If you’ve never traveled by bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh before, it might seem overwhelming. Land borders aren’t always the easiest to cross, but fortunately, this one isn’t so bad.
We recently traveled from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh by bus (and back), and it was so easy. There are bus companies that take you the entire way and help coordinate things at immigration. However, it isn’t always straightforward, depending on which bus company you choose.
If you want to know exactly what to expect, this guide is for you. In this article, I’ll give you a step-by-step breakdown of what happens when you take a bus from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh.
Step 1: Book Your Bus Tickets In HCMC
The very first thing you need to do is book your bus tickets. It’s also important who you book your bus tickets with. We went with a cheap company on our first Saigon to Phnom Penh bus, and it wasn’t very good. The bus was uncomfortable, and the driver and guide didn’t tell us what was happening.
Where to book your bus tickets
I strongly recommend booking your bus tickets with Giant Ibis. This is a big bus company primarily running in Cambodia, but they make several trips between Phnom Penh and Saigon. The company is a little more expensive than others but is much more organized.
If traveling with Giant Ibis, you can book your tickets directly on their official website, through 12GoAsia (a popular transportation booking company), or at their office/bus terminal in District 1.
If you don’t want to go with Giant Ibis or want to go with a cheaper company, there are dozens of options, all on the same street. The street is across September 23rd Park near Bui Vien Party Street. There are about a kilometer of bus companies and tour agencies, all of which offer transportation to Phnom Penh. We’ve taken Kumho Samco Buslines (Google Maps Location) from this area, and while it wasn’t the best experience (the driver didn’t explain much, and the bus wasn’t very clean), we arrived safely and on time.
Step 2: Arrive At The Bus Station ~30 Minutes Before
The bus company will likely tell you to arrive ~30 minutes before departure, and I highly recommend doing so. They usually start boarding around this time, and you can use the restroom, refill water, and get situated before hopping on the long bus ride.
The good news is there are assigned seats, so you don’t have to worry about fighting for a spot or anything.
Step 3: Board Your Bus And Give Guide Your Passport (And Extra Money)
Once you get to the bus station (it usually looks more like a little office), you’ll get ready to board your bus. Everyone has assigned seats, so when boarding, just make sure you’re in the right spot.
Our bus allowed us to have the bus driver handle all our paperwork for an additional $10 USD or do it ourselves. They warned us that if you do it yourself and have any major delays, the bus won’t wait for you (you’ll only have about 30-45 minutes to sort it out at the border).
If you decide to have the driver do it for you (I think everyone did it on our bus, including us), you’ll give the bus driver $10 USD + the cost of the Cambodian visa ($30 USD) with your passport and Vietnam visa.
If you applied for a Cambodia e-visa, tell the bus driver at this stage.
Step 4: Arrive At Moc Bai (The Vietnam-Cambodia Land Border)
The bus ride from Saigon to Moc Bai (the Vietnam-Cambodia land border) takes approximately 2.5-3 hours, depending on traffic. It’s a relatively easy ride. The bus will drop you off right at Vietnam immigration.
You can leave your stuff on the bus or bring it with you; either way, you’ll never be too far from the bus. You’ll get off the bus, receive your passport from the bus driver, and head to Vietnam immigration.
Step 5: Get Stamped Out Of Vietnam
You’ll walk into immigration as a group and line up in your appropriate line (there are usually different lines for Asian passport holders and others; the bus driver will make sure you’re in the right spot).
You’ll walk up to immigration, get an exit stamp in your passport, and leave the building. The Vietnam Immigration will double-check your passport on your way out to make sure you were stamped out.
What you need to exit Vietnam
The only thing you need to get your exit stamp is your passport and your Vietnam visa (the piece of paper you used to enter the country).
Step 6: Get Stamped Into Cambodia
Cambodian immigration is about 0.6 miles (1 km) from Vietnam’s immigration. Your bus will be waiting right where you exit. You’ll get back on the bus, give your passport to your driver again, and they’ll take you to Cambodian immigration.
Your driver will take everyone’s passport and get you the Cambodia visa page. You’ll head to the little immigration booth with everyone on your bus, stand in line, and the driver will call out names and hand you your passport. Upon return, your passport will have the large, green Cambodia visa stapled on a page.
After getting your passport back with your Cambodia visa, you must go through Cambodia immigration and get your stamp. The Cambodia visa will be stapled into your passport, and you’ll get a stamp and a little immigration card. Keep this in your passport because you’ll also need it to exit Cambodia.
What you need to enter Cambodia
All you need is the cost of the visa (for us, it was $30 USD) and your passport. They offer a visa-on-arrival, so it’s very straightforward.
Step 7: Board The Bus And Head To Phnom Penh
All in all, the process only takes about 30-60 minutes if there aren’t any outrageous lines, and most of the heavy lifting is done by your bus driver. Just make sure you stick with your group, and it’s easy breazy.
Once you have your Vietnam exit stamp and Cambodia entrance stamp/visa, you can hop back on the bus for the final leg of the journey: about a 3-4 bus ride to Phnom Penh.
Bonus: Traveling From Phnom Penh To Saigon Bus
We’ve also taken the Phnom Penh to Saigon bus, and that’s just as easy, especially if you’ve made the reverse trip before. The only real difference is you need to get a visa from Vietnam ahead of time and have it printed (it’s very important you print it when crossing the land border. When you fly in, they’ll usually accept it on your phone, but by land, they want the actual paper).
You can catch a bus near the night market in Phnom Penh, like in HCMC, where there’s a street parallel to the night market with just a ton of bus companies and tour agencies. When we take a bus from Phnom Penh to Saigon, we always take Giant Ibis from their Night Market location.
