Bangkok To Cambodia By Bus / Coach How?

[fanciman]

How do you get from BKK to Cambodia by bus for a visa run?

What / where is the bus station?

How often / when do the buses run?

How long is the trip?

Does the border close after 5pm or something?

Can one just pop across and come back the same day?

To make the trip worthwhile what is the best way to get from the border to Angkor Wat?

[John K]

Look in theBangkok post, there are many there. The best is Jacks golf for about 2000. They are on Sukhumvit soi 12, It takes about 8 hours for the run.

[Lop]

Do you work for this company? He asked for the bus station, and the answer is Morchit. How often? Well, it depends on where you want to go. I suppose you meant Aranya Pratet, and the buses leave every half an hour, I think. Starts early in the morning, less than 200 Baht. It should take about 4 hours one way.

The best border, however, is Pong Nam Ron (Baan Pak Kad), but it is quite difficult to get there on your own compared to Aranya Pratet / Poipet.

The border closes at 7 or 8 PM, correct me if I'm wrong. Yes, you can come back same day, just look a little bit further down in this text how you should behave at departure. But there are cheap guest houses near the border if you want to stay overnight in Cambodia.

And no, Jack Golf is not the best. I had to stay in line like everybody else. No VIP service anymore, but the price is still the same (2000 Baht).

Best is to do it yourself.

A few things to remember:

- The price for the visa is 1000 baht, place the note in the passport at Visa on Arrival. (Bring your own pen, ignore everyone who wants to help you, for a fee of course.)

- Ignore the guys who wants you to come over to the "Quarantine" corner, to give a donation (this is also at the visa on arrival).

- At arrival, nothing special is to be said. Just don't give money to anyone.

- At departure, pull out the staple from your departure card DISCREETLY. Then you don't have to pay anything just because you go back to Thailand the same day. This is a signal to departure immigration officials that you have already made your contribution and/or you are travelling with a visa run company.

Good luck!

[Lop]

Poipet update.

Yesterday, Sunday Nov. 27, I went for my monthly trip to Poipet. Departed 06.30 from Morchit, arrived at Aranyapratet about 11.00. It took slightly longer than usual. Ticket is 197 Baht, then it is another 50 baht at bus station in Aran. Walk to the 7 Eleven store at the corner, main road. Otherwise it is 70 baht at the point there the bus drops of the passengers.

The line (foreign passport holders) at Thai departure was not that long, maybe 10 guys in front of me. The line for the Thais was however long. Unfortunately the line at the Thai arrival was very long, it took me about two hours to get stamped in to Thailand. Ok then, here is my report:

No problems at all at (Cambodia) Visa on arrival, the guy (not an immigration official) is really helpful and he doesn't expect any tips unless you really want to give him. Best is of course to fill in the form yourself. The price is still 1000 baht (dollars is not accepted). Just to mention, I heard the price at the embassy in Bangkok is now 1100 baht, or 25 US. Useless to go over there anymore, that is. I don't know if one still can get it for 20 US if prepared to wait for a few days. However I don't think it is worth the hassle just to save 200 baht.

Ok, anyway, back to the border: when I came to Cambodian arrival I overheard the conversation in front of me. It went like this:

How long will you stay in Cambodia? (official)

I will go back now, immediately. (tourist)

You have to pay 100 baht. (official)

Suddenly the guide interferred, because he had come with one of these organised visa tours. He said something to the official in Thai, I couldn't understand everything but there was something about the guy shouldn't pay anything (these things maybe are settled beforehand, what do I know). And he didn't have to pay, I saw everything clearly. When it was my turn I just said that I'm gonna stay for a few days, this is a simple solution to the problem. I was just surprised because I have never been asked for money before at Arrival, but I suppose this is possible because of the stapled Departure form and what this really means. The thing is, is your Departure form is stapled, it means that you have not yet made any contribution (at Cambo arrival) and if you are going to return the same day you have to pay 100 baht (at Cambo departure). It is 100 at Poipet, maybe more at other places. I asked the guy in front of me, which was a very friendly man from Pattaya. He showed me his passport, his departure card was NOT stapled, mine was. And the visa was issued at the consulate i Sakaeo, not at the border. He said that they stopped for a while, he never understood what they were doing in Sakaeo but it was of course a visit to consulate by the tour guide. I just assume that they still can get the visa for 20 US, because otherwise it would be hard to make a profit when the tickets are sold for 1800 baht. I suppose it is because of intensive competition in Pattaya, in Bangkok it still is 2000 baht.

I told him that going to Had Lek border, or maybe Pong Nam Ron, would be better since he is living in Pattaya and not Bangkok. He said that the tour company had told him that they used to go to Had Lek, but not anymore. No reason for the change was given.

A final word: an Asian looking man in front of me had to show funds at Thai arrival. But no problems, he had lots of it.

//Lopburi

[visarunner]

Hi all ,

just returned from a Visa Run from Pong Nam Rong/Ban Laem .We were a group of 4 with our own transport n had no trouble at all .

Just pay yr THB 1,000.- for the Cambo Visa , write down that you go gambling , walk one round in the casino , watch the people play with real money n walk yr way back .

It seams that this bordercrossing is used by most of Pattaya n some of BKK Operators .

[noserious]

WHen I crossed into Poipet, Cambodia September 10, 2005 I paid $20 not 1000 Baht. There is "$20" stamped in red from my previous crossings at Had Lek. Just smile and be patient and they will relent. Does not take a long time.