Getting to/from/around Siem Reap

and the Temples

The majority of visitors to Siem Reap arrive by air at the Siem Reap International Airport from Phnom Penh and Bangkok, though there are also direct flights from several other major cities in East and Southeast Asia. See international/domestic flight schedule page for detailed international and domestic flight information and a list of airlines. Visas are available on arrival at the Siem Reap and Phnom Penh international airports and most overland border crossings. From Phnom Penh, there are also regularly scheduled daily buses and taxis. The road is in good condition and the trip takes only 5-6 hours. During the late wet season there are also river ferries from Phnom Penh. Many travelers these days travel to Siem Reap overland from Thailand, most via the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border crossing.

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International flights to/from Siem Reap

There are direct international flights between Siem Reap and more than a dozen cities, most in east Asia, including Bangkok, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Hanoi, Vientiane, Laos, Kuala Lumpur, Kunming, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Inchon (Seoul), Manila and Yangon (Rangoon.)  See the flight schedule page for more information.

There are domestic flights between Siem Reap and two Cambodian cities: Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, with daily flights to/from Phnom Penh and thrice weekly flights to Sihanoukville. See the flight schedule page for more information.

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Phnom Penh to/from Siem Reap 

Air/Flights
Cambodia Angkor Air offers several daily flights between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. (There are also now thrice weekly flights to/from Sihanoukville.) See the flight schedule page for more information.

Buses 

Buses are the most popular means of overland transport from Phnom Penh. The roads are in good condition (except for short stretches of road repair) and there are dozens of daily buses in both directions, taking 5-7 hours.

Cheapest, standard buses provide a/c and sometimes on-board toilet. Some companies, such as Giant Ibis and Mekong Express, have deluxe buses and mini-buses offering a better level of service and comfort.

Generally speaking it is easiest to buy tickets through an agency. Phnom Penh does not have a centralized bus station.

Buses from different companies depart from different stations. In Siem Reap the Chong Kov Sou station is located 7km west of town center. On arrival, motodups from the station into town run $1.50-$2 and tuk-tuks for $3. For departing passengers, most companies offer a free shuttle service to the bus.

The following bus companies offer regularly scheduled daily service between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh:

Local Taxi 

Local shared taxi: ~$10 per person. Departs from southwest corner of Central Market in Phnom Penh. 5-8 hours

Private taxi: US$65 or more for the whole car. 4-5 hours. Negotiate the price with a local taxi or arrange a private taxi through your hotel or travel agent. Generally speaking, the better the car, the higher the price. 

 
Motorcycling to Siem Reap
 

Much of the road to Siem Reap is paved and in good condition, but long sections of National Route 6A are currently under construction and in rough shape.

Regardless of road conditioned, driving in Cambodia is very challenging and should be attempted only by experienced riders. Road hogging buses and wandering farm animals on the road are the norm. The trip calls for bike no smaller than 250cc and can be made in an easy 5-6 hours, but two days with a layover in Kampong Thom is a more relaxed alternative and allows time to visit the nearby pre-Angkorian ruins of Sambor Prei Kuk as well as explore some of the other sites and minor ruins.

The usual route departs Phnom Penh via the ‘Japanese Bridge’ and follow 6A north 75km to the Skun intersection. (Skun is known for its exotic foods - check out the fried spiders) But due to poor road conditions between Phnom Penh and Skun consider taking the Prek Kdam bridge to/from Route #5 to bypass much of the construction. Bear left at Skun and follow Route #6 to Kampong Thom - about 2-3 hours. In Kampong Thom, the Arunreas Hotel (062-961294) and Stung Sen Royal Hotel (012-309495) are decent lower mid-range places. Arunreas is also one of the more popular restaurants in town, serving reasonably priced Cambodian food. From Kampong Thom to Siem Reap the trip takes another 2 hours.

River Ferry 

For most of the year (July - March) daily river ferries ply the Tonle Sap river and lake between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The trip takes 5-6 hours and is still a very 'local' experience. The ferries are ‘local transport’ and are of variable quality and comfort, often noisy, crowded and over-air conditioned. Though generally safe, these ferries have experienced breakdowns, groundings and other difficulties. These ferries in no way meet international safety standards. 

Ferries depart at 7:30AM daily from the Phnom Penh Port on Sisowath Quay near Street 104. Tickets $25-$35, (251km, 4-6 hours). Tickets can be purchased through hotels and travel agents. At Siem Reap, the ferry docks are at Chong Khneas, 15km south of Siem Reap town, near Phnom Krom. Taxis, tuk-tuks and motodups await arriving passengers at the dock.

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Battambang to/from Siem Reap 

Boat

The daily ferry between Battambang and Siem Reap plies a picturesque, 6-8 hour journey across the Tonle Sap and along the Sangker River, passing through some beautiful natural areas and past little villages. The trip is best in the wet season when the river is high. During the late dry season it can take considerably longer. The ferry departs in both directions at 7:00am. $20/person. The boats do not meet international safety standards. In Battambang the ferry dock is at the north end of town just off National Route #5. In Siem Reap the ferry dock is at Chong Khneas, 15km south of town.

Road

Siem Reap to Battambang (National Routes #6 and #5, via Sisophon): Road travel is generally the easiest, fastest, most reliable way to travel between Siem Reap and Battambang. The road is in very good condition, going around the lake, first west from Siem Reap to Sisophon (National Route #6), then back southeast from Sisophon to Battambang on National Route #5. 

Taxi

A private taxi costs $40 and takes about 3 hours.

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Thailand to/from Siem Reap  

Air/Flights to/from Thailand

There are several daily flights between Siem Reap and Bangkok. See the flight schedule page for more information.

