Chiang Mai To Siem Reap

There are a number of ways to get from Chiang Mai to Siem Reap in Cambodia including flights and buses. The distance between the two is around 1,000kms.

Taking a flight is the easiest and most efficient mode of travel between these two cities, however there are some other cheaper options if cost is a priority over time.

There are a number of airlines which offer daily flights between Chiang Mai and Siem Reap, all with a stopover in Bangkok. Prices vary between airlines, but typically cost between $120-180AUD and total travel time is between 4-5 hours (including stop over).

Taking a bus to Siem Reap is also an option, with buses connecting Chiang Mai to Bangkok and then Bangkok to Siem Reap. Click the link here for a handy guide on how to get from Chiang Mai to Bangkok for the first leg of your journey.

For the second leg of the bus journey from Bangkok to Siem Reap, you will need to catch another bus. There is a direct bus run by Transport Co that takes around 8-9 hours and costs around 900THB. The advantage of this bus is that it is a large bus where you don’t have to unload and reload your baggage at the border, as the same bus does the entire drive.

There are also mini-buses which service this route and they leave from the northern terminal in Bangkok. The run frequently throughout the day (every 30-45 minutes) and cost just 200THB to get to the Thai/Cambodian border. From there, you will have to pass through immigration and then catch an other bus on the Cambodian side. There will be buses waiting there and the cost is around 300-400THB for this leg to get to Siem Reap.

Another alternative is to take a train from Bangkok to the border of Thailand and Cambodia, and then switch to a bus in Cambodia to take you the rest of the way in Siem Reap (per the instructions above). To catch a train from Bangkok, you will need to get a train to Aranyaprathet which is a station located 250kms from Bangkok. There are two trains that leave daily at 05.55am and 13.05pm and the cost is a mere 50THB. The station is around 6kms from the Cambodian border, but there will be buses waiting at the station which can take you to the border for around 30THB.

Those getting their Visa’s at the border should be aware of the border scams. You do not need to change money into Cambodian Riel nor do you have to pay to get your visa before you get to immigration. You can pay for your Cambodian visa in US dollars or Thai Baht and the cost is a mere $20USD. Any higher price is a scam.