Until recently there was just one train service remaining in Cambodia, from Battambang to
Phnom Penh. Previously running every second day, in 2006 it went
down to once a week, and in early 2009 it stopped running altogether.
There are now no regular passenger trains in Cambodia, only buses.
 Phnom Penh-Battambang train cancelled.
This train is
no longer running. But if you have any
further feedback,
please email me.
Right: The chalkboard notice
behind closed gates says '"Battambang - Phnom Penh suspend".
Taken in January 2009, photo courtesy of Ralf Hundewadt from
Germany.
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Phnom Penh to Battambang
is 275km. Map
of train routes in Southeast Asia.
There are also currently NO trains on the Phnom
Penh - Kampot - Sihanoukville route or on the Battambang-Sisophon route.
There has been talk for years of rebuilding the railway to the Thai
border, and building a new line to Saigon, thus linking Europe and
Singapore by rail without a gap, but no action has yet been taken.
It's perfectly feasible to travel Bangkok to
Saigon or Saigon to Bangkok overland, via Cambodia. It's cheap,
and there's a lot to see on the way. Just travel
Bangkok to Phnom Penh by train & bus
(2 days, 1 night),
spend a night in Phnom Penh, then travel
Phnom Penh to Saigon by bus (half
day) as shown
below. A useful resource
for this trip is
www.talesofasia.com/cambodia-overland-bkksr-self.htm.
Since the war in Cambodia, the
railway line between Bangkok and Phnom Penh has only been running between
Bangkok and Aranyaprathet on the Thai side of the Thai/Cambodian
border, and (at least until recently) between Battambang and Phnom Penh within Cambodia. Train
service across the border between Aranyaprathet and Battambang has been suspended for some
years, although there is talk of restoring the complete Phnom
Penh-Bangkok rail link sometime in the future. In the meantime, a trip from
Bangkok to Phnom Penh can be made over 2 days as follows:
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Above: Two daily trains link Bangkok's city-centre
Hualamphong station with Aranyaprathet on the Cambodia border, for
onward transport by bus or taxi to Phnom Penh. the trains
are 3rd class only, but a very pleasant way to travel, and the
cost is minimal! |
Bangkok ► Phnom Penh
-
Day
1, take
the daily 05:55 train from Bangkok's main Hualamphong station arriving in
Aranyaprathet at 11:35. Aranyaprathet is just a few kilometres from the
Cambodian frontier. There's
also a 13:05
train from Bangkok arriving Aranyaprathet at 17:35, but this is too
late to move on from the frontier and you will have to spend the
night at Poiphet. These
trains are 3rd class only (pictured, right), but they are clean, spacious and it's a
pleasant and enjoyable ride, clickety clacking along with a breeze
blowing through the open window. The fare is only 58
baht (about £1 or $1.60).
-
At Aranyaprathet, take a tuk-tuk (about
40-60 baht) or motorcycle (50 baht) or wait for the bus (about 10 baht), from
the station to the Cambodian border at Poiphet (15km).
The border is open 07:00-20:00, and visas can be bought there.
Don't get sidetracked into a travel agency, make sure the tuk tuk
driver takes you to the official border post to buy your Cambodian
visa (or
buy an e-visa beforehand). Be careful with your
valuables when crossing the border, as there may be pickpockets
around.
-
Take
a Cambodian taxi, bus or pick up truck from Poiphet to Sisophon
(48 km) and Battambang (112 km). You will need to spend the
night in Battambang.
-
Day 2, take a bus
from
Battambang to Phnom Penh. Buses run many times daily between
06:30 & 12:45, journey time 5½
hours, fare around 14,000 Riel ($4).
-
You may prefer to
travel via Siem Reap to see the temples at Angor Wat. If so,
see the Bangkok-Siem Reap-Phnom Penh
section below.
Phnom Penh ► Bangkok
-
Day 1, take a morning bus from Phnom Penh to
Battambang. Buses run many times daily between 06:30 &
12:45, journey time 5½ hours,
fare 14,000 Riel ($4). You will need to spend the night at Battambang.
