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Getting to Siem Reap

The majority of visitors arrive by air from Phnom Penh and Bangkok, though there are also flights from several other major cities in Southeast Asia. See international/domestic flight schedule page for detailed international and domestic flight information and a list of airlines that service Phnom Penh and Cambodia. For international overland travel from surrounding countries (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos) see the international border crossing/overland travel page.  Cambodian visas are available on arrival at both airports and most international border checkpoints. The crossing at Aranyaprathet/Poipet is closest and most convenient to Siem Reap. The road from Phnom Penh is very good condition and there are regular buses, taxis and vans running between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap as well as a daily river ferry service.

Siem Reap: Arrival and Departure 

Visas 
A Cambodian visa is required for most nationalities. Visas are available on arrival at the Siem Reap International Airport, the Phnom Penh International Airport and most border crossings. See the visa page for details and fees.

Airport Departure Tax 
As of April 1, 2011, the departure tax is included in the price of the flight ticket.
 

Siem Reap Airport 
The airport sits 7.5km from town, close to the temples, occasionally affording spectacular views of Angkor Wat during landings and take offs. Outside the terminal is a ticket booth for registered taxis into town. Independent taxis and motorcycles wait just outside the airport. The price is the same for both: motorcycles are $2 and cars are $7 into town. Most hotels offer free transportation from the airport but you must notify them in advance of your arrival. 

Tourist Transport Association
Offering taxis from the airport to town (contact just outside the arrival terminal), on-call taxis and all-day transport to the temples: ($25-$30), vans ($30-$35), and motorcycles ($12-$15).

Tel: +(855)(0)63-963572

      +(855)(0)88-9337778

E-mail: srairporttaxi@gmail.com

Website: www.siemreapairporttaxi.com

Siem Reap Ferry Dock  
The ferry to Siem Reap arrives at Chong Khneas near Phnom Krom, 12km south of Siem Reap. There is always transportation waiting at the dock. Mototaxis charge about $1.50-$2 and cars $4-$5 for the 20-30 minute ride into town. 

Phnom Penh to/from Siem Reap 

Air 
Bangkok Airways offer several daily flights to/from Phnom Penh. See the flight schedule page for more information.

Buses 
Bus travel is now the most popular means of overland transport between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The road (National Route #6) is paved and smooth and there are several regularly scheduled daily buses in both directions, taking only 5 or 6 hours to make the trip. Several bus companies, guesthouses and travel agencies offer a/c bus transport. Generally speaking, it is easiest to buy tickets through your guesthouse or travel agency. Prices and level of service varies from comfortable, basic a/c buses to deluxe a/c buses with entertainment, snacks and on-board toilet. Most buses make at least two stops along the way - at Skun and Kampong Thom for a snack or lunch.

Phnom Penh does not have a centralized bus station. Buses from different companies depart from different stations. See the individual bus company for the departure location.

In Siem Reap the Chong Kov Sou bus station is located near Phsar Leu (the 'Upper Market') a couple of kilometers west of town center. On arrival, motodups from the station into town run $1-$2 and tuk-tuks cost about $2.50-$3. For passengers departing Siem Reap, most bus companies offer a free shuttle service from the hotel/guesthouse to the bus station.

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

 
Mailinh Group

PP Station: #391, Sihanouk Blvd.

Tel: +(855)(0)23-221666

SR Office: Wat Bo area.

Tel: +(855)(0)63-762888
SR Station: Chong Kov Sou Bus Station (Near Phsar Leu)

Departure Schedule: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap - 7:00, 14:00

Departure Schedule: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh - 7:00, 14:00

Phnom Penh Sorya Transport

PP Station: Near the southwest corner of Phsar Thmey.

Tel: +(855)(0)23-210359
SR Station: Chong Kov Sou Bus Station (Near Phsar Leu)

Fare: 18,000R/pax

Departure Schedule: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap - 6:15, 7:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:30, 17:45, 19:30.

Departure Schedule: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh - 5:30, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 20:00.

Capitol Open Tours

PP Station: Corner Streets 111 / 182 

Tel: +(855)(0)23-217627
SR Station: Chong Kov Sou Bus Station (Near Phsar Leu)

Fare: 20,000R/pax

Departure Schedule: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap - 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:30, 09:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 17:30.

Departure Schedule: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh - 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:30, 09:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 17:30.

Website: www.capitoltourscambodia.com  

Mekong Express

Deluxe a/c buses.

PP Station: #87 Sisowath Quay at the corner of Street 102.

Tel: +(855)(0)23-427518

SR Office: #14A, Sivatha Blvd.

