Thero Express

3.7
212 customer reviews
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About Thero Express

Company Information

Thero Express is a private operator that connects destinations across Cambodia as well as international routes crossing the border before heading to Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok.

Minivans are used on all these routes with a 15-seat capacity, rather than larger buses.

Routes served by Thero Express

Phnom Penh–Siem Reap

There are four departures between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap each day, between 08.00 and 16.00, with a journey time of five or six hours allowing you to reach Siem Reap by the early afternoon. The return journey leaves at the same times, with buses at 08.00, 09.00, 14.30 and 16.00 each day, with tickets priced at USD12.

Phnom Penh–Battambang

From Phnom Penh you can travel to Battambang to experience more relaxed and quieter city life. There are four buses per day from Phnom Penh, starting from 05.00, with each trip lasting five hours. From Battambang there are two daily services to Phnom Penh, which depart at 08.00 and 14.30 (scheduled to arrive at 13.00 and 19.30 respectively) and with tickets costing USD12 in either direction.

Phnom Penh–Sihanoukville

Any travellers who want to escape hectic Phnom Penh for a more laid-back beach break can travel with Thero Express to Sihanoukville. There are two services from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville, leaving at 08.00 and 14.30 each day (arriving at 12.30 and 19.00). There are similar departure times from Sihanoukville back to Phnom Penh (leaving at 08.30 and 14.30), with both trips priced at USD12 and a journey time of between four and five hours.

Phnom Penh–Banteay Meanchey

The final domestic route offered by Thero Express connects Phnom Penh with Banteay Meanchey. There are two services each day in either direction, with departures for Phnom Penh at 05.00 and 07.00. The six-hour trip is scheduled to arrive at 11.00 or 13.00 and is priced at USD14. Services leave Banteay Meanchey for Phnom Penh at 05.00 and 06.00 each day, with the same priced tickets.

International service: Phnom Penh–Bangkok

Thero Express also offers an international route from Phnom Penh to Bangkok, across the border in Thailand. There are two buses leaving Phnom Penh each morning at 05.00 and 06.00, with scheduled arrival times of 16.30 and 17.30 respectively. The journey usually lasts 11 or 12 hours with tickets priced at USD26.

Pros

Thero Express offers a good range of possible departure times which allow visitors to be more flexible with their travel plans. With four buses per day between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and vice versa, there is plenty of choice for passengers who need to arrive at their destination for a particular time.

The option of the international route that crosses the border into Thailand is useful for anyone planning a lengthy trip in this region. The prices of these services are very competitive as well; between Phnom Penh and Bangkok, especially, it would be difficult to make this trip for less and it is far more affordable than the cost of a flight along this route.

Cons

The biggest issue with traveling with Thero Express is the operator’s use of minivans on all routes. For trips of six hours or more a minivan is far less comfortable than a standard bus and the service between Phnom Penh and Bangkok can become a little unpleasant if you are cramped in a minivan. Unlike on some other long-distance bus trips, the seats do not recline particularly far back which can cause discomfort on a long journey such as the Phnom Penh to Bangkok route.

Another issue with traveling in a vehicle of this size is that there is very limited space for luggage. Just remember, the more you bring, the more uncomfortable your journey is likely to be!

Keep in mind

Although Thero Express services do claim to offer Wi-Fi, there are frequent reports that it is of low quality or non-existent.

Travellers reviews

Travellers who use Thero Express can raise issues with the comfort of the services. The main thing to do before the trip is to check the travel time and decide for yourself whether you are ready to do it in a van. Travelling by minibus is considered by many quite uncomfortable due to the limited space. The longest trip offered by the company is the international Phnom Penh–Bangkok service which can take up to 12 hours – though the time spent at the border crossing is also included.

Delays can happen, although this is an issue across Cambodia rather than specific to Thero Express.

Those who do choose Thero Express for these trips are pleased with the wide schedule of departures each day which offer a great deal of flexibility. Likewise, the low cost of the services appeals to travellers on a budget and is a huge money-saver when compared to flying between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap or Bangkok.

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Thero Express Popular Routes

