Hello everybody,
we (young couple from Italy) will be travelling across Cambodia and to Vietnam next November.
We will be visiting Angkor Wat for 2 days then travelling to Phnom Penh.
In order to save time we were thinking to travel during the night. Is there such a night bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh?
And if so... internet is full of scary stories about these night bus trips...is it safe? Which companies would you recommend or avoid?
Thanx a lot,
Ciao!
I'll bet you're pretty smart, why are you having a hard time getting the message? You said you have seen the reports on the Internet. Do a search here, you'll find some more.
So, to answer your questions, "is it safe?" NO!
"Which companies...........avoid?" ALL of them!
Why would anyone, with the brains God gave them want to get on a crappy, beat-up, overloaded, bus with bad brakes, going over bad roads at night, and driven by tweeker that's done so much meth, he may never sleep again?
Go in the day time, see some of the countryside, you'll enjoy it.
The accident stats are such that the trip you are proposing will be far the most dangerous part of your vacation - by a long way. Of course the chances of you having an accident are not high but they're still significantly higher than if you make an easy choice and travel in daylight hours - fact. Couple that with the fact that you're a long way away from any decent medical support, made a whole lot worse at night. It doesn't make sense just to save 6 or 7 hours or whatever it is.... #1 sums it up nicely - way too many things that are not within your control.
For 50,-- € pp you can fly out of Siem Reap at 6:40, will get you to PP at 7:20 http://www.cambodiaangkorair.com/en/
There are at least 4 companies offering a night service.
Including Giant Ibis and Virak Bunthan
NORRIE19 please share your accident statistics between night and day Buses.
Hi Ciao, I have friends in Siemriep and they let me know that: can go by bus from Siemriep to Pnompenh ( for 7 hours). At the moment, there is a little bit of road's repairing. It's ok to go. I also know 1 company ( absolutecambodia.com), they offer private car with good price.
#4 - Every country in the world which has bothered to compile serious road accident statistics has determined that night time driving per vehicle mile driven is more dangerous. In terms of injury severity, it's typically twice as bad... I would frankly be astounded if Cambodia were any different. Factor in the additional risks of poor road conditions, substandard vehicles, no roadside lighting, no controls on drivers hours, drunks coming in the opposite direction etc. - you feel lucky? - go for it mate. I was in Cambodia in 2012 when there was a spate of bus crashes, mostly at night, with many deaths including foreigners. It certainly got attention on various travel forums, which is why many here say avoid it... I've driven in many countries in SE Asia and for sure I avoid travelling at night - leave that to truck drivers or others who don't have a choice.
I do not see where the night trip PP-SR is more dangerous than any bus trip in Southeast Asia ! I have taken several buses in Cambodia in February and did not see worse than in Vietnam ! The road PP-SR is very wide, the terrain flat like a pizza, and the night traffic very light; as a matter of fact, I did PP-SR on a motorbike and SR-PP by bus and felt perfectly safe twice.
Take Giang Ibis, they are very good ; departure 7h45, 8h45 and noon - 6 hour trip - 15$
