Have you ever traveled with Buses between countries and crossing the border ? I DID...
Here are some tips to choose a 'best' Bus Company if you are traveling within ASEAN Region and between countries, I have a good experience with Mekong Express Bus Company to accross Cambodia border (Bavet Crossing Border) to Vietnam (Moc Bai crossing border) by Bus, therefore based on my experience I can wrap it up as follow:
1. Safety First Yes this is the first thing you have to find out the information as much as you can on internet or other sources. How you can categorize it is safety ? - Look the testimonial about the bus company that being written / suggested by western people. I do not know maybe you are not agree with this opinion but my experience said it is true. Most western people have very much concern on their safety, so it is good to read their suggestion. Usually you can find easily on the reliable travel website about the recommended Bus Company, so far I am using Trip Advisor for my search, this can include bus type (sleeper or not), how old are the fleet, bus conditions: worst, good, ok, etc - The bus company won't board a passenger on the side of the road. Usually the bus company has registered all passengers from its terminal and will not pick up another passenger along the road. - Check the route that you will pass through, ask the bus company is it safe to travel at night or not ? Please keep in mind that you are foreigner, still, so avoid traveling crossing border at night.
2. Punctuality It is very important to know about one bus company with a good track record of departure and arrival time. Make sure that the time of departure is strictly on time however arrival time in the destination city sometimes depends on the road condition but most of the time not too much deviated. The good bus company has an accurate information how long does the travel time allow for a destination we will take.
3. Luggage Tag provided Good Bus company will provide the luggage tag for every piece we put inside the compartment / luggage room under the bus and they will check the tag from us one by one before handling over the bag to us when arrived in the destination city. This is great to avoid wrong bag carrying.
4. Toilet Break Some buses equipped with a toilet inside but some not, apart from that bus facility, that is a must for a toilet break schedule (they will stop at a restaurant or a rest area) at least once depends on how far is the distance. Related with the break, a good company usually will distribute the snack box soon after the bus leaving its terminal or provide a light meal during the break somewhere in the restaurant / rest area.
5. Services Good bus company will provide its passenger the cross border services. It is very important for foreigner and must be a plus point to consider when you decide to book a bus to ride across the border. By providing that service you are no need to mix que with passenger from other bus as your bus leader has been arranged the passport stamping out from the departure country and in for the arrival country for example when I was out from Cambodia via Bavet checkpoint to Moc Bai check point, VN, I move very easy from Bavet to Moc Bai, in here the bus leader only call us name one by one and we take our passport again and yes great it is being stamped already we only passing by the immigration counter and take our luggage again to the bus to continue our trip to HCMC.
6. Stay connect with the world What I mean here is Free WIFI on the bus. Do not be so sad if you are passing by the area called : in the middle of nowhere, as long as you have a connection to the world you still can exist in your social media page <smileee...> you can tell to the world how exciting you are in the middle of nowhere *_* ohh well that is meee.....
So far I trully recommend Mekong Express Bus Company, they have a good service and safety ride. I have to tell you that they offer a FREE pick up from the Hotel in Sisowath Quay to their Bus Station / Terminal.
Thus, I can conclude that it is fun and feel adventuring to travel with buses in Asia, do not quit, beforehand equipped yourself with bus safety information, but anyway whatever mode of transportation you take just be safe, ok