NaN Passengers

Thero Express Company Reviews

T W
My friend and I have been travelling through south East Asia and used this bus service from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, we were nervous as we were running late due to a slow tuk tuk driver but we arrived in time. There was minimal conversation and very little English spoken. The driving is just typical erratic south east Asian style driving, lots of overtaking and beeping of horn but we are quite used to this by now. Our driver stopped at a toilet for us as we were the only two females on the bus and we managed to arrive to our destination early due to his driving. All in all we cannot complain about this service but definitely think it's a service more aimed for the locals rather then tourists.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jul 25, 2019
S Z
We were going from Battambang to Phnom penh and there was a problem, because our reservation wasn't in the system. The lady at the office solved the problem and got us a taxi for the whole trip (3 people) on their costs. Which I think is really professional.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jul 22, 2019
M F
The bus broke so they send us to another company at a different time that forced us to cancel some plans, but that was not the problem. We bought 3 tickets so we can have more space and they only wanted to gave us 2 tickets and did not refund the third one.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jul 21, 2019
L
The thero express company did not provide a ride that day. They found us another transport for the same day but we were dropped off 3km from Battambang without the driver (who didn't speak English) telling us anything. We almost didn't get off the bus and we found ourselves alone at a gas station...
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jul 15, 2019
E K
I booked 2 busses on 12go, Giant Ibis from Kampot to PP & PP to Siem Reap with Thero. As you can imagine the first half was already quite long (but well organized). I arrived at the office of Thero express at 2pm as my next bus would depart at 2.30. Upon arrival the staff looked rather bothered that I walked in. They told me to have a seat, while a clearly saw one of the girls grab her phone to make some quick calls. After a while she told me "actually my office is closed right now. You'll go with a different company". I'm still giving them 2 stars, since I read all the horrible reviews while I was waiting, I've to say I ended up with a very nice other company that had a good driver. Considering all the other reviews, you might want to think twice before booking with them. They don't seem to be very professional.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jul 10, 2019
S L
Very good trip, no dead time. Efficient driver, quick lunch break. Departure on time and arrival with 3/4 h in advance.
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jul 7, 2019
B C
Good if you have no real baggage. Our bus wasn't full so we had used seats to hold our bags. Driving is fast and you spend a lot of time overtaking but the drivers clearly know what they are doing. Got to Phnom Penh ahead of time which was a bonus
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jun 8, 2019
M C
The van was ok, an specially the schedules times were perfect.
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jun 3, 2019
N R
Driver was rude and drove aggressively.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, May 26, 2019
N S
Cambodian part of the trip was OK but Thai part was a piece of shit. To the border, we arrived in time. Our passports were stamped and our luggage was taken over the border on carts. An officer caught a mototaxi to take me closer to the border. I walk with cruches. After my passport was stamped in Thailand I had to walk for about 30 min under rain asking at every corner where is Thero Express untill I reached some point where I was offered to wait. When I asiked about my luggage nobody paid attention to me. Then I was told to walk to a big bus which was some hundred meters away. When I reached the bus I asked about my two bags again. A superviser sent a guy to look for them and in five minutes he got back with one of my bags. Then another guy was sent to look for another bag and successfuly brought it back. But he wanted me to pay him five bucks for the service. Superviser showed no reaction. I said that I paid for all in Cambodia and got in the bus. At last we started and ariived to our destination at about half past ten PM.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, May 13, 2019
M Z
We arrived more then an hour later then promised. Maybe because of the break which was way to long!
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Apr 19, 2019
R J
Easy to book and everything ran on time. Car was good plus had a few empty seats which was nice. Driver could take a bit longer to get there as felt like we were in a rally. The whole overtaking all the time gets a bit nerve racking. Best to be safe and get there 10 minutes late than not at all. Everything else was good.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Mar 29, 2019
V P
Not enough space , seats not confortable, driver Drove very fast
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Mar 24, 2019
J M
Operator was fine. ‘Air conditioning’ was minimal on van. Due to arrive Phnom Penh 7:30 but arrived 8:30 pm though left on time and no problems on the road. OK but puzzling. Those going to airport, it’s about a 30 minute tuk-tuk from drop off in downtownish Phnom Penh to airport (about $3). Happy Trails! Joe
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Mar 23, 2019
J B
No wifi and very poor airco but most of all,.... Fast driver took many risks and his drivingstyle made us feel unsafe.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Mar 22, 2019
H H
No Wi-Fi as promised, air conditioning very basic (not functional), nobody spoke English and didn't arrive at the announced address. Also didn't depart where it was supposed to, though they took me there for free on a motorcycle, which was fun!
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Mar 18, 2019
M R
So in Germany you would go to jail for the driver's driving style.... But except for a little fear for their own lives, everything was ok.
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Mar 2, 2019
J S
Arrived early but we drove very fast
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Feb 27, 2019
J S
Air con was good for the first part of the journey but then got switched off from 11:30-14:30?! It was 38 degrees in the van. Arrived on time but mainly due to driver hitting 150kph at least. Wouldn’t recommend for anyone who doesn’t like fast driving.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Feb 22, 2019
C H
Very quick, nice driver.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Feb 18, 2019
M U
We took a break halfway through to rest a bit and have some food/drink which was nice. Never felt unsafe in the bus the driver was good.
