1

If they fly to PP with Air Asia, they wont be at the airport-- at least not the same one.

2

Bus the next day, no overnight bus as far as I know.
Morchit bus station.
Then across the border and next bus on to PP, as above.

If you are not on a very tight budget take a flight, saves you about 14hrs on bus rides.

3

The border closes at night so even if there was a night bus, it would have to spend some hours waiting somewhere for border to open.

4

As stated, border closed at night. Open only 08.00 to 20.00 so no advantage in night bus.

The easiest by far is to fly, but the AirAsia fare is high for Christmas and only one per day, departing Don Mueang DMK at 1515. Fare around THB 3,300 / NZD 140 (Thai Airways also do 2 flights a day, but it's a silly 8,000 baht). Adding up all the costs of the overland will come to a bit less than half the cost of flying, but the real comparison is 1.5 hours against 16 hours! If you can afford to fly, book now whilst there are still seats.

If you have budget probs or really do want the overland experience then check this out -

So much of the web info is quite old and incorrect. One really good site that makes regular updates is Canby

http://www.canbypublications.com/cambodia/overland.htm#Aran

Click through the site - All the info is there, border crossings, bus times,. scams to avoid etc etc.

You'll need to overnight in BKK after your evening arrival, so you could head for our resident Kiwi's fave cheap joint - Merry V on Soi Rambuttri.

You can get to PP all in one day with ease on the 24th if you start early. First bus from Morchit is at 04.00 and then they run hourly until late arvo. Trip to the border town of Aranya is 4 hours. Then add time to cross and get the next bus from Poipet to Siem Reap. Faster by share taxi. Stay the night if you're exhausted by now!

Full-size buses on Highway 6 from SR to PP are quite frequent these days, and the road is good.

If you start from BKK early (before 07.00, say) and then just plod on non-stop you'll be in PP early evening, or mid-morn next day, 25th, if you decide to have a drink or three at the Red Piano!

BTW, wink-wink, If I land at Queenstown can I just get a bus to Paihia? Right - it's no easier here, either, but the roads are much worse! ;)

5

The Merry V has served us well over the last 14 years since the billy lid started travelling with us and the demise of 99KSR.

6

..and here's the thread with the address and westwood's reco!

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2172742

Don't tell Missy Jen I was helpful!

7

If we say extremely helpful, I wonder if she'll change her mind.

8

You could also get a night train to the Thai border town of Aranya Prathet .. Then Tuc Tuc to the border crossing costs about 50-60 Bht then Bus through to Phnom Penh ...

9

^ Er, you know there isn't a "night train" to Aranya. Two trains per day, leaving Bangkok at 0555 and 1305.

OP arrives at BKK at 1925.

10

Thought there are only the 05.55 and 13.05 going to the border, is that new, that night train?

11

i stand corrected , for some reason i thought that there was a night Train on that route ...

12

There'd be no business for it - everyone on that route is in bed by 9 pm! Including the border guards!

13

Hey, I was drinking beer until midnight at the little resto outside of the hotel I stayed when last time in Aran...

14

Well, you don't have to take it literally. Still, I bet it was really quiet. When you weren't slurping the Chang, I mean!

Aran's one of the few places you could fire off an AK47 at ten pm and not even collect a brown dog! Usually.