-
Take a taxi, bus or pick up truck from
Battambang via Sispohon to Poiphet on the Thai frontier (48 km
from Sisophon, 112 km from Battambang).
-
After passing through
customs into Thailand, take a bus (10 Baht) or tuk-tuk (40-60
baht) the few km from Poiphet to the railway station at
Aranyaprathet.
-
Two reliable trains a
day run from Aranyaprathet to Bangkok. You should be able to
make the 13:55 departure from Aranyaprathet, arriving Bangkok at
19:55. If not, the other train leaves Aranyaprathet at
06:40, arriving Bangkok at 12:05. Both trains are 3rd class
only, but they are clean and it's a very pleasant ride. The
fare is only 58
baht (80p/$1.50).
-
You may prefer to
travel via Siem Reap to see the temples at Angor Wat. If so,
see the Bangkok-Siem Reap-Phnom Penh
section below.
Travellers'
reports...
Traveller
Tom Barrett reports
(summer 2008): "We recently took the train from
Bangkok to the border with Cambodia at Aranyaprathet. The
fare is now Baht 58, still less than a pound. The seats have some
padding. The train left on time, the service was fine, it was no
bother buying a ticket, some people sell you drinks on the train
and snacks – if you are bold! I didn't see this train option
to Cambodia in the guidebooks, so the information here was really
useful. The family enjoyed the train journey experience too."
|
|
Bangkok - Siem Reap - Phnom Penh by train+bus
|
| |
Above: 3rd class seats on a Thai train. two
daily trains link Bangkok's central Hualamphong station with
Aranyaprathet on the Cambodia border. A pleasant way to
travel, and the cost is minimal! |
| |
Above: A double-decker tourist bus from Siem Reap to
Phnom Penh. Photo courtesy of Michelle Moret van der Spek. |
Bangkok ► Siem Reap (for Angkor Wat)
► Phnom Penh
-
Take a train from Bangkok's main Hualamphong
station to Aranyaprathet, which is a few kilometres from the
Cambodian frontier. Two reliable trains run daily. To
reach Siem Reap or Battambang the same day, take the 05:55 from
Bangkok arriving in Aranyaprathet at 11:35. There's also a
13:05 train from Bangkok which arrives in Aranyaprathet at 17:35,
but this is too late to move on from the frontier and you will
have to spend the night at Poiphet. These trains are 3rd
class only (pictured, right), but they are clean, spacious and
it's a pleasant and enjoyable ride, clickety clacking along with a
breeze blowing through the open window. The fare is only 58
baht (£1 or $1.60).
-
At Aranyaprathet, take a tuk-tuk (about
40-60 baht) or motorcycle (about 50 baht) or wait for the bus (about 10 baht), from
the station to the Cambodian border at Poiphet (15km).
The border is open 07:00-20:00. Don't get sidetracked into a
travel agency, make sure the tuk tuk driver takes you to the
official border post to buy your Cambodian visa (or
buy an e-visa beforehand). Be careful with your
valuables when crossing the border, as there may be pickpockets
around.
-
Take a
share taxi from Poiphet to Siem Reap. The journey usually
takes around 2-3 hours now that the highway has been improved, and it costs about
$30/1000 baht for the whole car or $9/300 baht for the front
seat, depending on your bargaining powers. There are also buses, some quite basic, from Poiphet
to Siem Reap, fare around $3, journey time around 5 hours.
See the 'travellers reports' below for more info on the options.
-
Spend a day or two in
Siem Reap visiting the Angkor Wat temples.
-
When you're ready to
move on to PP, there are two options, bus or boat. There's a daily boat along the river from Siem Reap to Phnom
Penh departing 07:00 and arriving 13:30. Distance 251km, fare
$25. Alternatively, there are buses at various
times throughout the day from 06:30 until about 12:30. Journey
time 6 hours, fare around $10, distance 314km. Buses are run
by several operators. Some buses are double-deck, some
have a WC & refreshments.
