Bavet ↔ Moc Bai: the Cambodia to Vietnam border crossing
About 90 minutes of formalities between Cambodia and Vietnam, and this is one of the frontiers you can cross without abandoning your seat.
Cambodia ↔ Vietnam · about 90 minutes · 1 service · 1 written-up journey
How the crossing works
Bavet ↔ Moc Bai
Cambodia ↔ Vietnam- Where
- Road border — the coach handles the paperwork
- On the train?
- Bus stops, everyone off and back on
- Luggage
- Yes
- Visa
- Vietnamese e-visa should be obtained in advance — land borders do not reliably issue on arrival.
- Cash on the far side
- Vietnamese dong for onward transport.
- Time cost
- About 90 minutes of formalities
The trap. There is no railway here and no prospect of one. Reputable operators (Giant Ibis, Mekong Express) handle the formalities as a group and are worth the small premium over local buses.
What crosses here
| Service | Operator | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phnom Penh → Sài Gòn Giant Ibis / Mekong Express coach | Giant Ibis | 7h | $15 |
Typical scheduled running time for the crossing leg itself, which does not include the 90 minutes of formalities above. Allow for both when you are working out whether a connection holds. Fares are indicative.
Giant Ibis. Handles the border formalities as a group and is worth the small premium over the local buses. Punctuality: fair.
Getting to each side
The frontier is rarely the problem. Reaching it on a day when something onward is still running usually is.
Phnom Penh
Cambodia| Reached by | Operator | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phnom Penh → Siem Reap Tonlé Sap fast boat | Tonlé Sap boat | 6h | $35 |
| Châu Đốc → Phnom Penh Mekong river boat (Hang Chau / Blue Cruiser) | Hang Chau / Blue Cruiser | 5h | $35 |
| Pursat → Phnom Penh Royal Railway northern line | Royal Railway Cambodia | 4h | $4.5 |
| Phnom Penh → Takeo Royal Railway southern line | Royal Railway Cambodia | 1h 30m | $3 |
Sài Gòn
Vietnam| Reached by | Operator | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sài Gòn → Châu Đốc Coach into the Mekong Delta | Long-distance coach | 6h | $12 |
| Mương Mán → Sài Gòn Reunification Express (SE1–SE8) | Vietnam Railways | 4h | $8 |
| Sài Gòn → Cần Thơ Mekong Delta coach | Long-distance coach | 4h | $8 |
| Sài Gòn → Vũng Tàu Greenlines DP hydrofoil | Local ferry | 1h 30m | $12 |
Journeys through Bavet ↔ Moc Bai
Written up in full, each with this crossing in its proper place in the itinerary rather than as a footnote.
- Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok overland 7 legs · 3d · $101
Plan a journey through it Pick two places and the crossing appears in the itinerary, with the buffer it needs.