Taking the bus from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City
As a central fixture of the Bamboo Trail, Cambodia is an excellent jumping off point for travel to neighboring nations, such as Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. And while there are several border posts with Vietnam, but far the best route is to take the bus from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City.
How though does one go about doing this? Here is the CLN guide to traveling from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon.
Taking the bus vs flying to Ho Chi Minh City
Most people would think that the easier way to get between these two cities would be to fly between them, but this is very much not the case. This is because although the flight time is pretty short. At under one hour, immigration and customs are not.
For whatever reason the Vietnamese rarely put on enough staff, nor open as many counters as they should. This means serious backlogs, with extremely rude staff and rarely anything quicker than a 2 hour layover. Combine this with getting Phnom Penh International Airport, with also getting from Saigon Airport into downtown and it is almost the same as the bus.
No doubt something that will get even worse when the new international airport opens in Phnom Penh.
How do you get the bus from Phnom Penh to Hypo Chi Minh City?
Taking the bus from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh is quick, frequent and extremely cheap, with a number of bus operators dealing with this route. We personally used Long Phuong, which cost just $20 and left from downtown Phnom Penh.
The bus was spacious and well organized, although there is no toilet on board, unlike other (more expensive) operators, such as the Giant Ibis.
What is the journey from Phnom Penh to Saigon like?
The first part of the trip[ takes about 4 hours, with stops on the way for drinks and the toilet. You then get to the border via the bright lights and casinos of Svay Rieng, itself a very underrated city that we will eventually cover in an article!
Scenery wise it is also quite nice little journey, with you jostling through not just the beautiful scenery of Cambodia, but also many of the newer developments that have come to underpin this very important border area.
Once through you will then get 2+ hours taking you into Vietnam and the right lights of downtown Ho Chi Minh – AKA “Saigon” and the infamous bars and nightlife of Walking Street.
This area also has a plethora if hotels and guesthouses to suit any budget and is pretty much where you want to be in this majestic city, at least for a few nights anyway.
What about immigration?
And this is perhaps one if the parts that makes taking the train from Phnom Penh to downtown Ho Chi Minh City so damned desirable! Not only do you avoid the rudeness and traffic of the airports, but also immigration to a large degree.
As part of the bus service between the two cities and countries the bus compact collect your passports and pretty much do the immigration part for you, including if you need a Vietnamese visa, although the later does come at an extra charge.
And it is all sheds factors combined with the big comfortable reclining seat that make this not only the best bang for your buck way to get from Cambodia to Vietnam, but also in reality the most practical.
Ho Chi Minh, or Saigon?
While you can call it either, generally speaking the city is called Ho Chi Minh City and has been since the mid 70’s. Many people though, particularly of the older generation do call the whole city Saigon.
This is particularly true of downtown and where you find walking street which has traditionally still been referred to as Old Saigon.
Regardless of what you call it though, the cheapness, frequency and reliability of this bus route make sit a great option, regardless of if you are looking to travel further through he Bamboo Trail, or simply do a quick getaway from Cambodia.
Author: Gareth Johnson
Gareth Johnson is the founder of Young Pioneer Tours and has visited over 180+ countries. His passion is opening obscure destinations to tourism and sharing his experience of street food.
