Crossing the Poipet/Aranyaprathet border overland

If you’re going from Siem Reap to Bangkok (or vice versa) overland, you may be nervous about the infamous Poipet border crossing. Before I crossed for the first time, I was extremely anxious after hearing so many horror stories about the border. Now that I do the trip regularly I know that if you go prepared you won’t have any problems.

If you’re going from Cambodia to Thailand (here are all the ways to get from Siem Reap to Bangkok) you’ll be crossing from Poipet to Aranyaprathet. Here are some tips for crossing in this direction, and at the end I’ve given specific tips if you’re going the other way, from Aranyaprathet to Poipet.

Poipet-Aranyaprathet border overland

Get the skinny on crossing the Poipet-Aranyaprathet border overland.

It’s going to take all day

It will pretty much take you all day to go Siem Reap to Bangkok overland, but leaving early will shave a few hours off the trip (filed under ‘had to learn the hard way’). Siem Reap to Poipet is about a two-hour trip, and then an hour or four at the border, then another four to six hours from Aranyaprathet to Bangkok. The land border is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. It gets very busy and lines get very long after about noon, so the earlier you start your journey, the better.

You’re crossing on foot

Whether you take a direct bus, mini-bus or taxi, you’ll still have to walk across the border from Poipet to Aranyaprathet on the Thailand side. Coming from Siem Reap, you’ll get dropped off at a roundabout near the border in Poipet. Walk straight ahead and you’ll see Cambodia immigration on your right side. Get in line there and get stamped out of Cambodia.

If you’re hungry or want to use the toilet, stop in at one of the casinos in the no-man’s land between Poipet and Aranyaprathet. I like Grand Diamond Casino’s Chillax Restaurant because they have free WiFi and a great name.

Poipet Aranyaprathet border

After you leave Cambodia but before you enter Thailand, you’ll be treated to this.

Once you’re refreshed, keep walking straight until you get to Thai immigration and go upstairs. If you’re from most countries, you’ll get a visa on arrival (and if you’re not, you should have one already). We’ve got a full blog post on getting a Thai visa in Cambodia if you need to do this in advance.

Once you are at the border just remember that you need to be stamped out of the country you came from and get a visa for the country you are entering (so two stops).

Once you’re through, go straight if you’re heading to get a mini-bus or taxi or make your first right towards Rong Kleu Market if you’re catching a casino bus. This road is not paved and you’ll think you’re in some sort of post-apocalyptic fantasy novel, but in a moment you’ll see a 7-11 and realize that you’re actually in Thailand. From 7-11, you can turn right to head to the casino buses in the car park area.

7-11 near Rong Kleu market Aranyaprathet border

7-11 near Rong Kleu Market Aranyaprathet border.

Don’t get scammed

Do not change money at the border. If you want Thai baht ahead of time, you can change money at Siem Reap’s Old Market before heading out, or hit the ATM at the 7-11 immediately after crossing the border. Don’t believe anything anyone says about facilitation fees. All transport prices quoted here are current, so negotiate until you get pretty close. Don’t get on any buses to the “bus terminal” it’s just a place where they force you to buy overpriced food and overpriced bus tickets. You can get cheap food and cheap bus tickets at Rong Kleu Market and don’t need to bother with the scammy bus terminal.

Carrying baggage across the border

If you’ve got considerable baggage coming through, you can hire a porter for $2 to $10. They will take your bags through and wait for you to get through immigration. Unlike everyone else in Poipet, the porters will not rip you off. Get your porter’s phone number before you head to immigration if you are nervous, but chances are he won’t speak English anyway. It’s polite to tip your porter.

Relax

The border crossing can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be. Budget a full day to get through and take your time. Accept that no one will speak English, but that’s not going to matter. Buy a Thai SIM card in 7-11 for a couple of bucks if you want. You’ll be in Bangkok soon and the Poipet/Aranyaprathet land border crossing will be a distant memory.

If you’re coming from Thailand to Cambodia

If you’re heading from Thailand to Cambodia, this is the particularly scammy direction of the trip. Bring US dollars with you for your visa; do not change money at the border because you will get ripped off. Do not believe anyone that tells you that you need Cambodian riel, you do not, and they will rip you off. You can’t even pay for a Cambodia visa with Cambodian riel!

the visa office at the Poipet border crossing

This is the building that you get your Cambodian visa in.

After you get stamped out of Thailand, you’ll need to enter Cambodia. If you already have an ordinary/business visa, they will stamp you and you will be on your way. Tourists will need to get a visa in advance or on arrival check out our page about Cambodia visas if you want to know more). A tourist visa costs $30. They will ask you for 1100 or 1200 baht (~$35) or if you insist on paying in dollars, which you should, they will ask for $30 and a 200 baht processing fee. There is no processing fee, it’s just a bribe. Arrive early and refuse to pay and eventually they will stamp you through. They’ll make you wait around for a while, but it’s just a game of chicken. Since you’ve budgeted all day to do this, might as well not pay their lame shake-down and catch up on your Kindle.

