Vĩnh Xương ↔ Kaam Samnor: the Vietnam to Cambodia (by river) border crossing
About 120 minutes of formalities between Vietnam and Cambodia (by river), and this is one of the frontiers you can cross without abandoning your seat.
Vietnam ↔ Cambodia (by river) · about 120 minutes · 1 service · 1 written-up journey
How the crossing works
Vĩnh Xương ↔ Kaam Samnor
Vietnam ↔ Cambodia (by river)- Where
- Riverbank posts, with the boat waiting alongside
- On the train?
- Off the boat at each post, then back on
- Luggage
- Yes
- Visa
- Cambodian e-visa in advance. Coming the other way, a Vietnamese e-visa must name a land or river crossing you are allowed to use.
- Cash on the far side
- US dollars in small notes for both sides.
- Time cost
- About 120 minutes of formalities
The trap. Unofficial "processing" and "overtime" fees are routine at this crossing, and the boat operator often collects passports as a group. Know the correct official fee, and expect the whole thing to take longer than the schedule claims.
The position here moves. Confirm it against the operator and your own government's current advice before you book anything that depends on it.
What crosses here
| Service | Operator | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Châu Đốc → Phnom Penh Mekong river boat (Hang Chau / Blue Cruiser) | Hang Chau / Blue Cruiser | 5h | $35 |
Typical scheduled running time for the crossing leg itself, which does not include the 120 minutes of formalities above. Allow for both when you are working out whether a connection holds. Fares are indicative.
Hang Chau / Blue Cruiser. Sold as a through ticket that includes the border formalities. Aggregators carry both operators. 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.
Châu Đốc
Vietnam| Reached by | Operator | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sài Gòn → Châu Đốc Coach into the Mekong Delta | Long-distance coach | 6h | $12 |
Phnom Penh
Cambodia| Reached by | Operator | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phnom Penh → Sài Gòn Giant Ibis / Mekong Express coach | Giant Ibis | 7h | $15 |
| Phnom Penh → Siem Reap Tonlé Sap fast boat | Tonlé Sap boat | 6h | $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 |
Journeys through Vĩnh Xương ↔ Kaam Samnor
Written up in full, each with this crossing in its proper place in the itinerary rather than as a footnote.
- Phnom Penh to Chau Doc by boat 1 legs · 1d · $35
Plan a journey through it Pick two places and the crossing appears in the itinerary, with the buffer it needs.