Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon) is Vietnam’s largest city , famous for being home to the Reunification Palace. The markets, the Chinese temples and the museums also attract tourists.
Phnom Penh is the capital city of Cambodia and a transit city for those who want to visit Ankor Wat. Over the past decade, the Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh travel route has gain more and more popularity as both locals and travelers want to explore what this part of Asia has to offer.
Quick summary
The distance between the two cities is only about 250 km so it doesn’t make sense to fly (and it’s expensive also). Your best bet is to get a bus ticket (from any travel agent in either city) and spend 5-6 hours traveling between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh for just US$9-15 one way.
Flights from Ho Chi Minh City (airport code: SGN) to Phnom Penh
Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) is the largest airport in Vietnam and serves Ho Chi Minh City. it is hub for Air Mekong, Jetstar Pacific Airlines, VASCO and Vietnam Airlines.
Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH) is the largest airport in Cambodia. It’s not hub for any airline and receives flights only from Asian cities.
Flights between the two cities are run only by Vietnam Airlines. This means there’s no competition on this route and the rates are quite high. Expect to pay from US$173 for a single adult fare. The flight time is 40 min.
>>read more about Cheap flights to Ho Chi Minh City
Buses from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh
There is no railway between the two cities, which means, the only overland option is the bus. Several bus companies operate daily connections between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh, with the first departure at 7:30 a.m. The travel time is about 6 hours. The bus ride includes a short ferry ride across the Mekong river.
Some of the companies running daily connections between the two cities are: Kumho Samco, Mekong Express, Sapaco Tourist and Mai Linh.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the buses depart from the station at 237 Pham Ngu Lao Str, Ben Nghe Ward, 1Dist; while in Phnom Penh there isn’t a centralized bus station.
Rates are generally about US$10-15 single journey. It’s best to avoid the low-cost carriers (US$6-7 for a ticket) because the conditions are typically quite bad (doors don’t close, old buses) and make you switch buses at the border.