Ho Chi Minh City To Phnom Penh: Best Ways To Travel

	Time	Cost	Highlight
Limobus	6 hours	from $40.00	Super Comfortable
Private Transfer	6 hours	from $150.00	Flexible journey
Bus	7 hours	from $22.00	The cheapest way to travel
Fly	50 mins	from $120.00	A bit pricier but quick

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Ho Chi Minh City To Phnom Penh Distance

It’s around 240kms from Ho Chi Minh City, which doesn’t sound like a lot, and if it were a straight journey, it would be pretty easy.

Unfortunately, it’s not. Even with decent highways, you’ll have to deal with a known scammy border crossing.

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Ho Chi Minh City To Phnom Penh Travel Time

Depending on the type of transport you book from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh will affect how long it takes to travel.

Though if you happen to take a plane rather than traveling overland you’ll realize how much quicker the journey is by air. But by the time you arrive 3 hours early at the airport, and do the whole customs thing, is it actually worth it?

Bus: The bus takes around 7 and a half hours, though there could easily be delays at the border.

Limo Van: The Limo Van is slightly quicker at just 6 hours. This is simply because there are fewer people on the van, so less waiting around for everyone to get out of Vietnam and into Cambodia.

Flight: The quickest way is no doubt flying as from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh it’s an easy 50 minutes. Though keep in mind this is an international flight, so it’s recommended you arrive at the airport 3 hours prior to departure.

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Private Transfer From Ho Chi Minh City To Phnom Penh

Duration: 6 to 7 hours

Cost: $150.00 – $220.00 per car

Before you think this is the perfect way to travel, it’s not so straightforward. This is because taxis actually require a special permit to cross the border from Vietnam to Cambodia. As a result, you’ll find that most drivers will only take you up until the border and then drop you off.

This means you’ll be on your own with the whole immigration process, exiting Vietnam, and entering Cambodia. Once you have been granted entry into Cambodia, you will then need to negotiate with a taxi driver to take you the remaining distance to Phnom Penh.

If you book through an agency like 12.Go Asia they will organise everything for you and ensure you’re either in the same car, or organise a car on the Cambodian side to take you the rest of the way.

This method takes about the same amount of time as if you were taking a bus or a minivan. Though on those you’ll also have an employee who will guide you through the border and help with any forms.

The prices are also considerably higher than taking a bus or van, so I would recommend going with the other travelers in a bus or minivan.

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Bus From Ho Chi Minh City To Phnom Penh

Duration: 7 hours

Cost: $22.00 to $40.00 per person

Taking the bus is exactly what I did and honestly, I reckon this is the best way to travel and cross the border from Vietnam to Cambodia.

There are special tourist or ‘VIP’ buses that operate this route, and that’s actually what I booked. Though before we get into my experience, let’s talk about the basics.

Taking a bus will take somewhere from 6 and a half to 7+ hours. Unfortunately, this can vary quite a lot depending on traffic, and if everyone on the bus is organized in terms of entry requirements. I recommend setting an entire day aside if you decide on this option, and don’t make any afternoon plans.

My preferred company for bus travel in Cambodia, and on the Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh route, is The Giant Ibis. They are a bit pricier but it’s 100% worth it.

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Bus vs Tourist Bus

When you’re traveling nearly any country in Southeast Asia, you’ll quickly learn that there are two different types of buses, the regular bus and the tourist bus.

The regular bus is more to local standards, which is fine if you know that is what you are booking and are prepared for it. Though if not, you may be in for a surprise.

Though luckily, there are a handful of buses on this route that cater just to travelers. The longest-running and most popular company, and the one I personally used from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh is Giant Ibis.

They have comfortable buses with air conditioning, extra-wide lazy-boy style seats, and an attendant onboard to assist with the border crossing. Though you do pay a bit extra for booking them for the extra luxuries.

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Sleeper vs Seater Bus

Since you’ve been traveling in Vietnam, no doubt you know there are two different types of buses here. The standard bus and the sleeper bus. The latter isn’t common on the Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh bus route. Instead, you’ll have just a standard seat.

However, just be aware that a small number of companies do offer the triple sleeper layout. These aren’t great, especially for larger tourists. Make sure you know what you’re booking so you don’t get short-changed by this option as they really aren’t comfortable.

Also, this isn’t the type of journey you can do overnight. If you do book one of those options, you’ll generally need to wait at the border for the immigration offices to open, essentially doubling journey time.

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Bus Schedule From Ho Chi Minh City To Phnom Penh

Here is the bus schedule departing from Ho Chi Minh City and arriving in Phnom Penh. Of course, there are more companies than just these I have listed. Though this is just a selection of the most popular.

