Need to hop over the border -- questions regarding Aranya Prathet border hop

[jan2557]

The first 90 days of my double entry visa are almost up, so in a few days I will need to cross a border to get the second 90 days of my visa.

I've never done this before, and I'm thinking of crossing into Cambodia from Aranya Prathet.

1) It looks like I can take a bus from Bangkok's Mo Chit to…Aranya Prathet? From there, how do I cross the border -- do I need local transport? Can I walk across?

2) I see I can get a Cambodian visa online (http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh); I'm assuming I can also get one at the border, on arrival at Cambodia? I guess I would need 1-2 photos, a fee of how much? & what else?

3) I would just need to enter Cambodia and then could immediately re-enter Thailand?

4) Are there any problems at this crossing akin to those currently going on at Mae Sai? Would they effect me since I already have a visa?

5) Anyone done this recently?

Or anything else relevant/helpful; thanks so much!

[ubonjoe]

1. If I recall correctly the bus station is not close to the border. You will probably want to get transport to the border and then you can walk across.

2.It is about 1000 baht for the Cambodia visa but you have watch out for the touts.

3. correct

4.No reports about any problems at Aran. Since you have a visa you will have no problem on entry.

5. You will have to wait for that answer.

[jan2557]

Thanks ubonjoe!

[mike2011]

There is plenty of info on the web.

If you are not too much in a rush, you might consider the early morning train to Aran. it costs only 48 baht. When you exit the train station a bus (converted truck) is waiting and takes you the approx. 5-6 km to the border for very little money. Tuktuks want 80 baht (they are waiting at the bus station, right hand side from the train station 5 min walk).

The train is slower than the bus but if you factor in the time of getting to Morchit it is not too much. It is a nice ride through the fields and much safer. You could also alternatively also take the 2 pm train back. Schedules and stations are all online, google for state railway thailand.

The border scams are epic and do some reading online. It will cost you less if you do. An evisa for Cambodia might be a very good investment. it would be my choice knowing the circus at the border.

The border opens at 6 AM and closes at 9 PM (not 10 as it is claimed). They wont let you back into the checkpoint past 9 PM.

Theoretically you could take the afternoon train to Aran, do the run without long waits and spend the night in Aran. Cheap hotels there, food is not bad. Poipet is not that fancy but if you stay there and re-enter early enough you gain an extra day which might suit you. Hotels in Poipet start 10/15 USD.

Last bus to BKK leaves Aran around 6 PM. After that a Buriram -Chantaburi bus passes outside the bus station around 7 PM. Next bus passing is around 1 AM the Mukdahan-Chonburi-Rayong bus.

Thus, you could also leave around 11 AM BKK by bus. Do the run after the rush has ended and take a tuktuk to the bus station for the last BKK bus. This way you might avoid hours of waiting in the sun.

Keep in mind that by 11 AM the Siem Reap crowd starts arriving, many Visa run companies have unloaded their cargo, and the individual runners also congregate at Poipet. It is a zoo. I entered twice around 5-5.30 and just walked through. Zero wait.

Edited May 11, 2014 by mike2011

[whitconard]

Hi there, we live in Poipet and help out a lot of travelers with crossing the border. I've written up a step by step guide with lots of photos on how to cross the border between Aran and Poipet. You can check it out here - http://www.journey-mercies.com/2014/05/travel-tips-how-to-cross-border-from.html I hope it's helpful - let me know if so!

I also wrote up a guide on how to travel between Bangkok and Poipet. We travel to Bangkok on average once a month, so we've tried lots of different ways. http://www.journey-mercies.com/2014/05/travel-tips-how-to-travel-between.html

I would strongly suggest staying the night in Aran. There's a hotel right at the border, and also a couple at the bus station. Poipet is pretty...grungy, and most of the hotels are brothels. If you do stay the night in Poipet, two hotels that are decent are Ly Heng Chay and City Poipet.

Good luck!

[AlexDorneles]

Get the e-visa and print out at home for Cambodia. It will save you time.

[sandyf]

I went there once, never again. Find a visa run that goes to Ban Pakard or Ban Laem, far easier. Both are quiet and you can be over and back in 15 minutes if you are on your own. With visa runs it is about an hour.

Ban Laem is my preference with the duty free and the "quiet" market nearby, nothing like the bedlam at Aranya Prathet. I have never seen a queue at immigration and if you pay the 1300 baht at the desk, you will have your passport back with Cambodian visa in about 10 minutes, no need to walk over the border.

[dwong]

i did a same day visa run in poi pet today. I was on a 30 day visit pass with my malaysian passport, and my first time doing the same day thing, I previously did some visa runs on the laos side, but i stayed there couple of days, so my old stamps did not look so obvious due to the gaps between it.

Going through immigration was OK, but the officer gave me a warning telling me not to do it next time due to the new rules.

Edited May 12, 2014 by dwong