Koh Kong to Phnom Penh - Transport Options

[craigt3365]

Looks like I'll be going to PP next week and wanted to know what my options were after crossing the border into Cambodia from Thailand. I'll drive to the border and park my car there.

I've heard there are private cars you can hire. Does anybody know about this? How much they cost?

Thanks!

[Sheryl]

There are "share taxis" that go from both the Trat/Koh Kong and the Aranyaprathet/Poipet crossings and you have the option of buying either individual seat(s) , the whole back seat, or the whole car (basically you just pay for the seats you are not using). From Aran/Poipet usual cost is about $30-35 per seat for a decent care (i.e. with seat belts and ABS both of which you definitely want). Normally have 4 passengers, 1 in front with the driver (old custom of squeezing in 2 no longer allowed) and 3 in the back. So whole car to yoursel(ves) = about US $120. Back seat to yoursl(ves) but another passenger in front = about US $90. I don't know costs from Koh Kong but probably similiar.

Unless you are party of more than 2 persons, no reason not to share with a passenger in the front, same comfort level.

Note that hard to get a car after about 3 PM, so try to get to the border early.

If coming from Pattaya or Bangkok, Aranyaprathet crossing is much closer, if you prefer Koh Kong best to plan in overnighting in either Trat or Koh Kong. Both places have parking. Depending on traffic should be able to get to Aranyaprathet in about 4 hours from Pattaya.

Once in Phnom Penh, simplest thing to do is to rent a tuk tuk by the day, plenty of them around speaking English. There are also metered taxis but less of them and more expensive. Unless making an out of town excursion, tuk tuk is adequate for getting anywhere in PP. Be careful with belongings though, stow any bags etc out of sight as there are thieves who will reach in and grab.

Depending on where you are staying and what you want to do, there is also a lot that can be done on foot, or a combo of walking plus per trip tuk-tuks, they are omnipresent and readily hailed. .

You can certainly rent a car + driver for whole day in PP but the expense (about $40-45/day) is about 3 times that of a tuk tuk.

[craigt3365]

I was hoping you would help on this. Thanks!!

We starting from Pattaya and getting an early start. I think it's about 5 hours to the border, Koh Kong. I think it's a bit closer with this border, but not by much. Though a relatively easy drive as we just did Koh Chang a few weeks ago. Super easy and good roads the whole way.

We'll have quite a few instruments with us. So might have to get the whole back seat. I think we're staying on 172nd Street near Wat Ounalom, near the riverside. Don't think we'll venture very far from that area. We'll be playing in the various bars near there, just for fun. No police harassment there!!! LOL

Again, thanks. I was worried about the costs. Not cheap, but not super expensive for the car.

[mike2011]

There seems to be some confusion. You decided that you want Trat - Koh Kong - PP, right?

I think Sheryl described an alternative route from Koh Chang/Trat.

The trick is basically to get up really (as in really) early and take a 6 AM ride to the border, clear immigration and on to the bus station in Koh Kong for the PP bus. It will be a long ride but you can have a cool drink PP in the late afternoon.

In case you consider Sheryl's route, there is a short cut that is very worth your while. Take the Buriram bus from Chantaburi. Get off at the intersection to the Pailin border checkpoint OR take a casino van from CHantaburi to the border checkpoint (recommended in your case).

Then on to Pailin and a shared taxi to Battambang. In Battambang catch a bus to PP.

Again you need to be up and going really early.

Addition: There is a 3.30 PM bus departure from Poipet to PP. The bus is a typical high-class luxury bus with all the comforts we usually dream of in Cambodia . This bus will get you into PP around 12.30 AM.

After that only the overnite buses. An Olympic bus has produced a deadly crash quite recently. Maybe better to stay with the daytime buses.

I'd go with the Koh Kong -PP bus. Cheaper and less risk of missing a connection and get stuck. Plus less traffic on the stretch fro Koh Kong to the intersection on the PP-SHV highway.

