Forget sleeper trains – I took a sleeper bus in Asia for just $24

I’m travelling in Cambodia, and time is of the essence, so discovering an overnight bus option between Phnom Penh and Siam Reap is music to my ears. Numerous bus companies in Cambodia offer sleeper bus services between the two cities, with a rough duration of 5½ hours. However, not all sleeper buses are created equal.

Sleeping on a bus can be the holy grail of travel.Credit: Jamie Brown

A lot has changed since I last took an overnight bus in South-East Asia just over a decade ago. I had sat many times upright, with minimal legroom thanks to excess baggage (my mistake), head tilted on the window, attempting shut-eye. It was difficult to enter the dream state, intermittently rattled by bus jolts and horns. This time, I’m better positioned.

The dormitory-style beds on board the Vireak Buntham Express.Credit:

I’m on the Vireak Buntham Express, which operates in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. The bus company has several bus classes in its fleet, including its ultra-modern luxury sleeper bus. My sleeper bus ticket is $US16 ($24), slightly more than the fleet’s regular bus. For a few extra dollars, it’s worth the splurge.

Inside, the bus mimics hostel dormitory pods with double-decker sleeping arrangements. Single beds are on the left-hand side, and double beds are on the right. Each has a belt, bedsheet, pillow and curtain for privacy. Additional luxuries include individual lights, power outlets with USB ports, and multiple air-conditioner vents. When boarding, guests are required to put their shoes in a bag for onboard cleanliness. Air fresheners hanging along the aisle mask the smell of exposed toes (a decorative and thoughtful touch).

While it’s not the best sleep of my life, I am surprised by how much I manage to get compared with my extensive history of overnight bus rides across South-East Asia, Europe and South America. This time, I can comfortably fit my 1.67-metre-tall frame on the sleeper’s flat mattress – also a first.

Body contortions aside, there are a few reasons why I’m happy to endure a slower ride and, for the most part, a sub-par slumber. Generally, bus travel is cheaper than air or train. It also saves the need to book accommodation. And depending on your holiday schedule, journeying in the wee hours can maximise time at a destination rather than wasting a day getting from point A to point B. In some cases, overnight options include fewer stops.

My longest bus stint was a gruelling 39 hours in Europe; however, crisscrossing the continent at a snail’s pace saved me hundreds of euros and several flights to reach where I needed to be. And I would happily do it again.

Just think what you could do with those extra savings by opting for an overnight bus. Perhaps treat yourself to a post-trip massage?

The writer was a guest of Intrepid Travel and travelled to Siem Reap at her own expense.