Transportation Guide in Cambodia
The best way to see the country at a leisurely pace is to hire a car with a driver. You can of course drive yourself around, but it probably wouldn’t be as pleasant as having someone else to drive you especially on unfamiliar roads and through heavy traffic. Renting a motorbike is great for short distances within the city and for touring rural areas. In Phnom Penh, the cyclo and motordops (motorcycle taxi) are popular means frequently used by locals. Metered taxis are also available; your hotel counter staff can help to order one which will usually take about 10mins to arrive.
Tourists can travel to all parts of Cambodia by bus, taxi, motorbike, boat and aeroplane. Within the capital of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap Province and Preah Sihanouk Province, sightseeing can conveniently be enjoyed on a Reumork. Buses are available from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, Kog Kong, Sihanouk Ville, Kep, Kampot, Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri, Takeo, Kampong Spey, Kampong Thom, Pursat, Battambang, Poipèt, Banteay Meanchey, Kratie, Preah Vihear, Steung Treng, and other provinces where are far away from Phnom Penh.
Boats are also very popular means of transportation along the Tonle Sap, Bassac, and Mekong rivers. These boats remove the hassle of meandering along the highways yet offer some spectacular scenery along the way. Cambodia Angkor Air, the National Flag Carrier operates to and from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap daily.
In the capital of Phnom Penh and the province of Siem Reap, a Cyclo including a driver can be hired at a reasonable price; do agree on a price before the ride.
For a country as hard-up on its luck as Cambodia, getting around is surprisingly straightforward. All the primary trunk routes are all-weather sealed roads, there is a reasonably developed bus network, a comprehensive "we can go anywhere if the price is right" taxi for hire
system and, while some of the routes have faded away, it is still possible to get to some places by boat. Overall fares are very reasonable.
PLANE
Cambodia goes through national airlines. But in the present, there are both national and international airlines. As Cambodia Angkor Air is the national flag carrier airline of Cambodia, with its corporate headquarters and main hub in Phnom, Penh. It commenced operations on 28 July 2009. The airline was established as a joint venture by the Cambodian government and Vietnam Airlines, the latter allowing for codeshare flights. It is operating both domestic and international. For domestic, we fly between Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanouk Ville. For international flight, we currently fly to Vietnam and Thailand.
TRAIN
The present, big train station is located in Phnom Penh city where there are two lines, Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh to Poi Pet. As we're aware the departure from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville and from Phnom Penh to Poi Pet where has been taking domestic tours in the present day.
With the trip taking anywhere from 18 to 24 hours. Note this is not so much a passenger service as much as a freight service (if that) that passengers can ride on.
LOCAL BUSES AND MINI-BUS
In recent years, as Cambodia's road network has improved, so has the bus system. There are now a number of private bus companies running out of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap serving destinations across the country. The hubs are Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.
The main operators are Capitol, GST Express, Mailinh, Mekong Express and Phnom Penh Sorya.
Key domestic routes include:
- Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Phnom Penh
- Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh
- Phnom Penh - Kampot - Phnom Penh
- Phnom Penh - Koh Kong - Phnom Penh
- Phnom Penh - Battambang - Phnom Penh
- Phnom Penh - Kratie - Phnom Penh
- Phnom Penh - Kompong Cham - Phnom Penh
- Phnom Penh - Steung Treng - Phnom Penh
- Phnom Penh - Ban Lung - Phnom Penh
- Phnom Penh - Sisophon - Phnom Penh
- Phnom Penh - Poipet - Phnom Penh
- Siem Reap - Battambang - Siem Reap
- Sihanoukville - Kampot - Sihanoukville
Key international routes include:
- Phnom Penh - Ho Chi Minh City - Phnom Penh
- Phnom Penh - Bangkok - Phnom Penh
- Sihanoukville - Ho Chi Minh City - Sihanoukville (via Phnom Penh)
- Siem Reap - Ho Chi Minh City - Siem Reap (via Phnom Penh)
AUTOMOBILE
Share taxis for long distance travel are a very popular way to get around and, if you've got a small group of three or four, this is a very cost-effective and fast way to move. Generally, a taxi charter is priced at six passengers, so you have to pay six passengers' worth to get the car for yourself. Hiring a car without a driver is far less common.
MOTORBIKE
Cambodia is awash in motodops -- guys with a motorcycle and a baseball cap -- who'll take you anywhere on their bike for a few dollars. This is a great way to do half-day tours, such as exploring Battambang, but longer distance riding, such as Phnom Phnom Sampov for example exploring Battambang, but longer distance riding, such as Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, isn't the norm. Larger enduro-style dirt bikes can be hired long term from a number of dirt bike hire shops in both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Prices are reasonable, but be sure to carefully check the bike, and whatever you do, do not use the chain and padlock provided by the shop to lock up the bike at night, use your own.
BOAT
Only two regular ferry runs still operate in Cambodia -- Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and Siem Reap to Battambang. Boats no longer run north up the Mekong to Kompong Cham and we've heard the Koh Kong to Sihanoukville boat now only goes as far as Koh Sdach, making it close to useless for travellers (other than those heading to Koh Sdach).
The Phnom Penh to Siem Reap boat is worth doing once and once only. It is expensive (when compared to the bus), the middle of the trip is boring (you're in the middle of a lake with no scenery) and, if you sit on the roof, chances are you'll get sunburnt. Do it once then catch the bus back.
The Siem Reap to Battambang trip is much more of a lucky dip -- the quality of the boats varies from one day to the next, overloading is the norm, boats run aground regularly. That said the Battambang portion of the trip is spectacular -- very, very beautiful. So if you're not too fussed about taking dodgy boat trips, give it a go. In windy, stormy weather though we'd go with the bus, as the shallow lake gets a big chop on it very quickly, making for a very uncomfortable trip.
