TP.HCM is about 230 km from Phnom Penh, and the bus takes 6 to 7 hours. This figure already includes 30–60 minutes for immigration procedures at the Mộc Bài – Bavet border gate pair, a duration that many first-time travelers often forget to add.
How many km from Sài Gòn to Phnom Penh and how many hours does it take?
- Distance: about 230 km — 70 km on the Vietnamese side to the Mộc Bài border gate, the rest on the Cambodian side along National Highway 1.
- Time: 6 to 7 hours, including 30–60 minutes at the border gate depending on passenger volume.
- Route: TP.HCM → Củ Chi → Trảng Bàng → Mộc Bài / Bavet border gate → Svay Rieng → Tsubasa Bridge over the Mekong River at Neak Loeung → Phnom Penh.
- Time zone: Cambodia is in the same time zone as Vietnam, no need to adjust your watch.
How long does it take to reach each point?
Milestones calculated from when the bus leaves the center of TP.HCM:
| Segment | Cumulative km | Time from departure |
|---|---|---|
| Củ Chi, Trảng Bàng | about 50 km | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Mộc Bài border gate | about 70 km | 1 hour 45 – 2 hours |
| Procedures on both sides, passing through Bavet | — | an additional 30 – 60 minutes |
| Svay Rieng | about 115 km | 3 hours 30 |
| Tsubasa Bridge, Neak Loeung | about 170 km | 4 hours 45 |
| Central Phnom Penh | about 230 km | 6 – 7 hours |
The bus assistant usually collects passports and handles procedures for the group; passengers just need to get off the bus, pass through the control gate, and walk to the other side. On holidays and Tet, the border gate gets crowded, and waits can sometimes exceed an hour.
Bus or plane?
| Mode of transport | Time | Suitable for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleeper bus / reclining seat | 6 – 7 hours | Passengers wanting the lowest price | Many morning departures, arriving in the early afternoon |
| 9 or 19-seater Limousine | 6 hours | One or two travelers wanting spacious seats | Fewer passengers mean faster border gate procedures |
| Flight from Tân Sơn Nhất → Phnom Penh | about 1 hour flight | Passengers short on time | Add procedures for both airports, actual total 3.5 – 4 hours, ticket price is much higher |
| Private car | 5 hours 30 – 6 hours | Families, groups, business travelers | Pick-up at your location, flexible departure time |
Documents to bring
A passport valid for at least 6 months is mandatory — ID cards or citizen identification cards cannot be used to cross this border. Vietnamese citizens are exempt from visas for short stays; passengers holding foreign passports need to check Cambodia's visa regulations for their nationality in advance, as not all nationalities are eligible for visas on arrival at the Bavet border gate.
Tips for this route
Choose an early morning departure to arrive in Phnom Penh before the afternoon traffic jams. Bring some small-denomination US dollars — in Phnom Penh, dollars and riel are used interchangeably. Vietnamese SIM cards may lose signal right after the border, so set up a Cambodian eSIM or enable roaming before getting on the bus.
Ticket prices and Go365 departure schedules
| Vehicle type | Price | Departure times |
|---|---|---|
| Reclining seat bus | 600.000 ₫/passenger | 06:30 · 07:45 · 13:30 |
| 32-bed bus | 620.000 ₫/passenger | 06:45 · 08:45 · 13:30 |
| 19-seater Limousine | 750.000 ₫/passenger | 07:00 · 15:00 |
| 9-seater Limousine | 850.000 ₫/passenger | 06:00 · 09:00 · 13:00 · 16:00 |
| Private 4-7 seater car (full car charter) | 8.000.000 ₫/car | Time chosen by passenger |
| Private 16-seater car (full car charter) | 9.000.000 ₫/car | Time chosen by passenger |
| Private 9-11 seater Limousine (full car charter) | 10.000.000 ₫/car | Time chosen by passenger |
Prices and schedules are taken from the Go365 booking system, updated on 21/09/2026. Prices may change on holidays and during peak season — the figure shown at the time of booking is the final one.
Pick-up and drop-off points
Pick-up in Hồ Chí Minh: 275C Phạm Ngũ Lão · 189 Đào Duy Từ, TP.HCM.
Drop-off in Phnom Penh: 281 Preah Sihanouk Blvd, Phnom Penh · 343 Preah Sihanouk Blvd, Phnom Penh.
The exact pick-up point depends on the trip and vehicle type you choose; for private cars, pick-up is at your location based on the address you provide when booking.
Departure times, vehicle types, and actual ticket prices for this route are available on the Sài Gòn to Phnom Penh buses page on Go365. Read more about tips for crossing the Mộc Bài – Bavet border gate and pick-up points and departure times for Sài Gòn – Phnom Penh buses.
Photo: Independence Monument, Phnom Penh — Christian Haugen, Flickr, CC BY 2.0 license.