Stock some food and drinks for the trip. I m not a fan of bus stop food in Cambodia.

[craigt3365]

My friend will be driving his truck to the border. We'll park it there. And yes, leaving early!!!!!!!

I'm guessing we'll be at the Koh Kong border around 1PM. Across the border and ready for a share taxi by 2pm.

Does that sound feasible? I'm guessing 11 hours or so door to door. I live a bit south of Pattaya.

[Sheryl]

I was describing both Trat/Koh Kong and Aran/Poipet - not Ban Pakkard/Pailin. I'm not sure of the parking situation there and also AFAIK not easy to get a taxi from there all the way through, often have to take a moto to Pailin first. So don't see nay reason for that route, the choice I think is Aran vs Trat.

I actually think Aran is closer from Pattaya by an hour or two than Trat. But the opposite is true on the Cam side to PP so it works out basically abut the same. Basically about 11-12 hours door to door depending on how long at immigration and how much traffic leaving Pattaya and going into PP.

In either case, buying out the back seat of a share taxi makes good sense for his needs, more than a bus IMO, given a lot of gear of presumed value.

Easy walking to plenty of bars and restaurants, and the riverfront, from St 172. But be aware, this part of town is "tout central". Beggars, endless approaches from tuk tuks etc. Just mention this because it is not representative of PP as a whole.

[mike2011]

Last time I crossed from the Cambodian side around the time of your estimated arrival (1.30 - 2 PM) there were a number of vans waiting on the Cambo side. They had dropped off tourist going from PP to Thailand. Now the drivers were looking for customers. The vans were good ones, like the newer ones in Thailand. This might be a good option.

I meant leaving early from Trat ( 6 AM) but since you start from a different point and driving at night is not advisable this wont be an option. Expect some wait at the border and hope that you won't run into a group of backpackers having a discussion of visa fees and bribes with the officials...

No doubt, you know all about the appalling state of visa overcharging at that checkpoint and what can be done. If money is no issue get the electronic visa beforehand, make sure you have the right website and avoid unnecessary additional charges.

Sheryl. I understood that it was Aran/Poipet. I still do believe that Pailin/Battambang is much faster and also cheaper. I have done both by public transport. Aran would add a long loop to the itinerary.

As for the distance Pattaya - Aran and Trat. Most people depend on buses. In this case Trat will beat Aran again - as long as the interested parties take the 5 AM (or so, I do not recall it right now) early bus to Trat coming thru from BKK. Aran bound buses (the yellow line to Mukdahan and other places in Isaan) leaves later and wont get you to Aran before noon.

Being slightly not as young and handsum as I used to be people do good to cut the trip into two segments if time allows for it. A night in Aran or Koh Kong is no drama. Trat or Battambang second choices BUT (!!) Battambang has seriously good food in my tummy's book.

[craigt3365]

I think we'll be at the Koh Kong border around 1PM or so. Yes, I've seen these visa scams first hand. It's generally not too much, but hate it either way!

[Sheryl]

Getting evisa saves a little time and a full page in your passport. While it's about $10 more (if paid by credit card) it's close to what you end up paying at that border anyhow unless you want to spend hours arguing. Very easy process to do online.

[Tomtomtom69]

Yes, private cars (aka taxis) from the Cham Yeam international border crossing to Phnom Penh cost around US$75 depending on your bargaining skills. You might be able to get the price down to US$60 if you bargain hard, though US$65-70 is more likely as the drivers operate on a set route and claim not to be able to find passengers for the journey back hence the US$75 price being quite standard, whereas from Poipet, which is located 400km from Phnom Penh (Koh Kong border is 300km) it's easy to find a taxi willing to take you to PP for US$60.

These prices are for the whole taxi, but if you want a more comfortable ride and don't fancy waiting 2 hours in the hot sun waiting for other passengers I think it's well worth hiring a private taxi, which is likely to leave immediately as soon as a price is agreed upon.