Hey guys, I think this is my first time posting on here, so hello one and all! I'm currently getting ready for a trip to Thailand / Laos and Cambodia and could use some help I've found several interesting tidbits about traveling by bus to Siem Reap from Bangkok. Due to budget reasons I think this is the best option for me. My question is really basic, but I think important. Where in bangkok do i find the non-scam buses and should I book it ahead of time or just go to the station there? I know there are a lot of problems with scam buses so I want to make sure i get it from the right place. Thanks everyone! Amy
Posts: 2 | Location: Chicago, USA | Registered: 01 May 2006
Hey guys, I think this is my first time posting on here, so hello one and all!
You know Amy, unless you've got some way of having unseen posts, I think I kind of agree with you, so a welcome and This is a bit of a read but the information you're after is near the start and there's good value for other aspects of Asian travel.
Posts: 3739 | Location: Qld., Australia | Registered: 23 April 2004
What you want is called a "Government Bus". Those leave, surprisingly enough, from things called bus stations and NOT from Khao San Road. All the info needed can be found in the helpful links that my portly Antipodean pal posted above, or from Tales Of Asia
Posts: 15859 | Location: San Francisco Bay Area, California | Registered: 02 January 2001
Basically, its the Koh San Rd tickets where people run into problems. I did the 'government bus' trip and the leg from Bangkok to the border was great: fast, cool, comfortable etc. Once in Cambodia however things are different. Apparently the roads are the 5th worst in the world. Be prepared for a bad back from bumping over pot holes, and possible delays but this trip is all part of the ultimate Cambodian experience, even if you won't appreciate it at the time!
Posts: 17 | Location: UK | Registered: 03 December 2005
"bus stations" ... tricky. the things college's forget to teach you.. but seriously, thanks for all the help everyone. i posted the same question on thorntree and didn't get much of a response. bootsnall is winning the forum race! oh, seeing as i'm here, anyone know anything about getting over land to laos from bangkok? i want to end up in luang prabang but from what i can tell, i'll have to go through vientiane. any rec's on bus versus train etc etc. again, thanks so much everyone, that sites great... oh, i guess i can look there for laos stuff too! still any help would be much appreciated as usual.. thanks
Posts: 2 | Location: Chicago, USA | Registered: 01 May 2006
Amy, following posted January this year will give you an idea on what to be aware of at the border:
quote:
To clarify: We paid 850 baht (about $20) for the trip. Totally full minibus for 6 hrs to the border. Off the bus, where we met up with a guy who takes you across. This was a godsend. We are pretty accomplished travellers, but the border crossing there is nuts. Its a madhouse of trucks, vendors, thousands of folks crossing both ways. You have to find the Thai immigration office to leave, then the Cambodian customs and immigration offices to get in, and walk about 1/2 mile in the process. Its really confusing, and there are pickpockets everywhere. You can see them eyeing your pockets and bags to see if you are an easy target. One guy in our group caught a kid trying to open his bag while walking, and pushed him away just in time, the zipper half open. The kid just turned and started watching everyone else, looking for his next target. The road from the border to Siem Reap is really awful. Like REALLY bad. Hard seats, bad shocks, dusty. You can see the landmine clearing crews working just on the side of the road, and see a mine here and there, too.
Pay you to buddy up with a few others on a bus, forewarning your group to be alert and watch out for oneanother. And this thread has posts on the way through Laos, boat to LP and then bus/boat and/or fly from there to Siam Reap or PP. Instead of neading from BK to SR and then coming back to Thailand to head to north east and pick up boat to LP, it might suit you to make a round trip out of it or Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and then Vietnam trek.
You might want to consider just when you want to go as well, as norther summer is monsoon wet wet wet period for SEA and that can have a big influence on road travel, particularly Laos and Cambodia.
Posts: 3739 | Location: Qld., Australia | Registered: 23 April 2004
To Laos from Bangkok, you can take an overnight sleeper train from Hualamphong Station in Bangkok up to Nong Khai, then cross the border into Laos.. From Vientiane you can take a bus to Luang Prabang.
-- "Qian li zhi xing, shi yu zu xia." - Chinese proverb
but seriously, thanks for all the help everyone. i posted the same question on thorntree and didn't get much of a response. bootsnall is winning the forum race! oh, seeing as i'm here, anyone know anything about getting over land to laos from bangkok? i want to end up in luang prabang but from what i can tell, i'll have to go through vientiane. any rec's on bus versus train etc etc. again, thanks so much everyone, that sites great... oh, i guess i can look there for laos stuff too! still any help would be much appreciated as usual.. thanks 