Tel: +(855)(0)63-963662.
SR Station: Chong Kov Sou Bus Station (Near Phsar Leu)

Fare: US$11/pax

Departure Schedule: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap - 7:30, 8:30, 12:30, 14:25.

Departure Schedule: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh - 7:30, 8:30, 9:45, 12:30.

Sokha Komar Tep Express Limousine Bus Co., Ltd

Deluxe and luxury a/c buses and vans.

PP Station: #121, Sisowath Quay.

Tel: +(855)(0)23-991414

      +(855)(0)17-545151
SR Station: Chong Kov Sou Bus Station (Near Phsar Leu)

Tel: +(855)(0)17-545252

Departure Schedule: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap - 7:30, 8:30, 12:30.

Deluxe transport: 7:00, 8:00, 12:00.

Departure Schedule: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh - 7:30, 8:30,12:30.

Deluxe transport: 7:00, 8:00, 12:00.

Website: www.sokha-komartep.com.kh
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Local Transport: Taxi

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

Private taxi: US$50 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
The road to Siem Reap is in good condition, but driving in Cambodia is still challenging in the extreme, and should be attempted only by experienced riders. Speeding taxis, wandering cows and oblivious children on the road are the norm. The trip calls for a dirt or road bike, no smaller than 250cc. It can be made in an easy day, but two days with a layover in Kampong Thom is a more relaxed alternative and allows time to visit the pre-Angkorian ruins of Sambor Prei Kuk as well as explore some of the other sites and minor ruins along the way.

Leave 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, turtle eggs and more at road side stands.) Bear left and follow Rte. 6 to Kampong Thom - about 2-3 hours. In Kampong Thom, the Arunras Hotel (+(855)(0)62-961294), Stung Sen Royal Hotel (+(855)(0)12-309495) and Mittapheap Hotel are all decent mid-range places. Arunras Guesthouses and Restaurant next to the hotel is the place to eat cheaply. From Kampong Thom to Siem Reap the trip takes another 2 hours..

River Ferry 
For most of the year (July - March) daily ferries ply the Tonle Sap river and lake between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The end of the trip is marked by a hill, Phnom Krom, near the ferry dock at Chong Khneas 12 km south of Siem Reap. During the dry season when the water is low, the ferry stops short of the dock and passengers transfer to smaller boats to traverse the final few hundred meters.

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 at Chong Khneas, 15km south of Siem Reap town. Taxis and motodups await passengers at the dock. Travel is best during the wet season when the river level is high. 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. Travel is best during the wet season when the river level is high. During the dry season when the water is low, ferry service is usually suspended.

Deluxe river transport: Compagnie Flueviale du Mekong (CFM) offers high quality, very leisurely paced 3-10 day boat trips between Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City on a traditionally crafted wooden riverboat with deluxe facilities.

#313, Sisowath Quay, Suite #SW20, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Tel: +(855)(0)23-216070

E-mail: office@cfmekong.com
Website: www.cfmekong.com 

From Thailand to Siem Reap 

See the overland international border crossing page for details on travel from Bangkok, Thailand to Siem Reap, the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border crossing and other international border crossings.

Siem Reap to/from Battambang

Boat

Siem Reap to Battambang Daily ferry departs Siem Reap for Battambang at 7:30am. $25/person. It's a picturesque, 4 - 6 hour journey across the Tonle Sap and up the Sangker River in the wet season, but can be considerably longer (8-11 hours) in the dry season due to low water levels. Ask about current conditions. The boats in no way meet international safety standards. There is no direct boat between Battambang and Phnom Penh.

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 goes around the lake, first west from Siem Reap to Sisophon (National Route #6), then back southeast from Sisophon to Battambang on National Route #5. Much of the stretch between Siem Reap and Sisophon is under construction and in fair condition. The road from Sisophon to Battambang is paved and in good condition.

Taxi

A private taxi is $40-$50. 3-5 hours.

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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 Archaeological Park 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 the Park. Moto-romauks (‘tuk-tuks,’) motodups (motorcycle taxis) and car taxis are the most popular forms of transportation around town and the temples. 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. Make sure to negotiate the details of the driver’s services carefully - what time you expect the day to begin and end, availability during lunch hours, limitations on your itinerary, extra charges for distant temples, etc.

Motorcycle Taxis and Trailers (Moto-romauks, 'tuk-tuks')
Two-person motorcycle trailers (moto-romauks) have surpassed motorcycle taxis (motodups) as the most popular form of transport. Tuk-tuks are covered offering some protection from sun and rain. In Siem Reap most drivers speak some English. For short trips around the town, foreigners are expected to pay 2000-4000R for motodups and about twice that for a motorcycle trailer. To the temples, transportation is usually rented by the day. Rates run $6-$9/day for a motodup, and about $10-$15/day for motorcycle trailers.