Overland to/from Thailand

Most overland travelers between Thailand and Siem Reap cross at the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border crossing, but train (on the Thai side) and taxi travel is also available. Cambodian visas are available at the border. Going the other direction, 15-day Thai transit visas are available free of charge. Other types of Thai visas are not available.

You will likely be confronted by a couple of annoyances at the border. Touts and drivers on the Thai side of the border will tell you that you should or even must get a Cambodian visa from a ‘local consulate’ on your way to the border crossing. DO NOT USE THEIR SERVICES. DO NOT GET YOUR VISA AT THE ‘LOCAL CONSULATE.’ The visa is valid but is wildly overpriced. Do not get your Cambodian visa until you have stamped out of Thailand, crossed the border into Cambodia and arrived at Cambodian “Visa-on-Arrival” station. Also, the touts will tell you that you need to exchange foreign currency for Cambodian riel. THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO CHANGE MONEY AT THE BORDER. It is a scam to get you to change money at a rip-off exchange rate. DO NOT change money at the border.

Aranyaprathet, Thailand / Poipet, Cambodia Border Crossing: The Route from Bangkok to Siem Reap
It’s a 465km, 6-9 hour trip from Bangkok to Siem Reap. The usual route begins with a 4-5 hour bus or a train ride from Bangkok to the border crossing at Aranyaprathet, cross the border into Cambodia and then 3 more hours on to Siem Reap, though direct, non-stop buses have recently been added.

Direct Bus

There are now direct buses between Siem Reap and Bangkok. One ticket, one price, no bus change at the border, though you still deboard at the border and walk through for visa, immigrations and custom check.

The bus makes 2-3 rest stops and a snack is served, but you may want to pack some extra food for the trip. Total trip: 6-8 hours. Price: $25-$30 (750B), not inclusive of visa fees. Buses leave early, 7AM-9AM in both directions. At the border crossing make sure to get your visa at the Cambodia “Visa-on-arrival” immigration station, not ‘local consulate’.

Buy tickets through local tour/travel agents in Bangkok or Siem Reap.

Do it yourself

1) From Bangkok take a bus or train to Aranyaprathet. Bus: 4 hours, departing the Northern Bus Terminal (Morchit) hourly from 4AM to 6PM. Train: 6 hours, departs Hualamphong

2) From Aranyaprathet, take a moto or tuk-tuk from the bus station to the border.

3) On the Cambodian side, take a shuttle bus to the transport station for $1-$2.50. From there you can bus or taxi to Siem Reap

a) The buses depart the transport stations at regular intervals, cost $7-$9 and takes about 4 hours. The buses stop at a couple of places right in town, not at a formal bus station.

b) Taxis offer the fastest, most comfortable travel option. Though the local rate is about $25, tourists usually have to pay $45-$50. 2.5-3 hours. Share with other travelers and split the cost. NEVER pay in advance (in any taxi in Cambodia.) Pay once you arrive in Siem Reap.

Also see the overland international border crossing page for details

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Getting Around the Temples and Town

Siem Reap city is almost small enough to get around on foot, but not quite. The Angkor Park entrance is 4 kilometers from town and the temples inside the park are as much as 3-4 kilometers apart, ordinarily requiring some sort of transportation to tour. Tuk-tuks, motorcycle taxis and car taxis are the most popular forms of transportation. In town it’s always easy to find tuk-tuks and motodups for short trips. Transportation to and around the temples is usually hired by the day. To avoid later misunderstandings make sure to negotiate the details of the driver’s services carefully - exact price, what times you expect the day to begin/end, availability during lunch hours, limitations on your itinerary, extra charges for temple on the ‘Grand Circuit’ or distant temples, etc.

Moto-remorques (tuk-tuks)

Moto-remorques are the most common form of transportation in town - the semi-enclosed trailer offering a comparatively pleasant ride. And very easy to find. Just step to the curb and they will find you. For short trips around town, foreigners are expected to pay $1-$3. Bargain! Full day rates for transportation to the temples: $15-$20/day (perhaps a couple dollars less if you bargain hard.) Additional charge for distant temples.

Car Taxis

Private car taxis offer a comfortably air-conditioned way to tour the temples, though they are the most expensive option. Rates start at about $25-$40/day plus additional charges for distant temples off the main circuits. Taxis from the airport to town also offer taxi/tour services to the temples.

Angkor Temple Guides

Experienced guide and driver. One-day trips to Preah Vihear, with or without guide.
Charles De Gaulle Blvd, Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Tel: +(855)(0)12-788354

info@angkor-temple-guides.com
www.angkor-temple-guides.com

Angkor Wat Driver & Fixer

Vans, cars, tours, tour guides.

Tel: +(855)(0)92-890005

Cambodia in Comfort

Vans, cars, with driver

Tel: +(855)(0)97-7583336
www.cambodiaincomfort.com

Siem Reap Shuttle

Professionally chauffeured vehicles, Camry, Mercedes, Lexus, Jeep. Tours and packages. Temple, city, cultural.

Sivutha Blvd, Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Tel: +(855)(0)92-555518
      +(855)(0)63-767768
www.siemreapshuttle.com

Siem Reap Taxi Driver

Licensed local taxi driver and guides. English spoken. All sorts of transportation.
Tel: +(855)(0)12-941715

      +(855)(0)11-222421
www.siemreaptransport.com

Motorcycle Taxis

Motodups are motorcycles on which the passenger rides pillion. Though motodups are the least expensive motorized option, these days ‘tuk-tuks’ are the most popular. Bargain! Motodups should be a bit more than half as expensive as tuk-tuks. Additional charge for transport to distant temples. Full day rates for transportation to the temples: $8-$12/day..

Helicopter Charter and Rides