Bavet Checkpoint: Moc Bai, Vietnam / Bavet, Cambodia (Route 1 to Phnom Penh)
Cambodian visas available at the border. Vietnamese visas NOT available at the border. Cambodian E-Visa accepted at this crossing.
The Moc Bai crossing is the closest and most convenient to Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City. The road from Phnom Penh, through the Moc Bai crossing to Ho Chi Minh City is in very good condition except for short stretches under construction between Neak Loung and Phnom Penh. At peak traffic hours and holidays there can be long waits at the Mekong River ferry crossing at Neak Loung.
Bus: There are several bus companies offering direct a/c bus service between Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City for $10-$12. No bus change at the border. The trip usually takes about 6 hours barring traffic back ups at the Neak Loung ferry crossing.
Phnom Penh does not have a centralized bus station. Buses from different companies depart from different stations. In Ho Chi Minh City, most of the bus stations and offices are in the Pham Ngu Lao area.
Bus Schedules: Phnom Penh to/from HCMC
Phnom Penh to/from HCMC (direct): 6:45, 8:30, 11:30, 13:30
HCMC to/from Phnom Penh (direct): 6:45, 8:30, 11:30, 13:30
Phnom Penh Office and arrival/departure: opposite the southwest corner of Phsar Thmey. Tel: 023-210359
Mekong Express
Phnom Penh to/from HCMC (direct): 6:30, 7:00, 8:30, 13:15
HCMC to/from Phnom Penh (direct): 7:00, 8:30, 11:00, 13:00
Deluxe buses.
Phnom Penh Office located at #87 Sisowath Quay at the corner of Street 102 on the riverfront. Tel: 023-427518. Stations located at Phsar Orrusey and at the office.
Capitol Tours
Phnom Penh to/from HCMC (direct): 6:45, 8:00, 13:30
HCMC to/from Phnom Penh (direct): 7:30, 9:00, 13:30
Deluxe buses.
Phnom Penh Station: Capitol Guesthouse, corner of Streets 107 and 182.
Taxi: Local taxis depart Phnom Penh from Market Chhbar Ampeou. Shared taxi costs $5 for a cramped, harrowing ride to the border. Private taxi for $35. At the border, check through immigration, walk across the border arrange another taxi or van the rest of the way to Ho Chi Minh City.
Kaam Samnor, Cambodia/Ving Xuong, Vietnam (“Chau Doc crossing”) (On the Mekong River)
Cambodian visas available at the border. Vietnamese visas NOT available at the border
This Mekong River border crossing is near the Vietnamese city of Chau Doc. Coming from Cambodia, this crossing is accessed primarily from Phnom Penh.
From Phnom Penh, you will taxi (shared taxi: 10,000 riel) or bus east on National Route #1 to Neak Luong town (where the Route #1 meets the Mekong River.) At Neak Luong, take a ferry down the Mekong to the Kaam Samnor crossing near Chau Doc (10,000 riel.) Stamp out of Cambodia, take a motorcycle taxi to Vietnamese Immigration, stamp into Vietnam, and then catch another motorcycle taxi into central Chau Doc a couple of kilometers away. There are guesthouses and hotels in Chau Doc. Allot about 5 hours for the trip from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc. Mini-vans leave Chau Doc for HCMC regularly all day long. They can found clustered around the central market area and cost about US$3/person. The mini-van drivers wait for a full van before they leave so, to minimize your wait, try to get into a van that’s almost full.
If you’d prefer to buy a package ticket for the trip from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc instead of arranging all of the transport yourself, Capitol Guesthouse and Neak Krorhorm Travel in Phnom Penh offer daily transport to Chau Doc (by bus and ferry) for about $7-$8.
Phnom Den, Takeo, Cambodia/Tinh Bien, Vietnam
Cambodian visas available at the border. Vietnamese visas NOT available at the border
This border crossing in Takeo province Cambodia is about 10 km south of the the Vietnamese city of Chau Doc. Coming from Cambodia, this crossing can be accessed from either Phnom Penh or Kampot.
From Phnom Penh, take a shared taxi from Phsar Domkor (Market Domkor) to Phnom Den in Takeo province ($8-$10.) Walk across the border to Tinh Bien, Vietnam. From Tinh Bien, take a motorcycle taxi or car taxi to Chau Doc about 10km north. From Chau Doc, most travelers continue on to HCMC.
From Kampot, arrange a taxi to the border (Phnom Den) through your guesthouse. Private taxi costs about $30-$40 and take 2-3 hours. If you like, the guesthouse can help to find other travelers to share the taxi with you and reduce the per person cost. The taxi will travel through Kampong Trach district of Kampot province to the border crossing at Phnom Den. Much of the road is hardpack and may deteriorate in the rainy season increasing the travel time. At Phnom Den, walk across the border to Tinh Bien, Vietnam. From Tinh Bien, take a motorcycle taxi or car taxi to Chau Doc about 10km north. The ‘right price’ is reportedly about $3, though drivers ask as much as $10. Don’t forget to bargain! There are guesthouses and hotels in Chau Doc. Mini-vans leave Chau Doc for HCMC regularly all day long. They can found clustered around the central market area and cost about US$3/person. The mini-van drivers wait for a full van before they leave so, to minimize your wait, try to get into a van that’s almost full.
Trapeang Phlong Border Pass: Xa Mat, Vietnam/Trapeang Phlong, Kampong Cham, Cambodia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that Cambodian visas available at the border. As yet unconfirmed by travelers. Vietnamese visas NOT available at the border.
Recently opened. In Kampong Cham province, Memot district, bordering the Vietnamese province of Tay Ninh.
Xa Xia, Vietnam/Prek Chak, Cambodia (Ha Tien crossing)
Cambodian visas available on arrival at the border. Vietnamese visas NOT available at the border. (You must get your Vietnam visa in advance.) There are conflicting reports about whether Cambodian E-visas are accepted.
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