Bangkok to Cambodia, overland...

The Guide: seat61.com

Leaving Bangkok

I went to Bangkok's Hua Lamphong station 2 days before I was to depart for Cambodia just to confirm the train details. There is a very helpful tourist info desk which is well-staffed with English speakers. It is open during working hours and located at the main entrance to the station near where the taxi drop-off and entrance to MRT is. 

They explained that the train to Aranyapathet is a busy commuter train that is free for locals and 48baht for foreigners. As seat61 said, this cannot be booked in advance but there are no issues with buying on the day. Arrival slightly ahead of the train departure time is advised to not only buy the ticket but also get a good seat - window, facing direction of travel. Since its free for locals it does get very busy for the first couple of hours at least. While it is technically 3rd class, it is comfortable and clean. I was lucky to get a sunny day with no rain in late Sept so the journey was very pleasant with fresh air through open windows and interesting scenery. The passengers are a real mix across Thai society as well.

Toilets are available on the carriages but they are not the kind you want to have to use. There are various food items sold during the journey - all traditional Thai snacks. Some are very clean and well presented, other items are a bit more rough and ready.

I took a bottle of water sandwich and some wafers for the journey. The water is especially necessary when queuing at Thai immigration. In hindsight, I would have carried a bit more because the earliest I could get any decent lunch is after 3pm once I reached Siem Reap.

At Aranyapraphet

As soon as the train pulls up to the platform there are numerous tuk tuks and motorbikes available. I got a ride for 80baht to the border and didn't bother to haggle down. The tuk tuk might stop at a Cambodia visa centre which is in a new, white building. One can get a visa there or if you already had an e-visa like me, then just complete an immigration form which is free. This immigration form  is also available Cambodian arrival check point, in case your tuk tuk takes you straight to the Thai Border post.

The Thai post building here also looks quite new and I've attached a picture of the shiny new arch that marks it. From the Cambodian visa centre walk 200 metres down the road and the Thai border post will be on the left. There could be a long queue as I faced which takes a while but the process is simple.

Following Thai border control follow the blue exit signs that are fairly self-explanatory. Immediately ahead of you lies the Friendship Bridge and thereafter starts a long row of casinos and hotels. It starts to feel a bit chaotic already but just follow the road. At this point it's also hard to figure out where to go but walk on the right hand side of the road and after a few hundred yards, up ahead the Cambodian Arrival Post is marked. 

In this small building you queue for entry into Cambodia. You can get that immigration form here as I mentioned above. Going through immediately you will get surrounded by people offering rides to Siem Reap. It's quite difficult to tell who is genuine and who is not. As a solo female traveller I opted for a pre-arranged taxi which was organised by my hotel. It was a nice relief to see my name held up on a piece of paper so if I had to repeat this process or recommend to any one else, I would suggest doing this. The cost of the hotel taxi: $45. Peace of mind : priceless!

the drive to Siem Reap after this is about 2 hours.