Phnom Penh ► Siem Reap (for Angkor
Wat) ► Bangkok
-
From Phnom Penh to
Siem Reap there are two options, bus or boat. There is a
daily boat along the river from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap departing
07:00 and arriving 13:30. Distance 251km, fare $25. Alternatively, there are buses at various
times throughout the day from 06:30 until about 14:00. Journey
time 6 hours, fare around $10, distance 314km. Buses are run
by several operators. Some buses are double-deck, and some
have a WC & refreshments.
-
Spend a day or two in
Siem Reap visiting the Angkor Wat temples.
-
Take a
share taxi from Siem Reap to the Thai frontier at Poiphet.
The journey usually takes under 3 hours, and it costs about
$25/1000 baht for the whole car or $8/300 baht for the front
seat.
-
After passing through
customs into Thailand, take a bus (10 Baht) or tuk-tuk (40-60
baht) the few km from Poiphet to the railway station at
Aranyaprathet.
-
Two reliable trains a
day run from Aranyaprathet to Bangkok. You should be able to
make the 13:55 departure from Aranyaprathet, arriving Bangkok at
19:55. If not, the other train leaves Aranyaprathet at
06:40, arriving Bangkok at 12:05. Both trains are 3rd class
only, but they are clean and it's a very pleasant ride. The
fare is 58
baht (80p/$1.50).
Travellers'
reports (Bangkok to Seam Reap)...
Traveller Cynthia O'Brien reports
(2010): "Travelling from Bangkok to Seam Reap this way
was much easier than I expected, after reading many older stories
about this route. I took the
05:55 train from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet, for 48 baht.
From the station at Aranyaprathet, I took a tuk-tuk for 60 baht to
the border at Poiphet. However, the driver made a detour to
a travel agency, which is one of the visa scam places. I
already had an e-visa (http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh/e-visa/vindex.aspx),
which I would recommend to avoid the hassle at the border.
The salesman at the travel agency wanted me to go into his office
to talk to him and asked to see my passport. I refused to
hand him my passport and the tuk-tuk driver drove me away quickly
when I told other travellers not to get their visa at that place,
but to get it from Cambodian immigration at the border, where it
will cost less. The biggest change from the older accounts
is transportation to Siem Reap from the border. As soon as you
cross into Cambodia, there is a stop for a free shuttle bus. Do
not hesitate to take this free bus to their nearby travel centre.
It is operated by a company that arranges legitimate, hassle free
transportation to Siem Reap. The two best choices are a mini-van
for $9 per passenger, which leaves as soon as it has nine
passengers, or a share taxi for $12 per passenger, which leaves
when it has four passengers. The prices are non-negotiable, and
you buy your ticket for either option at a ticket window, rather
than haggling with a driver. The third option is a public bus that
leaves at 2:30pm, also for $9. However, I do not know how long the
journey takes by bus. Since I was travelling alone, I took the
mini-van, which only took about an hour to get nine passengers.
The highway is now complete, so the ride only took 2 hours and 20
minutes, which included a 30 minute break at a restaurant. When we
arrived in Siem Reap, they brought us to a guest house and asked
us if we wanted to look, but there was no pressure. There was
nothing wrong with the guest house and it was in a good location,
but I already paid for another. Included in the ticket price was a
tuk tuk ride to your guesthouse. And if you do not have a guest
house, the driver will take you around until you find one that you
like."
Traveller Elliot Fox reports
(August 2008): "The time of the train (05.55) and the
fare are still the same. I didn't find my train was in as good
condition as the other traveller describes but it was fine
nevertheless. You will probably be drifting in and out of
consciousness during the ride, which makes it all the more
pleasant once the landscapes of rural Thailand set in, with the
nice breeze coming from those big windows. Once in Aranyaprathet,
I was greeted by a tuk-tuk driver before I was even off the train,
and a 40 baht fare was easily obtained. One difference with
other accounts of the trip I had read is that I was driven to a
Cambodian consulate which is not on the border, but maybe 5-10km
before. I was suspicious at first but it is in fact completely
legit. So I am guessing it is a new development [Note:
It's legit, and will sell visas for $35, but you can buy visas for
$20 at the border itself]. The
tuk-tuk then took me to the border, with the usual assault of visa
scams and the like. I completely second the previous warning
about the 'official bus' scam. Do not listen to anyone offering
you that bus ride to the 'Poipet terminal' which is just their
taxi company. They will also try to make you change money at the
shop next door, which of course has a ridiculous exchange rate.