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Feb 12, 2019
R C
Good trip. A bit slow as the roads in Cambodia are quite terrible. Nice stop in a decent restaurant for lunch.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Feb 8, 2019
J J
We didn't have enough place at the back. Place 5A,5B.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Feb 6, 2019
T S
Not super comfy, but good enough. Overall, good value for money, plus on time both departure and arrival.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jan 12, 2019
M H
Its EXPRESS bus, but it took time because of changing a bus.
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jan 6, 2019
M R
Clean mini van, left on time. Reached Phnom Penh ahead of time. Luckily the van wasn’t full so we could all spread out, would be very tight fit if all seats were taken. No real room for luggage goes under the seat, so ok if small bag. Driver drove fast, overtaking, but safely I thought. If you suffer with travel sickness this might be a problem for you. Stopped a few times on route for comfort breaks & lunch.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jan 6, 2019
C R
We were transferred to a larger bus at last Minute and took much lo her than expected and left in different part of City than expected. Comfortable enough but not the trip we paid for.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jan 1, 2019
V A
Okay experience. I was the only passenger together with my girlfriend in the mini bus. The ride was alright, people are overtaking and honking prior to overtaking which is normal here. There was a lunch break in the middle of the trip. We got to Phnom Penh according to the schedule. Wifi did not work.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Jan 1, 2019
S B
It was okay. The stops could be planned in such a way that all people are able to get food. The driver was very kind and stopped at a Mart for me to buy.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Dec 31, 2018
E J
Driver of Thero Express is not driving safe. He keeps on overtaking trucks and other cars, however his technique seems to be dangerous. Also, 2:30pm is our time to travel from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh but van arrived late. We leftaround 3:30pm
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Dec 31, 2018
M C
Very nice driver, we even arrived early and had a proper lunch at some restaurant! The other passengers were pleasant as well. Since we had booked our bus quite long ago though, it had been rescheduled in the meantime to leave at 9am instead of 8am and we did not know about it.
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Dec 20, 2018
I M
Very nice van, clean and the staff was wicked (very for non-Boston people) friendly Thank you
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Dec 19, 2018
J I
The bus jumped a lot. The music was insanely loud and when the passengers asked to turn the volume down, the driver did it for just a couple of minutes. It was late in the departure but we arrived on time. However, I wouldn't repeat the experience
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Dec 16, 2018
M K
Plenty of room on the bus but the ride was very very shaky and the driver was a little tired of life....
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Dec 9, 2018
R H
2 stars because we arrived at our destination. But pictures show a new van with WiFi. But this is a lie. We were transported by a tuk tuk to another (old) van with bad AC and no WiFi. The driver was continuously watching his phone. Got dropped of on a complete different site than mentioned on the ticket. Can not trust this. They drove fast though.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Dec 5, 2018
V Y
Even though the driver was a little bit aggressive on the road, but I LOVE IT! He saved so much time for us and we arrived safe and sound. I will book with them again.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Dec 4, 2018
C T
The ride was on time, but the seats were too cramped. It didn’t help that they had no space to stow the bags so they just went underneath the chairs. Made for a claustrophobic experience.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Dec 1, 2018
K M
The bus was filled up to the last seat, but due to the drivers smooth driving it was a very pleasent trip. No complaints!
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Nov 19, 2018
P H
No problem. Good trip.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Nov 19, 2018
V A
Got there very quickly and comfortably! Thank you!
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Nov 19, 2018
T A
Good service. Left on time. Staff helpful. Could do with upgrading vans. Ours broke down near Siem Reap. Driver manage to effect a repair in 15 minutes which made a little late but this was no problem.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Nov 16, 2018
A R
Reliable, fast and cheap. Minibus could have been a little more comfortable. But again and again with pleasure.
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Nov 15, 2018
L B
The bus is small, no comfort, under the feet of someone's Luggage, all the way to go with his knees pressed( driving style nightmare, prayed all the way to get there. Not a trip but a nightmare!
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Nov 14, 2018
D V
No problem at all. Left on time and arrived on time. Very good.
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Nov 7, 2018
G
Very good and quick
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Nov 3, 2018
J S
We arrived 40mins earlier as they say to be there 30mins before departure, were told to wait as mini van would leave at 9am. 5mins later we were told they could no longer take us so we had to get a mini van from different company. They bought us the tickets for this other company and they were actually cheaper that what we originally paid to Thero Express which means they made profit even though they didn't take us! Giving 2 stars only because they got us a tuk tuk to the other place.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Oct 27, 2018
Y L
1 hour late
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Oct 3, 2018
G V
Fast, efficient and comfortable.
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Sep 17, 2018
L E
Punctual departure and arrival! Despite two breaks in between... Everyone was able to the large luggage in the last row, so hand luggage with important things with him as in the plane under the front seat stow! Otherwise, the driver drives like a madman! Best not to look ahead ;) little space and legroom, even for a person with 1.63m..
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Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Sep 7, 2018
M P
I asked at the driver if I could go to my hotel in phon phen because I have stomach problems and him said no
Van Regional 14pax, Thero Express, Sep 7, 2018
3.7
212 customer reviews
5
26%
4
32%
3
25%
2
17%
1
0%
83% of 212 travelers were presumably happy with Thero Express as they left good or no review