Bus	Departure Times	Length	Price
Giant Ibis	08:00, 09:45, 13:15 & 14:30	7h	from $34.00
Long Phuong Cambodia	06:00, 07:00, 09:30, 11:00, 13:30 & 15:00	7h	from $24.00
Phuong Heng	07:00, 8:30, 13:00 & 15:30	7h	from $22.00

As you can see, all companies cost about a similar amount and depart rather regularly. Though personally, I enjoy traveling with Giant Ibis, and had such a good trip we only used them backpacking throughout Cambodia as well.

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How To Book Tickets

Booking your transport between Cambodia and Vietnam is super easy and I’ve actually had great luck buying online with 12.Go Asia. I have used them throughout all my travels in Southeast Asia and never have had an issue. They also offer some of the best companies to book your Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh journey with.

The other option is to head to a nearby travel agency or through your hotel once you are in Ho Chi Minh City. Though they will just book you on whatever is available and what they make a decent commission on. So not necessarily always the best or most comfortable journey.

Though, by booking with 12.Go Asia you can see what other travelers have said and make sure you book something decent.

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Where Does The Bus Drop You Off

Depending on the company you book with, it’s likely they will drop you off somewhere different, such as their office, rather than at the bus station.

If you choose the right company and research in advance, this could pay off for you as some drop you off right in the center of town. From there, it’ll be just a short walk to your accommodation in Phnom Penh. If you’d prefer to taxi I recommend using Grab, which is basically the Southeast Asia version of Uber.

Giant Ibis: The Giant Ibis Office In Phnom Penh near Preah Sisowath Quay

Long Phuong Cambodia: The Long Phuong Bus Office In Phnom Penh (289-291 Street 274, Phnom Penh)

Phuong Heng: 279 Preah Sihanouk Phnom Penh

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My Experience Taking The Bus From Ho Chi Minh City To Phnom Penh

For me booking my journey with Giant Ibis happened on a fluke, but I was damn happy to travel and book with them rather than a different company.

I had certainly seen horror stories and videos online about travelers doing it by themselves in taxis or local buses, so I knew off the bat that I wanted to book the entire journey through a reputable company. We actually stumbled upon The Giant Ibis offices in Ho Chi Minh City. They were an easy walk away from our hostel and the board out front advertising the journey had me sold.

I looked online at reviews before booking though and decided it would be the best option for me. We booked the tickets in advance and rocked up at their offices on the day about twenty minutes before departure.

Shortly after the staff there checked our tickets, we loaded our bags into the luggage compartment, jumped onboard, and found our seats.

Just before departure, we were provided with a lunch bag consisting of a few nibbles and a drink. For me, nothing is better than surprise snacks, though we had brought some of our own goodies as well.

It was a rather uneventful journey out of Ho Chi Minh City as we made our way to the border. It was a surprisingly rather short journey to the border only taking about an hour and a half to two hours and we had arrived.

Once there the bus attendant made sure we all had our passports before heading into the Vietnamese immigration office to exit the country. We lined up, provided our passports, and slowly got them back one by one with the exit stamp. Rather than heading straight to the Cambodian side we then went for a little toilet stop where we could also buy some snacks, and what appeared to be duty-free shopping.

In all honesty, it was quite a random stop, but while there we were briefed about what to expect at the Cambodian border. Soon enough we were back on the bus and heading that way.

If you have done much research on the border crossing from Vietnam to Cambodia you will quickly learn about the scams here targeting travelers. Tax for this, payment for that stamp, etc. Though because we were briefed in advance, and traveling in a large group, we knew exactly what to expect and what we needed to pay.

After getting my entry stamp and jumping back on board, I managed to sleep for the majority of the journey. Though we did make one toilet/ snack stop, which lasted about 20 minutes.

Luckily enough, the rest of the journey flew by and soon enough we were arriving at Phnom Penh. We were dropped off at the Giant Ibis offices there which is in a good location right in the tourist center.

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Limobus From Ho Chi Minh City To Phnom Penh

Duration: 6 hours

Cost: $32.00 per person

Another good option for traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh is by taking the limo bus or a VIP van. I know it may sound strange, but essentially this is just a decked-out van allowing you to travel in absolute comfort.

The top choice for this journey is the company Mekco Limo, with tickets priced at $32.00. You’ll have plush lazy boy style seats with wifi, charging ports, and if you’re lucky even a massage function on the chair!

The limo bus with Mekco Limo departs at 6:10 am, 8:50 am, 12:10 pm, 1:30 pm, 3:15 pm, and 4:10 pm.