They will then try to get you to pay $60 for a shared cab, and
actually got a bit aggressive when we refused and left the place.
Back on the main road, it took about 30 seconds to find another
driver and got a $20 fare for a shared cab. Once again, do not
accept any 'official free bus rides' on the Cambodian side, its a
complete waste of time. Head to the main road instead."
Traveller Andreas Klein travelled
this way in 2007: "We caught the 05:55 train from
Bangkok to Aranyaprathet. Tickets are still 48 Baht and are easy
to book. I'd recommend getting to the station at around 5
o'clock to get this done. Although only 3rd class is
available, the train is really good. It was reasonably
clean, the seats are comfortable and there are small fans for
every compartment. Additionally, you can open the windows
which gives you a nice breath of air. The train ride was
very interesting due to the landscape and cities you travel
through and the (very friendly) people you meet in the train.
Every now and then people come to sell food and drinks. We
found it also possible to get some hours of sleep in the train.
The way to the border is exactly as you describe on your website:
We took a tuk-tuk. I can only recommend getting an e-visa,
www.cambodiaevisa.com/e-visa-users-feedback.
It was very helpful to avoid getting in contact with all the scams
offering other types of visa shortly before you cross the border.
The signs to the visa entry point are not the best and hence you
might fall for one of the help offers from the scams. To cross the
border, just walk along the main road through the entry gate and
you will find the visa-checkpoint right at the end on the right
side. The entry-process is very easy. Finding a
reasonable transportation to Siem Reap cost us about 1.5 hours in
the sun and lots of negotiation. Some scammers claimed to be
from a governmental organisation and tried to sell far too
expensive transportation (US$60 to Siem Reap). Avoid getting
caught by them and their "official / governmental" bus and
organisation (they all wear nice shirts with a Cambodia emblem,
but we are still not sure whether this is real), which will only
bring you to their taxi stand. Like you say on your website,
reasonable transport by taxi to Siem Reap should be $25, which we
managed to achieve by walking along the main road, followed
by several taxi drivers, who reduced their fares steadily
the closer we came to the bus station. It is about 140km and
will take you 3.5 hours." Further
feedback
from travellers who have used this route between Bangkok and Phnom
Penh or Siem Reap would be appreciated, as information is difficult to come by.
Traveller's reports (Seam Reap - Phnom Penh)
Traveller Geoff Holman travelled PP to
Siem Reap in Sept 2007: "I
booked this trip
the day before at Capital No.1 Guesthouse in PP. Cost was US$22. Picked up by a
minivan from guesthouse at 06.30 and transported to wharf. Boat was
about 75% full. Weather was OK for travelling on the roof, bit hard
on the back after a while. Most of the backpackers/international
travellers were up top to take in the views. Take refreshment as
none available. Air conditioning
in cabin was a little cool, but all in all a comfortable and pleasant
trip. Chaos at the
landing at Siem Reap. Host of small boys trying to grab your luggage
for a fee. Local police on hand but made no attempt to intervene. Apparently the
journey can be less enjoyable in the dry season as the lake is quite
shallow and groundings are common."
Traveller Justin Kilby reports: "The
fast boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is fairly comfortable and quite
an interesting journey up the Tonle Sap river and across Tonle Sap
Lake, but make sure you take food and water as there is none available
on the boat. Also make sure you buy your ticket from a reputable
source, for example your hotel or legitimate travel agent as there are
reports of travellers buying tickets for non existent boats."
Further
feedback from travellers who have used this route would be appreciated, as information is difficult to come by.
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