoint, taxi drivers will immediately rush towards you with the best offers bring you to one point or another in the country. You can also leave from here by bus. Children may also attack you asking for money.
We ignore everyone who asks for something. We turn 180 degrees and look for the Departure sign on the right side of the road. There we give you your passport, your fingerprints are taken again, a stamp is given, and you are taken to a neutral zone. I read that because you haven’t spent even a day in Cambodia, they will try to scam you out of 100 baht, but they didn’t scam me.
Go further, after the casino and the Cambodian visa office, look for the Thai border checkpoint on the left side of the road. Near the stairs (the border control itself is on the second floor) and even before entering the building, take an immigration card. When there are a lot of people, you can skip the table where cards are handed out, so be sure to look for it there, they won’t let you in without a card. But it’s better to fill out the card in line, standing, so that everything goes faster, you’ll have to stand there for at least an hour anyway.
Next, go through border control. If you are entering on a tourist visa, be sure to check that your visa is activated. This is easy to check by checking the stamp; if you are on a visa, then there will be a departure date in 60 days. Also, first, do not forget to indicate your visa number on the immigration card.
Although I have not used other methods, I know about them, so I will tell you briefly. In general, they are similar to each other and do not depend on where you come from, Bangkok or Pattaya. Well, or almost independent.
Another comfortable visa option is to use the services of travel agencies. Early in the morning they will pick you up from a certain point, take you to the border, then take you by the hand there and back (in some cases you don’t even need to go anywhere), and bring you back. Usually starts at 6:30-7:00 am, and returns at 16-17 pm. But there are vizarans at other times. The price is 1900-2000 baht, the cost of a Cambodian visa is already included.
Exotic and long way. The train runs from the main railway station Hua Lampong in Bangkok and to the border twice a day: at 5.55 and 13.05. The ticket costs about 50 baht. This is an electric train, the travel time is more than 6 hours, you could easily be late. Likewise, from the railway station in Aranyaprathet you will then need to get to the border checkpoint by tuk-tuk.
P.S. My personal choice- this or visaran services. The costs are comparable, but the problems and inconveniences are much less.
The fastest and easiest way to get from Bangkok to Siem Reap is by plane. But today this is the most expensive method. Bangkok Airways offers one-way tickets for 5,500 baht (including taxes). This is why many travelers travel from Bangkok to Siem Reap by land and cross the border at Aranyaprathet/Poipet.
Until recently there was no direct bus service between Bangkok and Siem Reap, but on 21 February 2013 a new bus line was opened which provides a direct connection between the two cities. Tickets cost 750 baht per person. The trip takes about 5.5 hours to the border and another 2.5 hours from the border to Siem Reap. Total time travel depends on how quickly you can cross the border.
If you want to spend more less money or you just don’t want to get to the Mo Chit bus station where this bus departs, then there are other ways for you to travel to Siem Reap. You can take a train to Aranyaprathet or travel to this town by bus from the Eastern Bus Station. Alternatively, you can take a minivan from the Victory Monument. Minibuses usually travel faster than large buses. But, if you have long legs, you may experience serious discomfort during the trip. Remember that you will be on the road for several hours, so do not forget about comfort.
If you are traveling in a group of 3-4 people, you can take a taxi from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet for 2100-2600 baht, then cross the border and in the Cambodian town of Poipet take a taxi to Siem Reap (the trip will cost about 50 dollars).
In general, you have a few basic options for getting from Bangkok to Siem Reap:
1. Direct bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap.
The duration of the trip is 8-9 hours, the cost is 750 baht. Departure time from Bangkok is 09:00.
2. Bus from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet.
The duration of the trip is about 5 hours and 30 minutes, the cost is 207 baht (first class) or 160 baht (second class).
First and second class buses leave from the Northern Bus Station approximately every half hour. The last bus leaves at 18:00.
You can also take the bus from the Eastern Bus Station. The cost of the trip will be 200 baht. There are 5 buses leaving from the Eastern Bus Station to Aranyaprathet daily. They depart at 06:15, 8:30, 10:30, 12:30 and 16:30. If it's gathered a small amount of people, then instead of a big bus there will be a minibus.
