# Visiting Anwar Cambodia from Thailand by Bus



## Gary Pope

We are living in Chaingmai and want to visit Anwar by bus. Does anyone have a recommendation on a reliable travel company? We want to go as part of a small group and accommodations don't need to be first class but we want a safe and healthy environment. The bus portion would be from Bangkok I am assuming. Thanks.


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## Guest

Sorry Gary, no one seems to have a clue on this, all my trips to Cambodia from Chiang Mai involved a flight to Phnom Penh then travelling on from there...


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## Serendipity2

Gary Pope said:


> We are living in Chaingmai and want to visit Anwar by bus. Does anyone have a recommendation on a reliable travel company? We want to go as part of a small group and accommodations don't need to be first class but we want a safe and healthy environment. The bus portion would be from Bangkok I am assuming. Thanks.



Gary, 

Anwar? Do you mean Angkor Wat in Cambodia? [It's spectacular!] I'm guessing that's what you're talking about. There are a few ways to get there. The most civilized - if you can afford it - is to fly from Bangkok to Siem Reap which is a very short drive to the Angkor Wat complex [it's huge] You can take the bus or train there from Bangkok as well.... Here's some info that should be reliable but check
I got this from "Bus Travel from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia" on Google. Buses will run several times per day - may have to change at the border but do a Google search and you may be able to stay on same bus. I did when I traveled from Saigon to Phnom Penh. Anyway, here you go!

Serendipity2


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. 


You can get a clean and decent room in Siem Reap for $5-$15 per night. Again, do a Google search for rooms/accommodations in Siem Reap. Many include breakfast. Enjoy


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## MJL

Also need to be careful using credits. I have two friends who's card numbers were stolen in 
Siam Reip. Prefered currency is US dollars. Take cash and lots of $1's. Carer small bills becasue they'll take your US dollars and give you change in whatever the Cambodia currency is.

We did the bus trip with a local Thai group. It was a great experience. Glad I had the experience but won't do it again. Better is to fly if you can afford it. Airfare to Siem Reap isn't cheap


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## Guest

Good advice ref small dollar bills. First time I went there, I used my Mastercard to withdraw cash, chose the Khmer currency option instead of dollars, and needed a suitcase to carry it away (slight exaggeration ).

But definitely, a good reserve of 1 dollar bills and a certain amount of 'riels' is really handy, for tipping etc...


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## Gary Pope

Serendipity2 said:


> Gary,
> 
> Anwar? Do you mean Angkor Wat in Cambodia? [It's spectacular!] I'm guessing that's what you're talking about. There are a few ways to get there. The most civilized - if you can afford it - is to fly from Bangkok to Siem Reap which is a very short drive to the Angkor Wat complex [it's huge] You can take the bus or train there from Bangkok as well.... Here's some info that should be reliable but check
> I got this from "Bus Travel from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia" on Google. Buses will run several times per day - may have to change at the border but do a Google search and you may be able to stay on same bus. I did when I traveled from Saigon to Phnom Penh. Anyway, here you go!
> 
> Serendipity2
> 
> 
> 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.
> 
> 
> You can get a clean and decent room in Siem Reap for $5-$15 per night. Again, do a Google search for rooms/accommodations in Siem Reap. Many include breakfast. Enjoy


I do. Excellent information. Thanks. Gary, Chaingmai


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## Gary Pope

Thanks MJL. Good information. The reason we want to visit as quickly and cheaply as possible as we are concerned they will start to regulate the site more like they did with Machu Pichu in Peru. Gary, Chaingmai


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## wazza

DONT catch the cheap bus, its a nightmear if it rains it turned a 3hr trip into 12 hrs, we where bogged to the floorboards for hrs at a time,and nearly deserted by the driver,now its funny and an adventure but then it was serious , but its worth getting to ,once you are there .I found out that the whole thing is run by a chinese hotel chain and most of the money is siffoned away is sad but that is why they call it scambodia. have a good trip


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## Gary Pope

wazza said:


> DONT catch the cheap bus, its a nightmear if it rains it turned a 3hr trip into 12 hrs, we where bogged to the floorboards for hrs at a time,and nearly deserted by the driver,now its funny and an adventure but then it was serious , but its worth getting to ,once you are there .I found out that the whole thing is run by a chinese hotel chain and most of the money is siffoned away is sad but that is why they call it scambodia. have a good trip


Thanks WAZZA. I won't take the cheap bus. I've been on a few of those myself and like you said it's a great story if the ending is good! Gary


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