Bangkok to Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) by Train

It is possible to travel by train from the Thai capital of Bangkok to Siem Reap in Cambodia, famous for the Angkor Wat temple complex.

Although there is no direct train from Bangkok to Siem Reap, or indeed any train service that crosses the Thai-Cambodian border, you can easily make the journey on a combined train-and-bus trip.

It’s the adventurous, true overland way to travel from Thailand to Cambodia, and certainly more fun and comfortable than making the entire journey in a cramped bus!

This short guide shows you what the combined train-and-bus journey between Bangkok and Siem Reap looks like, how to buy tickets, and what the alternatives are if the trip seems too daunting.

By train from Bangkok to Siem Reap

The combined train-and-bus journey from Bangkok to Siem Reap involves taking a train to the Thai border town of Ban Klong Luk, walking across the border, and catching a bus from the Cambodian border town of Poipet to Siem Reap.

An early morning train departs Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong railway station daily at 05:55, arriving in Ban Klong Luk at 11:17.

There is also a later train, which departs Bangkok Hua Lamphong at 13:05 and arrives in Ban Klong Luk at 17:27.

These trains have unreserved third-class seating only, with tickets currently costing just 49 baht (€1.27, £1.08 or $1.46).

Simply buy your ticket at the station – they can’t sell out, so there is no need to buy it in advance.

Once the train reaches Ban Klong Luk, you need to walk around 100 to 200 metres from the station to the Thai border checkpoint.

After completing Thai passport control, it’s another 100 metres to the Cambodian border post for immigration procedures.

Ignore touts offering to help with the visa process, as many will try to steer you away from the official border posts to scam travel agencies where they will overcharge you for a process that is entirely simple to handle yourself.

Schedule at least an hour for crossing the border from Thailand into Cambodia.

Once you have officially entered Cambodia and walk into Poipet, you will be accosted by many more touts, this time offering transport to Siem Reap or other destinations in the country.

If you want, you can arrange a private or shared taxi ride to Siem Reap, but make sure to haggle hard, as the starting prices these touts quote are a bit of a rip-off.

Otherwise, there should be an official free shuttle bus taking you to the Poipet Tourist Passenger International Terminal, a 10-minute drive from the border, where shared taxis and buses leave for Siem Reap.

The journey by shared or private taxi from Poipet to Siem Reap takes about 2.5 hours, while a bus takes around 3 hours.

From Bangkok to Siem Reap by bus

You can also take a bus instead of the train to the Thai-Cambodian border at Ban Klong Luk, with buses departing more frequently throughout the day.

This could be a good alternative if you don’t like the early departure time of the morning train or think that the afternoon train will get you into Siem Reap only at a very late hour in the evening (which it very well might).

The bus station at Ban Klong Luk is also known as Aranyaprathet Rong Kluea Market and is a similarly short walk from the Thai border post as the railway station.

You can book the bus from Bangkok to Ban Klong Luk in advance through the reliable booking website 12Go, with tickets costing $10.

Cross-border buses

Although some booking websites might offer cross-border buses that take you non-stop from Bangkok to Siem Reap, these often involve a self-connection on two separate buses: one from Bangkok to Ban Klong Luk and another from Poipet to Siem Reap.

As it’s hard to predict exactly how long it will take you to cross the border, such a pre-booked trip is best avoided. It’s much easier just to take a bus or train to the Thai-Cambodian border, walk across, and get onward transport in Poipet.

Getting a shared taxi or bus in Poipet to Siem Reap will never be a problem, so there is no real reason to prebook this.

Plane

You can also fly from Bangkok to Siem Reap, with AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, and Emirates (as a fifth-freedom flight) currently operating this route.

12Go can compare all these airlines in a single search and help you book your plane ticket.

Conclusion

Although there are no direct trains, it is easy to travel on a combined train-and-bus journey from Bangkok to Siem Reap in Cambodia if you want to visit magical Angkor Wat.

First, take a train from Bangkok to the Thai border station of Ban Klong Luk.

From the station, the Thai border post is just over 100 metres away, with the Cambodian border post a similarly short walk.

Once across the border into Cambodia, you will be in the city of Poipet, from where it is easy to arrange a shared or private taxi or take a bus to Siem Reap.

If the overland journey might be too daunting, you can also fly from Bangkok to Siem Reap.

Want to learn more about train travel in Thailand? Read about the international train journey from Bangkok to Vientiane or the sleeper train to Chiang Mai!