It is worth noting that there are two buses per day that go from the Suvarnabhumi Airport bus terminal to Aranyaprathet. They depart at 07:15 and 9:45 and cost 187 baht.
Lumphini Park on Rama IV Road has so-called "casino buses" that take people to the casinos at the border. From here, three buses leave for Aranyaprathet every day: at 06:00, 06:30 and 09:00. The cost of the trip is 200 baht.
3. Minibus from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet.
The trip lasts about 4 hours and costs about 200 baht. You can travel to Aranyaprathet by minivan from the Victory Monument in Bangkok. A minibus almost always travels a little faster than a bus or train. Minibuses depart every 30-45 minutes from 05:30 to 18:30 from the Victory Monument. You can buy a ticket directly at the station. In case you have large luggage, you will have to pay a little more.
4. Train from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet.
The train journey to Aranyapratheta takes 5 hours and 40 minutes and costs only 48 baht. True, only third class will be available to you, so you can forget about comfort.
The train to Aranyaprathet leaves from Hua Lamphong Railway Station at 05:55. If you take this train, you will arrive at Aranyaprathet around 11:35. The second train leaves at 13:05 and you will be in Aranyaprathet at 17:35. From there you will still need to get to the border. But this is not a problem, as there are always taxis near the Aranyapratheta railway station. It's worth remembering that trains in Thailand are often delayed, so if you take the train at 1:05 p.m., you risk not making it to the border before it closes at 8:00 p.m.
5. Taxi.
The trip lasts 3 hours and the cost usually ranges from 2100 to 2600 baht.
Once you cross the border and arrive in Poipet, you can travel to Siem Reap by taxi or bus. The cost of a taxi ride will be about $50, and the journey will take you about 2 hours. The cost of a bus trip will be about $9, but the journey will take you about 3 hours.
The cost of a flight always depends on the time of travel. The chart will allow you to compare prices for air tickets from Bangkok to Cambodia, track the dynamics of changes in their cost and find the best offer.
Statistics will help determine the season of low prices. For example, in February prices reach an average of 10,052 rubles, and in August the cost of tickets drops to an average of 5,879 rubles. Plan your trip now!
We analyze this information and create charts to make it easier for you to plan your trips.
What is more profitable – to buy air tickets in advance, avoiding the general rush, or to take advantage of a “hot” offer closer to the departure date? The chart will help you determine best time to purchase air tickets.
See how the price of air tickets from Bangkok to Cambodia has changed depending on the time of purchase. Since the start of sales, their value has changed by an average of 157%. Minimum price in the direction from Bangkok to Cambodia - 55 days before departure, approximately 4,945 rubles. The maximum price for a flight from Bangkok to Cambodia is on the day of departure, approximately 25,051 rubles. In most cases early booking helps you save money, take advantage of it!
Airfare from Bangkok to Cambodia does not represent a fixed and constant amount. It depends on many factors, including the day of departure. The dynamics of changes are visible on the graph.
According to statistics, the most affordable option flights from Bangkok to Cambodia - on Saturdays, their average cost– 7,846 rubles. The most expensive flights are on Mondays, their average cost is 9,024 rubles. It is worth considering that flights on holidays are usually more expensive. We hope this information will help you plan your travels more effectively.
The cost of air tickets depends not only on the date, but also on the time of departure. An airline can operate several flights on one day, and they will differ in price category.
The graph shows the cost of departure depending on the time of day. For example, the average cost of a ticket from Bangkok to Cambodia in the morning is 11,017 rubles, and in the evening 10,656 rubles. Evaluate all conditions and choose the best offer.
The graph shows comparative prices for flights from Bangkok to Cambodia on the most popular airlines. Based on this information, you can plan your trip and buy air tickets from Bangkok to Cambodia from the carrier that suits you.
Statistics will help you choose a flight based on your financial capabilities, as well as your wishes in terms of comfort and flight conditions. The lowest prices for air tickets from Bangkok to Cambodia are offered by Thai AirAsia, the highest prices are offered by Thai Airways.
