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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Hi
Is there a separate line for people who don’t need Thai Visa?
Fantastic post and very clear information. Advice please…
I have a spare 7 days at the end of October, I have been in Asia (Thailand,Philippines) Cycle training these last 5 months. Since I have a bike with me I thought why not cycle from Bangkok to Siam Reap solo, from my hotel location near BK airport (Lat Krabang) it is only 228 miles as the crow flies to Siam reap.. To then load the bike up on a Bus after my visit (would this be possible?) to then travel back to Bangkok.
Can you envisage any issues at the border with cycling out of Thailand and into Cambodia?. And if there would be any issues with get the bike and myself back from Siam Reap via bus?..
I come to find in Asia most things can be worked out which coming from Europe is very refreshing.
Anyway, what information you can give would be great, there is not any real information regarding cycling this route outside of a few $1000 guided tour which I simply do not need.
Regards
I asked a friend who cycled through Asia and here’s what he says: “I’ve not done it into Cambodia, but I have done it into Lao. To be honest, the only problem I can envision is there might be an attempt by the border guards to extract a bribe for the bicycle if it looks quite expensive — but politely insisting on not paying anything has worked for me before (in Lao they didn’t even ask, but my bike looked pretty rough by then). To be honest, tourists crossing the borders in SE Asia by bike is such a novelty, it usually is easier than doing it normally. Poipet is a huge pain in the ass on the Thai side because everyone wants to “help” you arrange for your visa — does Poipet have e-visa yet? If they do, then it’s probably easiest to do that, and then just call the bicycle luggage…”
Thank you very much..
I did not envisage any issues, I am fairy well traveled so will proceed with caution.
Regards
Just went through here today, I’d had a quick read of this info before but I thought I might make an update because I made a few mistakes in hindsight.
Caught the bus from ekamai east bus terminal in bangkok for 196baht at 7am to rong khluea market just on the Thai side of the border. A bus direct to siem reap was quoted as 750baht, I thought I could get it cheaper by going myself. I was right. Go me.
Arrived around middat at rong khuea market (you will see casinos and the crossing gate, don’t get off at the previous bus terminal because you will have to walk or catch a taxi to the border gate). Generally brushed aside the touts. One named Try was nagging me about whether I had a photo, I did but my girlfriend didn’t. Cost her 100baht on the Thai side to get 4 photos (not bad, I got ripped worse in bangkok), he insisted she couldn’t do it once we were past Thai immigration. Long line of Thai passport holders, had to walk right past it to get to the foreign passport line which was much shorter. Stamped through no hassle, even had women around with pens to borrow for filling out departure card.
Through to Cambodia, entered a building for the visa on arrival. Sign above the window says $30 for tourist visa, $35 for ordinary. Applied for tourist, didn’t have dollars so used baht, was asked 1200baht for it with a point to a handwritten sign. Didn’t try arguing, it was one of the officials who quoted that. I should have, maybe made some point about that not reflecting the exchange rate. Give it a go. Try the tout was still hanging around without leaving us alone. I was hawkishly watching my stuff, but he didn’t seem to be leading me to anything scammy. From visa on arrival to entry for Cambodia (past a few casinos) which was a non event. Right on the other side was a “free shuttle bus to terminal”, waited there for it and was taken to a very empty terminal with two bus ticket desks and a money changer. Try the tout was still a part of the group of backpackers which had now formed, still as annoying as ever. The bus ticket cost 700baht for two of us, or 72000 riel, or $18usd to siem reap. I didn’t really see any other option, and this was still cheaper than a bus direct from ekamai to siem reap for 750baht EACH. The 700baht option was cheaper than exchanging for riel and then paying in riel, so I went with that (didn’t have USD). Try was insisting that I couldn’t change money in siem reap, or that it was a bad rate there, or that the ATM’s were out of USD. The rate there was 1baht to 93riel. I changed 500baht because I wasn’t sure that he was wrong, but I now realise he was lying to my face whilst saying “why would I lie to you?” He was insisting the money changer was an official government one. So what I’ve decided, seems that doesn’t mean anything legitimate in this country. Anywho, don’t change money there, save it for siem reap. There were also no locals on the bus to siem reap. I suspected that means we were all duped to take the free shuttle bus (only 5mins or so, not the 2hrs as reported elsewhere) from right outside the gate. The bus did not take us to an official bus terninal. It went to a muddy garage in siem reap where tuktuks were waiting to take us to town. One tried to extort 30000 riel from me for a trip to son San hostel only a few kms away that should take one tenth of that according to one of the bus employees. He ended up taking us for free if we went with him the next day to Angkor wat. I’ll see if that happens. I reckon he was trying to backpedal after being caught out for so tremendously trying to rip us off.
