We had spent a good three days in Siem Reap exploring the ruins of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. For the next trip, my friend and I had decided to visit Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. So, we booked our tickets online from BusOnlineTicket.co.th. After doing some research, we opted to go to Siem Reap to Phnom Penh by van operated by Mekong Express.
Below is the summary of our trip from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh:
| i. | Going to Mekong Express office in Siem Reap |
| ii. | Check in at the Mekong Express office |
| iii. | Boarding the Mekong Express van from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh |
| iv. | Rest stop at Kampong Thom |
| v. | Arrival at Mekong Express office in Phnom Penh |
i. Going to Mekong Express office in Siem Reap
The pick-up point for van from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh was at Mekong Express office. The office was located on National Road Number 6, next to Sovann Angkor II Hotel (see the second picture below) and opposite of Manulife Cambodia (Insurance Company) in Siem Reap city. Going to the office from the center of the city by tuk tuk would cost around USD 2.
Since we planned to take the morning trip from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, we changed our hotel to Sovann Angkor II Hotel on the night before the departure. Therefore, on the day of departure, we easily walked to the Mekong Express office right beside the Sovann Angkor II Hotel.
ii. Check in at the Mekong Express office
When we reached the office, we exchanged the PDF ticket to the real ticket at the counter. The staff gave us a baggage tag for our luggage. The luggage would be kept at the back to give rooms for the passengers to seat comfortably.
There are plenty of seats for the passengers to wait for their departure. You can also buy drinks if you are thirsty because Cambodia can be very hot during the day. Make sure to keep yourself hydrated!
iii. Boarding the Mekong Express van from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh
Mekong Express service comprises of bus and van services that travels within Cambodia. For this early morning journey from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, we took the van service. The seats were quite spacious and comfortable. There were numbers on the seats and passengers have to seat according to their assigned seat number.
The driver helped the passengers to store our luggage at the back of the van. Then, the staff distributed a bottle of drinking water and wet tissue to all passengers before the departure. The van finally departed at 8.30AM as scheduled.
iv. Rest stop at Kampong Thom
Halfway through the journey, around 11AM, the van stopped for rest at one of the restaurant in Kampong Thom. Passengers can get their lunch here, or at least something to fill the stomach before reaching Phnom Penh.
The name of the restaurant was Arunras Restaurant. There were also fruit stalls outside the restaurant. The van stopped in Kampong Thom for 20 minutes.
v. Arrival at Mekong Express office in Phnom Penh
After continuing the journey for few more hours, the van finally reached the arrival point in Phnom Penh around 2PM. The total trip duration for trip from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh by van was about 6 hours.
The arrival point for van from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh with Mekong Express was in Mekong Express office in Phnom Penh. The office is located nearby the central market. Upon arrival, we claimed our luggage and took one of the tuk tuk that were already waiting for the passengers’ arrival to go to our hotel.
And that’s how we got to Phnom Penh from Siem Reap with Mekong Express van. The journey was nice and the seats were comfortable. Moreover, booking the tickets in advance with BusOnlineTicket.co.th made the travel process much easier.