Angkor Wat Driver & Fixer

Vans, cars, tours, tour guides.

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

E-mail: angkorwatdriver_fixer@yahoo.co.uk

Website: www.angkorguide.asia/phansy

Cars
Cars taxis are usually hired on a daily basis. The average car taxi is a fairly new Toyota Camry with air-conditioning. Car taxis run around $20-$25 per day to tour the main temple area and town. There are extra charges if you want to go to more distant temples such as Banteay Srey, Kbal Spean, Phnom Kulen, etc. The driver will charge about $10 extra to visit Banteay Srey.

Angkor Temple Guides

"Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to Siem Reap Angkor Wat, World Heritage Site. I am locally owned and operated, a Cambodian family business. My family has lived in Siem Reap for over 9 generations. I have a degree in tourism and speak fluent English. - San Park"

Angkor temple tours and transportation. Custom tours. Very reasonable prices. English spoken.

National Route #6, Siem Reap, Cambodia

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

E-mail: info@angkor-temple-guides.com

Website: www.angkor-temple-guides.com 

Siem Reap Taxi Driver
"Siem Reap Private Day Tours, A professional experienced tour organizer of 12 years led by Mr. Kriss you can simply relax and enjoy your great Cambodia holiday, benefiting from my enthusiastic local knowledge. I Provides license local tour guide, excellent tour for Angkor temples, private Car, Van, 4WD for local transportation Tuk Tuk is only $15/Day (English Speaking driver) with comfort and a sociable way to discover Siem Reap, Angkor Wat, especially Private Car or Van from everywhere in Thailand like Bangkok, Koh Chang, Pattaya, Ayuttiya, Aranyaprathet, to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh and from Vietnam like Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh with reasonable prices".
Contact Mr. Kriss

Tel: +(855)(0)12-941715

      +(855)(0)97-5555563
E-mail: siemreapdriver@gmail.com  
Website: www.aangkorwattour.com

Royal Cambodian Limousine Service
Travel in style. Luxury limousines with chauffer for chauffer service, business and leisure.

Siem Reap office: #558, Mondol 1, 2nd Floor, Khum Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Tel: +(855)(0)77-218809

       +(855)(0)63-768808

Phnom Penh office: #246, Monivong Blvd., Sangkat Boeung Raing, Khan Duan Penh, Phnom Penh Cambodia

Tel: +(855)(0)23-218808

      +(855)(0)77-218809
Website: www.royallimousine.com.kh

Tourist Transport Association
Offering taxis from the airport to town (contact just outside the arrival terminal), on-call taxis and all-day transport to the temples: ($25-$30), vans ($30-$35), and motorcycles ($12-$15).

Tel: +(855)(0)63-96357

      +(855)(0)88-9337778

E-mail: srairporttaxi@gmail.com

Bicycle Rental
Bicycling is quickly becoming a popular way to visit the temples. The roads between the main temples are paved and the distances are about right for a bicycle touring. Bring sun screen, a good hat, water and a Cambodian scarf to keep the sun off your neck. Many of the guesthouses, hotels have bicycles for rent. $1.5-$4/day depending on the type and quality of the bike.

Motorcycle Rental
Tourists are no longer allowed to rent motorcycles or cars, or drive a vehicle in Siem Reap.

Small Group Tours
Set itinerary, mini bus tours of the temples can be an economical alternative to hiring your own car and driver. Some travel agencies run minibuses capable of carrying between 10 and 25 people on set tours of the temples. The price includes guide and transportation. Book a tour through Neak Krorhorm. Also see the Travel Agent page.

And other ways of getting around the temples...

Elephant Rides

During the day, elephants await customers near Bayon and at the South Gate of Angkor Thom and they offer rides between those two points. $10-$15 for a 20-30 minute ride. In the evenings the elephants move from Bayon and are stationed at the base of Phnom Bakheng, ready to transport passengers up the hill for sunset ($15 for the ride up and, if you chose to ride down instead of walk, $10 for the ride down.)

Helicopter Rides

 
Balloon Rides

Take a tethered helium balloon ride 200 meters straight up for an amazing aerial view of Angkor Wat, Phnom Bakheng, West Baray and the surrounding countryside. Bring a camera and binoculars if you have them. The big, yellow balloon is based about 1 kilometer west from Angkor Wat on the road from the airport to Angkor Wat.