Vietnam to Cambodia by Bus in 2026: Routes, Fares, Border Crossings, and Where Vietnam Trains Fit

Routes at a glance: four land crossings from Vietnam to Cambodia

No train crosses the Vietnam-Cambodia border, so match your start point and time budget to one of four working road routes. Vietnam trains run the north-south line only as far as Ho Chi Minh City, which means the border leg is always a bus or a flight. If you are coming from Hanoi or Da Nang, there is no practical direct bus to Cambodia: connect through Ho Chi Minh City or fly.

Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh via Moc Bai and Bavet is the busiest route. Driving takes 6 to 7 hours plus 1 to 2 hours at the border. Departures run roughly 6:00 to 13:00, with a few overnight services. Fares are US$28-40 one-way with Giant Ibis, Kumho Samco, or Long Phuong. At Moc Bai, use official counters only because touts work the area.

From the Mekong Delta, Can Tho and Chau Doc reach Phnom Penh in 5 to 6 hours through Tinh Bien or Vinh Xuong. Morning departures only, and fares run US$22-35. The shortest hop is Ha Tien to Kampot or Kep: 2 to 3 hours via Prek Chak and Xa Xia, US$12-18, with several minibuses daily.

HCMC to Siem Reap takes 12 to 14 hours and costs US$45-65, usually with a transfer in Phnom Penh; overnight sleepers are available. Book 2 to 3 days ahead because Tet and Khmer New Year sell out. Overnight buses arrive early, so book your hotel from the previous night. For the Cambodia e-Visa, pay US$36 at evisa.gov.kh, or carry US$30 plus passport photos for visa on arrival. Confirm current border acceptance before you travel. Vietnam trains booking is separate from bus tickets; use 12Go Asia, Baolau, Klook, or the operator sites.

Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh via Moc Bai

Vietnam trains do not cross into Cambodia, so the bus via Moc Bai is the default land route to Phnom Penh. Giant Ibis, Kumho Samco, and Long Phuong all run it, with one-way fares of US$28-40. Departures are roughly 6:00 to 13:00, and some overnight services operate. That gives you more choice than any other Vietnam to Cambodia crossing.

Allow 6 to 7 hours of driving plus 1 to 2 hours at the border. The crossing itself sets the pace, so a 7:00 departure can reach Phnom Penh in the late afternoon or evening depending on queues. Moc Bai has a reputation for touts. Use the official counters only and ignore anyone offering to speed up your stamp. Keep your passport, cash, and electronics with you rather than in the hold, because luggage limits vary between companies.

Tickets sell on 12Go Asia, Baolau, Klook, and the operators' own websites. Compare departure times before paying, and book 2 to 3 days ahead; Tet and Khmer New Year sell out. Cambodia e-Visa costs US$36 at evisa.gov.kh and is accepted at major land crossings such as Bavet, but confirm current acceptance because it changes. Visa on arrival costs US$30 plus passport photos, and small fees sometimes appear.

If you are researching Vietnam trains booking, rail is useful within Vietnam but not for this border. If you want to combine rail and bus, ride Vietnam trains to Ho Chi Minh City first, then book the Moc Bai bus. Vietnam trains sleeper and Vietnam trains luxury services can get you to HCMC from Hanoi or Da Nang, but the final leg to Phnom Penh is by road. Check the Vietnam trains official website for schedules, read Vietnam trains reviews before choosing a sleeper, and reconfirm with the operator on the day of travel.

For travelers already moving through the Mekong Delta, the bus from Can Tho or Chau Doc to Phnom Penh takes 5 to 6 hours and costs US$22-35, below the US$28-40 fare from Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam trains do not serve this corridor; the rail line ends at Ho Chi Minh City, so this leg runs by bus. Two crossings handle it, Tinh Bien and Vinh Xuong, and which one your ticket uses depends on the operator. Ask at the counter before you board. The two add different amounts of time at the border, and only your operator can tell you which is printed on your ticket.

Departures cluster in the morning. Afternoon services are rare, so plan to spend the previous night in the delta rather than pushing down from Ho Chi Minh City the same day. Pickup points are usually the boat docks and roads around Chau Doc and Can Tho, which suits travelers who have already been working through the delta by boat. Vietnam trains cover the north-south spine, not this border leg, so buses are the onward option here. 12Go Asia, Baolau, and Klook sell these seats, as do Phuong Trang (Futa) and The Sinh Tourist. Book 2 to 3 days ahead; Tet and Khmer New Year sell out.

Pack water, snacks, and toilet paper. Border stops on this corridor can be chaotic and queues move unevenly, so keep valuables with you; luggage limits vary by operator. Cambodia's e-Visa costs US$36 at evisa.gov.kh, while visa on arrival is US$30 plus passport photos, and e-Visa acceptance at land crossings changes, so confirm with your operator before departure. Fares and timetables on this route shift, so verify the day before you travel rather than trusting a 2024 price list, and reconfirm the crossing and departure time with the operator on the day you travel.