At the end of the day though, if you’re careful you’ll end up paying less going from the bus station at ekamai in bangkok to the border and then organising your way from there to siem reap. It wasn’t really that scary or terrible, but it has left a bad taste in my mouth feeling so lied to at each turn.
So, sum up:
196baht to rong khluea market, then 350baht to siem reap (could have cost 750baht all the way through, and dealing with the international bus scams already noted elsewhere)
1200baht for visa on arrival at Cambodia (should probably have been 1000, give arguing a go)
Lost some money on changing some baht to riel at a shitty rate at the terminal because of some blatant lying by Try. Didn’t give him a tip as he asked because, even giving him the benefit of the doubt, I knew he’d be getting a commission from the exchange place at least.
Hope that helps!
Thanks for the trip report, Geraint!
Would you mind posting this again on this post so people see it? https://movetocambodia.com/transportation/how-get-from-bangkok-siem-reap/
I do say not to change money, but I will specifically say you don’t need to buy a photo to get a Cambodia visa (you can just pay $2 at immigration). Cambodia visas are charged in USD, so if you don’t have USD you are going to pay more in THB. 1100 or 1200 is the normal price in THB. Anyway, glad you made it and thanks again for the report!
Thanks for sharing!
Is a photo necessary for the visa on arrival?
Yes, but if you don’t have one you can just pay an extra $2 and they will scan the one from your passport.
Just a question: Since the Cambodian embassy in BKK told me that they do not issue ordinary visas, do you know if we can get them at the Poipet immigration? Help much appreciated.
Yes, you can get a ordinary/business visa at Poipet. Be prepared, of course, for bribe requests, stonewalling, and general annoyances. If they tell you that you need paperwork or a work permit, tell them that you don’t. Before leaving the counter make sure that they have given you the correct visa. Because the ordinary visa is $5 more expensive, occasionally they will pocket the extra $5 and give a tourist visa (but this happens at airports sometimes, too). Glad to hear you are coming back!
Hello! I’d love to hear a follow-up report from Thomas or anyone who has gotten an ordinary/business visa at Poipet recently (since June 2016)? My daughter and I flew into Sihanoukville from Vietnam and she applied for an ordinary visa but was given a tourist visa instead. (I was getting a tourist visa but was behind her in line, so it wasn’t a same last name confusion issue – I hadn’t even approached the desk). She stayed at the desk trying to argue the situation for a solid 20 minutes – other officials came over, but no one would budge. There was no asking for bribes or “processing fees” – she would have GLADLY paid to get the visa she wanted. They just kept telling her she could only have a tourist visa because she didn’t have the right documents. The longest explanation she got was that she needed a letter from an employer. We’ve both read extensively and talked to a lot of people and it’s frustrating to hear people say that she should have “tried harder” to make them give her the ordinary/business visa. Trust me when I say, there was no way this guy was going to change the T-visa he had pasted into her passport. He was completely firm that he could not give her a business visa because she did NOT have the supporting documents. We literally talked to every official in the office. They told us to go to the embassy in Phnom Penh for an extension, and that was it. The whole experience was completely contrary to everything we had read and prepared for.
