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Travel to Siem Reap is getting easier every year as Siem Reap and the rest of Cambodia develops with new roads and better infrastructure. Tourism in Siem Reap is growing every year, so there are more and more flights going to Siem Reap each year and also more buses doing the overland routes from the main cities and towns. Overland from Bangkok to Siem Reap is now a pretty smooth ride, apart from a few small stretches of road which are still to be complete. Most of the main roads in Cambodia have been replaced now with nice new roads to make travel easy between major towns and cities. A lot of Siem Reap is seeing major road works being carried out in many parts of the town with new roads being built and existing roads being widened. Buses from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh leave and arrive regularly and there are also now a number of buses to other parts of Cambodia from Siem Reap. There are normally daily boats to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh and Battambang in both directions as long as the water levels are high enough. To find out information about visas, departure tax, arrival departure cards see the General Information section. We are always updating the website, because travel information can change quickly so most of the information below will be the most up to date travel information you will find anywhere on the Internet. INTERNATIONAL TRAVELBy AirThis section provides general information about the airlines operating to and from Siem Reap, plus information about getting to and from the airport. For information about flights to and from Siem Reap, see the Flights to Siem Reap section. Airline Offices
Bangkok Airways – National Road No.6, on the way to Siem Reap airport. Tel. 063 380 191
Laos Airlines - National Road No.6, on the way to Siem Reap airport. Tel. 063 963 283
Malaysia Airlines – Siem Reap airport. Tel. 063 964 780
Siem Reap Airways (located on the road to airport route No.6): Tel. 063 380 191
Silkair – Siem Reap airport. Tel. 063 380 389
Asiana Airlines – Siem Reap airport. Tel. 012 825 794
Korean Air – Siem Reap airport. Tel. 092 511 027
Vietnam Airlines – National Road No.6, on the way to Siem Reap airport. Tel. 063 964 488
AirAsia – Siem Reap airport.
For more flight and other airport information visit the Siem Reap Airport website. Getting to/from Siem Reap airport
A taxi from the airport to Siem Reap town centre is a fixed price of US$7 in either direction.
A mini bus to and from the airport is US$10 each way.
A motorbike to and from the airport is US$2 each way.
A tuk tuk from the town centre to the airport is from US$5 to US$6.
By RoadThis section provides general information about travelling overland to and from Siem Reap by bus or taxi. For information about travelling from Bangkok, see the Travelling Overland section. Poipet Border Crossing
The border crossing is open from 7:00am to 8:00pm.
When crossing the border into Cambodia the guys doing the visas will try to charge you more than US$20. The price is US$20, no more, and there is no express service. If you are nice to them, do not get angry with them and just calmly give them a US$20 note, then they probably will not say anything. However, if they do just tell them the official Cambodian Embassy told you that it was only US$20 for a visa at the crossing and they should let you through.
When you cross the border there will be people trying to get you onto a free bus which takes you to the taxi station, so you can either take one of the taxis from there or where another bus waits to take tourists to Siem Reap. You will also have a number of touts asking you if you want a taxi to Siem Reap. These touts will make a commission from the driver. If you do want a taxi to Siem Reap, then you can either negotiate a price with the tout or you could just try to speak to a driver directly, although many of them will not speak English. In our experience, it is normally ok just to negotiate with a tout and as long as you are happy with price then it is worth paying him a few dollars, because it saves a bit of hassle trying to find a taxi by yourself.
We have had reports that a new border crossing terminal is planned to be built at the Poipet border. The plan is to create a proper taxi association for taxis Siem Reap to Poipet, so hopefully this will cut down on the corruption and scams at the crossing. The plans are in the early stages, but hopefully it will not take toO long to complete.
Road Condition from Poipet to Siem Reap
The new road between Poipet and Siem Reap is near completion, so you can now enjoy a pretty smooth ride from Poipet to Siem Reap on a nice new road. There are still a few stretches to be done, but most of the road has now been completed, so no more crazy bumpy rides. A taxi will now take around 2 to 2.5 hours for the 150km trip, but in the rainy season it might take slightly longer.
Getting to/from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
You now have the option of taking a bus direct from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap with Mai Linh bus company for around US$18 each way or with Mekong Express bus company for around US$22 each way. The trip takes around 12 hours including a few stops. The buses leave around 7:00am in both directions.
DOMESTIC TRAVELBy AirThis section provides information about domestic flights to and from Siem Reap. Getting to/from Phnom Penh
There are regular flights to/from Phnom Penh with around 6 flights daily in both directions with www.bangkokair.com. There is also a new airline www.cambodiaangkorair.com which started flights on the 28th July 2009 and it has around the same number of flights per day as Bangkok Airways. Cambodia Angkor Air is owned mostly by Cambodia with Cambodia Angkor Air and Vietnam Airlines owning the rest. The price for Bangkok Airways is around US$75 each way, including airline taxes, but not departure tax (US$6). Cambodia Angkor Air has cheaper flights available with a number of promotion flights for the opening of the new venture. A taxi from Phnom Penh airport into town costs about US$9 and a motorbike costs about US$2.