Minibuses from Ha Tien to Kampot or Kep take 2 to 3 hours and cost US$12-18, crossing at Prek Chak and Xa Xia. Several minibuses run daily, so a morning departure still leaves the afternoon free on the coast. This is the shortest international leg on the Vietnam to Cambodia bus network, and Vietnam trains do not cross this border, so the minibus does the work. Cambodia's e-Visa costs US$36 at evisa.gov.kh and is accepted at major land crossings including Prek Chak, but confirm acceptance before you travel because it changes. Visa on arrival costs US$30 plus passport photos, with a possible small extra fee.

The long end of the range is Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap: 12 to 14 hours for US$45-65, usually with a transfer in Phnom Penh. The middle leg alone, HCMC to Phnom Penh, takes 6 to 7 hours driving plus 1 to 2 hours at the border and costs US$28-40 one-way with Giant Ibis, Kumho Samco, or Long Phuong, which matters if you plan to stop overnight in the capital. Hanoi and Da Nang have no practical direct bus to Cambodia; connect via HCMC or fly.

Overnight sleepers work on the Siem Reap leg. They arrive very early in the morning, before most hotels open, so book your hotel from the previous night and check in when the bus drops you off instead of waiting in a lobby. Keep valuables with you, since luggage limits vary, and carry water, snacks, and toilet paper because border stops can be chaotic.

Phuong Trang (Futa) and The Sinh Tourist sell several of these legs alongside cross-border specialists such as Giant Ibis and Kumho Samco. Book on 12Go Asia, Baolau, Klook, or the operator's own website 2 to 3 days ahead; Tet and Khmer New Year sell out. Reconfirm with the operator on the day of travel.

Vietnam trains, e-visas, and border paperwork

Vietnam trains do not cross into Cambodia. The north-south rail line ends at Ho Chi Minh City, so travellers arriving by rail switch to a bus there for Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, or the delta crossings. At Bavet and Prek Chak, the officer will ask for your passport, a printed Cambodia e-Visa, and US dollars in cash. The Cambodia e-Visa costs US$36 at evisa.gov.kh and is accepted at those major land crossings. Acceptance changes, so confirm with the operator or embassy before you travel. Card readers are rare at land borders, so carry enough cash for the visa and any onward bus fare.

If you do not have an e-Visa, visa on arrival costs US$30 plus passport photos. Officers sometimes request a small extra 'fee' on top. Carry printed copies of your e-Visa, spare passport photos, and small US dollar notes. For Vietnam, check the Vietnam e-Visa fees and validity at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. The terms change, so read the current page instead of relying on older blog posts. If you cross at a smaller point, have US$30 and photos ready as a backup.

Vietnam trains official website and booking sites cover domestic routes only. Vietnam trains sleeper services run to Ho Chi Minh City, but they stop there. For cross-border legs, use 12Go Asia, Baolau, Klook, or operator sites like Giant Ibis and Kumho Samco. Book 2 to 3 days ahead because Tet and Khmer New Year sell out. Moc Bai is known for touts, so use official counters only.

At the counter, keep your documents ready. Luggage limits vary, so keep valuables with you. Overnight buses arrive very early, and a hotel booked from the previous night avoids waiting. Bring water, snacks, and toilet paper. Always reconfirm your bus and visa details with the operator on the day of travel.

Book cross-border buses 2 to 3 days ahead on 12Go Asia, Baolau, Klook, or the operator's website. The main operators are Giant Ibis, Kumho Samco, Phuong Trang (Futa), and The Sinh Tourist. Tet and Khmer New Year sell out, so book earlier for those dates. For Vietnam trains booking, use the Vietnam trains official website or a booking platform; rail is separate from the bus tickets, and the north-south line ends at Ho Chi Minh City.

Fares on the four main routes are US$28-40 for Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh, US$22-35 for Can Tho or Chau Doc to Phnom Penh, US$12-18 for Ha Tien to Kampot or Kep, and US$45-65 for Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap. The Cambodia e-Visa costs US$36 at evisa.gov.kh. Visa on arrival costs US$30 plus passport photos, and officers sometimes ask for a small extra fee. Card readers are rare at land borders, so carry enough US dollars in cash for the visa and any onward bus fare.

Pack water, snacks, and toilet paper because border stops can be chaotic. Keep valuables with you; luggage limits vary between companies. Use official counters at Moc Bai and ignore touts. Overnight buses arrive very early, so book your hotel from the previous night. Reconfirm your bus and visa details with the operator on the day of travel.