The other option is to get a Cambodia e-visa in advance, but to be on the safe side you need to order it online a week in advance, because they often don’t get it back to you in their promised three-day turnaround time. The cost is $40. It saves you hassle but not money. If you’re particularly nervous about the border crossing, this might help make things easier.

Once you walk get your Cambodia visa, you can walk through and catch a mini-bus or taxi from near the roundabout. Be aware that on the Cambodia side the police shake down all of the taxi drivers for at least $10 of each trip. The fare should be around $35, but often is as much as $55. Walk as far as you can stand and don’t deal with middlemen if you want a lower price.

136 Responses to Crossing the Poipet/Aranyaprathet border overland

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    May Park says:

    Took a bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok on Friday 26/01/2024. The exit from Cambodia was OK and only took 10 minutes. The entry to Thailand for foeigners was terrible and took 1 hour and 45 minutes with hundreds of people standing in a long queue in a small stuffy and poorly air conditioned room 20 metre x 25 metres. People had to stand the whole time with no seats available and no toilet facilities and no water to drink. I am a fit and healthy person and found it hard going but I did feel sorry for some who were struggling in the heat. There were only 2 Thai officials checking passports. THIS IS A DISCRACE TO TREAT PEOPLE LIKE THIS AND GIVES A POOR FIRST IMPRESSION OF THAILAND. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO SPEND MONEY IN THAILAND AND BOOST THEIR ECONOMY. THE THAI GOVERNMENT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PROPERLY MANAGE THIS BUSY CROSSING AND PUT AN END TO THIS UNNECESSARY NONSENCE AND SHOULD FIX IT ASAP. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY THE TOILETS ON THE THAI SIDE AFTER ENTRY NEED A COIN TO BE ABLE TO USE THEM AND THATS ANOTHER TOTAL SHAMEFUL EVENT AS NOBODY IS GOING TO HAVE THAI COINS IN THEIR POCKET.

    Aoife says:

    Hey guys! Thanks for all the info!
    Can anyone give me some info re:baggage checks from Thailand into Cambodia since Th has legalised cannabis? Not planning on carrying anything but afraid a sog may pick up some residual smells and my life and baggage will be thorn apart! Thanks :)

    Leo says:

    I went to Siem Reap in 2018 for the first time, following the guide from this blog to cross the border to Thailand and then back to Malaysia.

    I love this blog and still bookmark it, as one day I will need it again.

    Liro says:

    This blog post saved my life back in 2016 and it’s only now that I found this post again!

    Without this I wouldn’t have known what to do. After exiting Thai immigration, I didn’t know where to go. I was thinking of doing the THB 3000 taxi but that would have severely hurt my budget, but these images popped up – I spotted the 7-11 almost immediately and breathed a long, hard sigh of relief.

    So, 4 years later, thank you!

    Too afraid of reprisal says:

    I just went through this border crossing from Thailand into Cambodia. Arrived at the border at around 5:00 pm. There weren’t any other travellers at the visa issuing department and it accordingly took about three minutes for me to get through. They did try to charge me a 100 baht fee (bribe), but I simply shook my head and they allowed me entrance anyhow. They didn’t even ask for a photo this time.

    Mari says:

    Hi. About the best border crossing time, did anyone actually crossed at opening time? I found info on other sites that border is opened at 6.30 and on another that at 7 am. Is it considerably less crowded? Or contrary, everyone is trying to arrive earlier)? I myself crossed once in the evening, around 4 or 5 pm. It wasn’t crowded, but also almost no taxies on the other side. We arrived to Seam Reap when it was dark and driver pulled to the dark alley where tuk tuk drivers were pressing us to use their service for further sightseeing. Don’t recommend anyone.

    Jimmy McFadden says:

    Hi i need to get my partners Cambodian passport renewed in Poi Pet, would you have the contact details for the immigration Dept
    Thanks Jimmy

    rica says:

    Hi! I’m going to cross the border from Piopet to Aranyaplatet in September. How long will it take to do so? If you know the “opening hour” and ” better time for the crossing”, could you tell me as well? And, are there any costs for the border crossing?

      Sabram says:

      I know I’m almost a year late in my reply, but wow, just wow! Everything you just asked is already answered in the article…everything! I do hope you aren’t a teacher!!!!!!!

    Matt says:

    I will be going from Siem Reap to Bangkok by day bus, and as a Canadian, understand I can get two visa exemptions visa land. Does anyone know how strict they are about providing proof of onward travel? I cannot book anything as I’ll be entering Myanmar by land (via boat), which cannot be booked online – only pay via cash. So I have no proof of onward travel. Will this be a problem for me?

    Let’s report to the Cambodian anti-corruption unit when asked for bribes.

    CAMBODIA ANTI-CORRUPTION UNIT
    Tel : +855-23-223954
    Email: info@acu.gov.kh
    http://www.acu.gov.kh/en_comment.php

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