I’m back in the USA now, she’s in Siem Reap but heading to Poipet to try again to get the ordinary/business visa as her t-visa is expiring in a couple of days, and she wants to stay for another 6-9 months. Any thoughts or advice would be welcomed! Lina, this blog has been invaluable to her, although I admit she’s probably tired of me asking if she’s checked here everytime she has a question about her new life in Cambodia. Thanks so much!
Hi, we actually used a handler to help us in Poipet, but my advice tip is: Just mark Ordinary Visa type E on the form, tell the officer as friendly but firm as you can you want an ordinary visa. Sometimes it is just unpredictable. If you need our handlers contact, let me know.
I’m sorry to hear that, Leah. This is not uncommon in Cambodia — things do not always work as planned (or how they should) and it can be very, very frustrating. The officer at the border was incorrect about a requirement for a letter, and I am assuming he just screwed up and issued a tourist visa and then didn’t want to undo it because of some complication on his side. I’m sorry your daughter’s first experience of this came so quickly! She’s going to have to do a border run to switch her visa type, unfortunately. I have heard that you can pay extra (a bribe) to do it through an agency without leaving the country, but luckily I have not had to do this myself.
Hi Lina
Thank you so much and very helpful your information. I had bought my ticket to Bangkok on Jun 30. Firstly i am planning go to Pattaya but now change my mind to Cambodia after read your article bit adventure. But i have some question :
1. I am ASEAN pasport and free visa to enter ASEAN countries. Need i go to immigration to stamp visa at the border?
2. Whats the simple transportation from bkk to cambodia vv?
3. Whats the sightseeing places and to do in cambodia?
4. Where is the good accomodation to stay?
Thank you
Hi Rosa, sounds like you need to do some more research or talk to a travel agent. Have a great trip!
Hi! Thank you for this very informative article! I just want to ask if there are buses from aran to bangkok that leave at 5am? and where can we find them? Also where do we find mini bus from siem reap to poipet that costs only 5$? Thanks a lot!
Hi, I am an Asian and is currently in Pattaya. From Pattaya, I am looking to cross the Poipet border and explore Siem Reap. I know for a fact that for ASEAN country members, we are not required to obtain any visa & pay the 30$ fee. In the visa check room, have you seen a different queue for ASEAN travellers not requiring visa? Because I dont want to be pushed by anyone in the border to pay 30$ when I don’t have to, & I am a girl so most probably, if a guy asks me to pay, I might fear for my life and give in.
ASEAN passports do not need a VISA to go Cambodia. Just walk into the Cambodian immigration office and get your 30 days VISA Exempt stamp just like you do when you enter Thailand or Malaysia etc.
Thanks Gary!
Hi ,
I have a small question. I will be reaching Poipet from Siem Reap in the evening and want to spend a night at the Casinos. Is it possible get Stamped out of Cambodia, get the Thai Visa in the evening itself and then get into the Casino? I want to leave to Bangkok the next day early in the morning by the 6am train.. Since the Thai embassy would not be open that early was wondering if it is possible
Any help on this is highly appreciated..
Thanks
Hi Lina, thank for your value information Bangkok at bookmebus.com (Nattakan bus – 28USD). Beside 28USD, I have to pay additional charges at the border Poipet? If so, how much money I must prepare for?
2. Beside PASSPORT, paper printouts hotel reservations at Thailand & airline ticket Bangkok -> SaiGon. I will have to prepare additional paperwork to immigration?
3. May happen that I can’t enter Thailand through Poipet border gate?
****1. I’m backpacker from Viet Nam, I’ll travel to Thailand next week. I’ve bought ticket Siem Riep -> Bangkok at bookmebus.com (Nattakan bus – 28USD). Beside 28USD, I have to pay additional charges at the border Poipet? If so, how much money I must prepare for?
Hi Thanh, the requirements for visa fees change based on your nationality. Unfortunately I don’t know the rules for all nationalities. There should be no problem entering Thailand through Poipet, though, it’s a major border crossing.