Getting to/from SihanoukvilleThere are currently NO flights between Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.
By RoadThis section provides information about travelling to and from Siem Reap by bus or taxi. Getting to/from Anlong Veng border crossing
By Bus
G.S.T. bus leaves from Siem Reap to Anlong Veng at 7:45am. The bus leaves from Anlong Veng to Siem Reap at 1:30pm. It takes approximately 3 to 4 hours.
By Taxi
A taxi to/from Anlong Veng takes approximately 2.5 hours and costs around US$35 each way. The road is now in pretty good condition, although in the rainy season it can be bad and therefore can take a bit longer than 2.5 hours. You can cross into Cambodia at this crossing and get a visa on arrival. The crossing is much quieter than the Poipet border and opens from 7:00am to 5:00pm. On the Thai side, the nearest town is Khu Khan and from here buses go to Bangkok (around 7 hours) and other destinations. This may be an alternative if you want to get to North East Thailand or Laos. The taxis to Anlong Veng wait for customers opposite the entrance to the main bus station in Siem Reap about 4km from town.
Getting to/from Osmach border crossing
By Taxi
A taxi to/from Osmach takes 4 to 5 hours in dry season, but it takes longer in the rainy season. It costs between US$50 to US$80 each way depending on road conditions, because in the rainy season you are more likely to pay the higher prices. The road is in poor condition and it is probably not worth using this route, unless you are going to North East Thailand or Laos. You can cross into Cambodia at this crossing and get a visa on arrival. The taxis from Siem Reap for Osmach stop at the same place as the taxis for Anlong Veng.
Getting to/from Phnom Penh
The road condition from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is in good condition and it is a pretty smooth ride.
By Bus
There are many bus companies that run between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh with the most popular companies being the Paramount Angkor, Mekong Express and Cambodia Angkor bus company, but there are a number of others that do the same trip. Prices for a one way trip cost between US$4 and US$12 depending on which bus company you use. The Mekong Express bus company is the most comfortable with good air conditioning, a toilet on board and also a light breakfast or dinner depending on the departure time. The Mekong Express takes around 6 hours. The Paramount Angkor bus company is probably the best value and is very popular with many tourists now and takes around 5.5 hrs. Your hotel, guesthouse or a travel agent can arrange bus tickets for you.
Mekong Express bus leaves Siem Reap to Phnom Penh at 7:00am, 7:30am, 8:30am and 12:30pm and Phnom Penh bus to Siem Reap leaves at 7:30am, 8:30am, 12:30pm and 2:00pm.
Paramount Angkor bus leaves Siem Reap to Phnom Penh at 7:30am, 8:30am, 9:00am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00pm and 2:00pm. The buses from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap leave at similar times.
Neak Krorhorm bus leaves Siem Reap to Phnom Penh at 7:00am, 7:30am, 8:00am and 12:30pm. The bus leaves Phnom Penh to Siem Reap 6:00am, 6:30am, 7:00am, 7:30am, 8:30am and 12:30pm.
G.S.T. bus leaves Phnom Penh to Siem Reap at 6:45am, 7:45am, 8:45am, 9:45am, 10:45am, 11:45am and 12:00pm and buses from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh leave at 7:00am, 7:45am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:30pm and 1:30pm.
Soriya bus leaves Siem Reap to Phnom Penh at 7:00am, 7:15am, 7:30am, 8:30am, 11:30am and 12:30pm. The bus leaves Phnom Penh to Siem Reap at 7:00am, 8:00am, 9:00am, 10:00am, 11:00am, 12:00pm and 1:30pm. The 7:00am bus will get you a connecting bus to Sihanoukville and Kampot.
RAC Limousine bus leaves both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh at 8:30am. This bus is similar standard bus to Mekong Express at US$12.
Mai Linh bus leaves both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh at 7:00am and 2:00pm. Mai Linh also have buses from Phnom Penh to Ho Chin Minh city at 7:00am, 8:30am, 1:00pm and 2:30pm.
Rith Mony bus leaves Siem Reap to Phnom Penh at 6:30am, 7:00am, 7:30am and 11:30am. The bus leaves from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap 6:00am and then on every hour until the last bus at 2:00pm.
The last bus from Siem Reap and Phnom Penh is 2:00pm.
During busy holidays there will be many more buses running different times and the prices also go up.
If you book your bus ticket at your hotel or guesthouse, then most of the bus companies will pick you up and take you to the bus station, which is included in the price.
Please note that there is more than one bus station in Siem Reap and not all buses stop in the same place. When you make a booking at a hotel or guesthouse please tell them what bus company you are using and what your departure time is, especially if they are arranging a free pick up for you.