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Fly From Ho Chi Minh City To Phnom Penh

Duration: 50 minutes

Cost: $120.00+ per person

Now flying is a super way to get to Phnom Penh and is certainly the most efficient and fastest. Though this will only be the case if it’s within your travel budget.

Luckily, there are plenty of airlines that operate this route including Vietnam Airlines, Cambodia Angkor Air, and VietJet. If you manage to book far enough in advance then you should be able to find some better prices than waiting until the last minute.

The flight time is just 50 minutes between these two cities, quickly turning a 7-hour plus journey into less than an hour. Though what you do need to keep in mind is the travel time to and from the airport, as well as being at the airport 3 hours before departure. There will also be extra time going through immigration in Cambodia.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the airport you will be flying out from is called Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN). Luckily, it is only located about 8 kilometers from the main tourist area. The best and easiest way is by taking a Grab car which should cost you 80,000 – 150,000 VND / $3.50 – $6.50. This is a much better option than dealing with the hassle of a taxi.

Though this airport is known for being extremely painful with long lines, and as someone who’s done it recently, I agree. Try to get there 3.5 hours before departure so you are one of the first in the check in lines. This way you will get through immigration and security in time. Otherwise, you can pay $30.00 for a fast track service.

Once at Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH) there are plenty of options to get into the city center, including a bus, train, taxi, or tuk-tuk.

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FAQ’s About Traveling Ho Chi Minh City To Phnom Penh

How many days to spend in Phnom Penh? Now I am not going to lie, there are many more beautiful and incredible locations in Cambodia, though I do recommend spending 2 nights in Phnom Penh. This will allow you to experience some of the sights and get a better understanding of the country’s past.

How far in advance do I need to book tickets? I recommend you book tickets in advance to ensure you can travel with a reputable, clean, and safe company. You should try for at least a week in advance to be safe. Using 12.Go Asia is perfect for this as you can book when you haven’t even arrived in the country yet!

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Where To Stay In Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is a huge city so you may be overwhelmed figuring out where exactly you should stay. Certainly, there is something for everyone here from affordable guesthouses to sociable hostels, or luxe hotels.

However, what I have personally had issues with in the past is figuring out where exactly in this city I should be booking my accommodation. Sure, it’s easy even to look at a map and figure out what is the city and what is not. Though your girl ended up staying in the red-light district during my second trip here.

I honestly have no idea how it happened, but it may have been the super affordable hotel with a rooftop pool. For one night it was okay, but it was certainly a bit seedy venturing out trying to find somewhere for dinner.

Nevertheless, simply make sure to check out reviews and other travelers’ opinions thoroughly. This city is full of budget deals for travelers, some even too good to be true.

Onederz Hostel A backpacker’s favorite in this city. Dorm rooms start at $7.00. BOOK NOW	Lux Riverside Hotel Live in luxury for less with prices from $40.00 per night for a double room. BOOK NOW
The Big Easy Excellent value for money with modern pod-style dorms starting from $6.00 per night. BOOK NOW	Harmony Phnom Penh Hotel Enjoy riverside living with the most incredible infinity pool. Rooms start from $80.00 per night. BOOK NOW

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Things To Do In Phnom Penh

You’ll find plenty of things to do here, though there are definitely some top spots on many travelers’ lists:

Killing Fields of Choeung Ek: This is well worth a visit to learn more about Pol Pot’s reign in the 1970s and what happened to many Cambodians. It’s tough, but I highly recommend doing the audio tour where you will learn so much and listen to local stories.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum at S21 Prison: Many people will visit the killing fields and this museum in one day. This will allow you to put faces to the names and stories you would have heard. I highly recommend hiring the audio guide here as well.

Night Market: This is a popular shopping spot in the city, both for locals and travelers. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to buy the perfect souvenirs to take back home. It’s located right on the riverside and is an easy walk from many hotels in the tourist area.

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Wrap Up: How To Travel From Ho Chi Minh City To Phnom Penh

Hopefully know you’ll know exactly how to travel from Vietnam and Cambodia without all the stress. It’s time for a new country, new currency, and new language, you already have enough to worry about!

If you’re unsure, just do what I did and book the Giant Ibis. It’s so worth the extra money, and you’ll be able to enjoy the ride in comfort rather than squished like a sardine.

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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. So, if you click on it and purchase something, I get a small percentage at no extra cost to you. As always all opinions are my own and your support is much appreciated.

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Photo credit: “KHV A321-200 At Spot V2” (CC BY 2.0) by Ken H.

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