F.A.Q. For Taking The Bus From Saigon To Phnom Penh
If you’re anything like me, you probably want to go into the border crossing with a total understanding of what could happen and what to expect. Here are some frequently asked questions about taking the bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh.
What’s the best bus company from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh?
Giant Ibis is the best company to travel with from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh. I haven’t taken all buses, but I’ve taken a good handful, and Giant Ibis was by far the most professional, comfortable, and helpful from start to finish. The staff, even just at the front desk before boarding, goes above and beyond.
How long does the bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh take?
The journey from Saigon to Phnom Penh takes around 7 hours, give or take. It should take 2-3 hours to get to Moc Bai (the border) from downtown HCMC, then about an hour at the border, and another 3-4 hours from Moc Bai to Phnom Penh. It could take longer if there’s a lot of heavy traffic in either city or some issues at the border.
What documents do you need to take the Saigon to Phnom Penh bus?
Cambodia offers a visa on arrival for most travelers, so you don’t need anything other than your passport, your Vietnam visa printed out (the one you used to enter the country with), and USD to pay for your Cambodia visa at the border.
IMPORTANT: We are from the United States and, therefore, have passports from the United States. This is the case for our passport, but it could differ from country to country. Visa rules and regulations can also always change. Make sure to double-check requirements ahead of time on an official government website. If you’re uncertain, you can also ask your bus company before departure; they are very experienced with land crossing.
Should you take a sleeper or a sitting bus from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh?
You can choose between a sleeper and a normal seater bus when traveling from Saigon to Phnom Penh. The one you choose depends on your preference. We’ve done both, and I enjoy both.
Normally, the regular buses are much more comfortable than your run-of-the-mill buses. They have spacious reclining seats, cellphone chargers, and air conditioning. Of course, sleeper buses are nice because you can lie down and nap in between.
Also, not all bus companies offer both, so you may not get the choice. Giant Ibis only has sitting, normal buses. However, Kumho Samco Buslines has both.
How much is the bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh?
The price varies between companies. Usually, the cheaper the bus, the worse the service. That’s not to say it isn’t bad. It’s just not as “good” as the more luxurious companies. You can expect to pay between $20-$35 USD (one-way) for a bus ticket from Saigon to Phnom Penh.
Here’s a breakdown of our costs based on two border crossings we’ve done with two different bus companies:
- One-Way Bus Ticket From Saigon to Phnom Penh: $25 USD with Kumho Samco Buslines and $35 USD with Giant Ibis.
- $30 USD for a Cambodia visa (this is for the U.S.A. passport; the price may be different depending on where you’re from).
- $10 USD, given to the driver to help expedite the immigration process at the border.
These were the prices as of December 2024; they might change, but we’ll update here if we hear of different prices/procedures.
Is the Moc Bai border safe? Any scams to watch for?
I’ve heard a million and one horror stories about the Moc Bai border, mostly people getting scammed and asking for “coffee money” from the border agents. Maybe the $10 USD you give to your bus driver to take care of your paperwork involves this “bribe,” but other than that, I’ve never had anything bad happen. I’d argue it’s one of the easiest border crossings I’ve gone through, and it’s especially painless if you go with a legitimate bus company that organizes the crossing for you.
Overall, Ho Chi Minh City is safe, the bus companies are helpful, you should have nothing to worry about.
What should you pack for the bus ride from Saigon to Phnom Penh?
In addition to yourself, your passport, your USD, and all your belongings, here are a few other things you should have with you:
- Toilet paper or tissues: If you’ve been traveling SEA, you’re probably already familiar with the conditions of the bathrooms, and it’s no different here. There’s rarely any toilet paper in the bathrooms you’ll use during the journey.
- Hand sanitizer: There’s also never any soap, and the bathrooms can be pretty rough, so this is another good thing.
- Snacks and drinks: It’s approximately seven hours on the bus, so bring some extra water and any snacks you might need.
- A sweater: Some buses pump the air-conditioning. It’s hard to know if yours will (because not all do). Just have a sweater on you, just in case.
- All your belongings organized: This is one of those travel days where you’ll have to go into your bag for a lot of different reasons, whether it’s to grab your cellphone charger, your passport at the border, some cash, etc. Try to think ahead and organize your stuff so you don’t have to dig through all your belongings throughout the day.
You will make an hour-long stop at the border and usually make another stop after crossing into Cambodia. In both places, there are little shops to buy water, coffee, and snacks.
Where can you use the bathroom when taking the bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh?
There will be a bathroom at the bus station. I recommend using the bathroom right before leaving. There’s also a bathroom at the Moc Bai border. You should have a few spare minutes to run in before hopping back on the bus. The bus also stops for a bathroom break between the Vietnam-Cambodia border and Phnom Penh, about two hours outside the city.
Is it better to fly or take the bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh?
Some people might tell you flying is way better when traveling from HCMC to Phnom Penh, but I disagree. A flight is very affordable, usually only around 50 USD, and the flight is under an hour. However, you still have to go to the airport (about 30 minutes from the city center), get there 2-3 hours before the flight, wait to board, go through immigration upon departure and arrival, and everything in between.
When you factor it all together, flying probably takes about the same amount of time and costs slightly more. Like other transportation in HCMC, the bus is honestly painless and comfortable if you go with the right company.
Overall, the entire process is super easy, even if you aren’t experienced with land borders. And when in doubt, stick closely with everyone else on your bus and do as they do.
How do you feel about land crossings? Have you crossed into/out of Vietnam by land before? We’d love to hear your experience or thoughts!
Leave a Reply