Transportation question
from Poipet to BKK by casino bus
How early do they leave in the morning
from Rong Kleu Market??
Ed
They don’t leave before noon as far as I know but I am not sure.
My friend and I are going to be crossing to Cambodia from Thailand next month. We were planning on doing the e-visa because we didn’t even realize you could just get it at the border. Do you know what the cost is if we just buy it at the border? I read your post (which was SUPER helpful, thank you!) but didn’t see any mention of that.
The e-visa needs to be obtained online, in advance, then they give it to you at the border. They currently cost $40 and you need to do it at least three business days in advance. More info here: https://movetocambodia.com/planning-your-move-to-cambodia/cambodia-visas/
My wife and I got e-visas from Cambodia in three days. They send you a nice e-mail PDF file to print out along with instructions. The e-visa was simple to use and no hassle at the border. The hardest part about the border crossing was getting past the people wanting to direct you into a building, We just had to walk ahead a little way, maybe 50 feet, turn left walk another 50 feet or so and then follow the immigration signage. Follow the sign for those with visas and be prepared to walk further than you expected. The group we were with was getting doubtful that they had missed a turn, but just keep walking up the street and the immigration control is on the right. I was fortunate to spot an immigration sign overhead or the others may have turned back.
So the first building is for people who need to get visas, and the next one is for people that already have visas?
The first turn is for people getting a visa on arrival. The second entry is for people who printed out the e-visa. The e-visa is taken by the processor and they stamp the passport with a visa stamp and attach an exit document.
The people who did the visa on arrival had to apparently then go through the same place that those of us who had e-visas went in our one step entry. The bus staff was checking passports and they sent many people to go through the second station. I am not sure why they had to do the second station, but the second station took electronic photos of us (even though the e-visa we surrendered included a photo), stamped our passports and gave us the exit documents. Perhaps the visa on arrival people’s first stop only got them to pay the fee and then sent on for the visa and other items.
One other comment about what may or may not have been a “scam” but it was on the return to Thailand from Cambodia.
We went through the immigration passport presentation process in Cambodia as we made our way back to Thailand. We gave immigration our passports, we saw him stamp, he took fingerprints and sent us on our way.
After standing in line at Thailand immigration for 90 minutes, we got to the immigration officials and were told that we didn’t have passport stamps from Cambodia and had to go back and get them. They let us leave our luggage and told us to skip the lines on our return. On inspecting our passports, we saw that the Cambodians had stamped only the exit declaration form, not the passport itself.
We made our way back to Cambodia’s exit immigration office and were called over by an official-looking fellow waiting outside.
He told us that he could get our passports stamped for 200 baht each. I was skeptical and curious, so I offered 100 each. He said no, we would have to wait a long time in line if he didn’t do it and he had to split the money with the people inside the building. I told him that if I went in myself he got nothing, but he said the others would demand their share and he’d get nothing anyway.
We decided to walk through on our own. It took less than 5 minutes as lines were short. This time we made sure that we had stamps on the passports, walked back to the Thai counter, got our entry stamp and were on our way.
On another note, we were signed up for a minivan (the worst way to travel, in my opinion), but really our hotel had given us no information about how it worked or what we had to do. We wandered into Thailand, saw no one else with green stickers that we had been given and finally ended up where there were many idle minivans sitting. One fellow motioned for us to put out things down and wait. Then another fellow came over and said for 200 baht each he would take us immediately in his car, otherwise we would have a long wait.
We waited around, tried to inquire of several fellows milling about, but got no answers. I decided to skip this nonsense and got a tuk tuk. As soon as the tuk tuk arrived, then the fellows who hadn’t responded started asking us why we wouldn’t wait, we would get a van, etc. We ended up at the train station 5 minutes before the train set for departure to Bangkok. We bought two 48 baht seats in third class and enjoyed a nice ride through Thailand. Far more comfortable and interesting than sitting in a cramped minivan.