By Taxi
A Toyota Camry taxi can be hired for the 340 km trip between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh for around US$70 one way. You should expect to pay slightly less going from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap at around US$60 one way. The taxi prices have shot up over the last year with the gasoline prices going up, but when the gasoline prices came back down the taxi prices failed to come back down with it. The taxis to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh wait for customers at the Phsar Thmei (New Market) and the taxis from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh wait at the entrance to the main bus station in Siem Reap about 4km from the town centre.
Getting to/from Kompong Cham
By Bus
Soriya bus leaves Siem Reap to Kompong Cham at 7:30am and 8:30am. The bus leaves Kompong Cham to Siem Reap at 7:00am and 11:00am.
G.S.T. bus leaves Siem Reap to Kompong Cham at 7:15am, 8:30am and 12:30pm. The bus leaves Kompong Cham to Siem Reap at 6:45am and 7:45am.
By Taxi
A taxi to Kompong Cham should cost around US$35 from Siem Reap.
Getting to/from Battambang
By Bus
Rith Mony bus leaves from Siem Reap to Battambang at 8:00am and 9:30am. The bus leaves from Battambang to Siem Reap 7:00am and 9:30am. The journey takes approximately 5 hours and costs around US$6. Rith Mony bus company also have a bus from Pursat to Siem Reap via Battambang which leaves Pursat at 6:30am, this but is only one way.
Neak Krohorm bus leaves from/to Siem Reap/Phnom Penh in both directions at 7:30am, takes approximately 5 hours and costs around US$6
The road from Battambang to Siem Reap is the same road as the road from Poipet most of the way (see above) and the road from Battambang to Sisopon (an hour from Poipet) is much the same standard of road.
By Taxi
A taxi to/from Siem Reap Battambang costs around US$35 and takes between 3 and 4 hours.
Getting to/from Sihanoukville
The road condition from Sihanoukville to Siem Reap is good and the drive is pretty smooth all of the way.
By Bus
The Mekong Express bus leaves Siem Reap at 7:00am, then you change bus in Phnom Penh to another Mekong Express bus, which takes you to Sihanoukville. The price of the Mekong Express bus ticket from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville is around US$19 and you will arrive in Sihanouville around 5:00pm. The Sorya bus makes the same trip, but the connection in Phnom Penh is longer and therefore you will not arrive into Sihanoukville until around 7:00pm. Sorya charge around US$10 for this trip, but it is not as nice a bus as the Mekong Express. From Sihanoukville to Siem Reap, you can take any bus that leaves before 8:30am and then you will be able to get any connecting bus to Siem Reap. There is also an overnight bus from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville. The bus leaves Siem Reap at 8:00pm and arrives in Sihanoukville at 6:00am the following morning. It also stops in Phnom Penh around 1:00pm for anyone wanting to go to Phnom Penh.
By Taxi
A one way trip to/from Siem Reap Sihanoukville by taxi will cost between US$90 and US$100, but you will probably have to change taxi in Phnom Penh. The taxi will take between 8 and 9 hours, including a quick stop for lunch and change of taxi.
By BoatThis section provides information about travelling to and from Siem Reap by boat. Getting to/from Phnom Penh
There is more than one boat company that have a boat from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, but they normally take turns on which boat goes, because there is only one boat a day which leaves around 7:00am and the boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap leaves around the same time as well. The cost of the ticket will be between US$32 and US$35 per person, which is far too expensive in our opinion. The trip takes anywhere from 5.5 to 9 hours depending on water levels (there is little water in the rivers during the hot season). See Weather & Climate for more information about the weather. If you buy your ticket at your hotel or guesthouse, the boat company will pick you up by bus, which is included in the price. Sometimes the boat is cancelled if the water is too low.
The boat between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap is not very scenic, because you are on Tonle Sap Lake most of the time, so all you see is water. If you do take the boat, then make sure you have a sun hat and high factor sun lotion, especially if you are sitting out on the deck.
Getting to/from Battambang
The boat from Siem Reap to Battambang leaves around 7:00am daily and costs between US$18 and US$20 per person. The boat from Battambang to Siem Reap leaves around the same time. The boat takes from 5 to 12 hours depending on water levels. In hot season the water is very low and you may have to get out and push the boat off a sand bank!
The boat travels along the river most of the way and it is only on Tonle Sap Lake for a short time. This boat trip is more scenic than the Phnom Penh/Siem Reap boat trip, because you will go through more floating villages and past other villages along the river on the way. It is a good idea to take water and food on this trip in case your trip is longer than expected.
There are also speed boats to/from Siem Reap/Battambang which are much smaller and are normally a lot quicker. These boats are privately owned and are normally used by the owners to make money by taking tourists on the trip. You can normally find someone at the ferry landing to do this trip, but be warned it is not very safe.
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