Desk-researched planning guidance, checked 25 October 2026; not a personally tested journey. Timetables, fares and border rules change, so confirm with the operator or official source for your travel date.
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by bus or minivan in about six hours, by flight from the new Techo airport, or by boat, with Angkor pass prices and entry rules.
Key takeaways
- Take a daytime bus. Giant Ibis gives its Phnom Penh–Siem Reap service as six hours for 320 km, centre to centre, and minivans leave more often.
- Pick a reputable operator and a daytime departure.
- Rarely, unless you are connecting to an international flight.
- Sometimes. Boats up the Tonle Sap river and across the lake depend on water levels, so services are seasonal and can be cancelled.
- Angkor Enterprise lists a one-day pass at $37, three days at $62 and seven days at $72; the three-day pass is valid for seven days and the seven-day pass for 30.
What is the best way to get from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap?
Link to this answerTake a daytime bus. Giant Ibis gives its Phnom Penh–Siem Reap service as six hours for 320 km, centre to centre, and minivans leave more often. Flying is short, but Phnom Penh’s new Techo airport and Siem Reap’s airport both sit well outside town, which eats most of the time saved.
Giant Ibis’s route page lists six hours and 320 km, boarding at its terminal on Street 106 near the Night Market in Phnom Penh and arriving at its Siem Reap terminal behind the Old Stadium, with 20 kg of luggage included (checked 25 October 2026). It says only its night buses have an onboard toilet, so ask about stops on a daytime coach.
On 12Go’s listing for 25 October 2026, about 49 departures a day ran between the two cities: buses and minivans from operators including Larryta Express, Virak Buntham, Olongpich and Cambolink21, and flights from Cambodia AirAsia and Cambodia Angkor Air.
| Option | Published or listed time | From / to | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus (e.g. Giant Ibis) | 6 hours, 320 km (Giant Ibis) | Central Phnom Penh to central Siem Reap | Day or night bus; toilet on board |
| Minivan (e.g. Larryta) | About 5 to 6 hours on 12Go’s listing | Operator offices in both cities | Legroom and luggage space |
| Night bus or sleeper | About 5½ to 6 hours overnight on 12Go’s listing | Operator offices | Pre-dawn arrival; berth type |
| Flight | Under an hour in the air on 12Go’s listing | Techo (KTI) to Siem Reap–Angkor (SAI) | Two long airport transfers |
| River and lake boat | Seasonal; ask the operator | Phnom Penh to the Tonle Sap lake, south of Siem Reap | Water levels and weather |
Which bus should you take from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap?
Link to this answerPick a reputable operator and a daytime departure. Giant Ibis publishes its route, terminals and luggage allowance; Larryta, Virak Buntham and others run frequent services listed on 12Go. Compare departure points, seat type, toilets on board and where you are set down in Siem Reap, not just the fare.
The FCDO’s Cambodia safety advice says Cambodia has one of the highest rates of road traffic accidents in south-east Asia and that travel after dark significantly increases the risk. It also reports thefts from bags while passengers slept on bus journeys, so keep valuables on you on a night bus.
Sleeper buses save a hotel night but arrive in the small hours. Check whether a berth is single or double, and whether a solo traveller may be asked to share one, before you book.
12Go lists Phnom Penh–Siem Reap buses and minivans from several operators. Check the boarding office, the Siem Reap drop-off, the seat or berth type and the luggage allowance, then compare the final total including fees.
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Is it worth flying from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap?
Link to this answerRarely, unless you are connecting to an international flight. The flight takes under an hour, but Phnom Penh’s airport moved in September 2025 to Techo International, 20 to 30 km south of the city, and Siem Reap–Angkor International is about 45 to 50 km from town. Door to door, the bus is often comparable.
Techo International’s own transport page says its Airport Express Bus, run by Phnom Penh City Bus, began on 9 September 2025 and runs daily from 05:30 to 23:30 to Kouch Kanong Circle bus station. At the other end, Vietjet’s airport guide puts Siem Reap–Angkor International about 45 to 50 km from the city, 1 to 1.5 hours by road, with a shuttle bus and taxis (Vietjet).
Add check-in and security, and the flight only clearly wins if you are already at the airport or catching an onward flight. If you do fly, book the airport transfer with your hotel before you land.
Trip.com sells Phnom Penh–Siem Reap flights. Check the departure airport code (KTI, not the old PNH), the bag allowance and the transfer at each end.
Booking through these links costs you nothing extra. It funds our independent research, and 10% of our profits go to animal rescue. How we make money
Can you take a boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap?
Link to this answerSometimes. Boats up the Tonle Sap river and across the lake depend on water levels, so services are seasonal and can be cancelled. 12Go listed a Tonle Sap boat operator on 25 October 2026. Treat it as an experience rather than transport, and leave slack in your plans if you book it.
The Tonle Sap lake swells in the wet season and shrinks in the dry season, which is why river services do not run year-round. Ask the operator for the season’s timetable, what happens if the water is too low, and where the boat lands: a lake landing can still be a road ride from town.
If you only want to see the lake, Angkor Enterprise, the authority that sells Angkor passes, also sells tickets for boat visits to the Chong Kneas floating village near Siem Reap.
How much is the Angkor pass, and when should you buy it?
Link to this answerAngkor Enterprise lists a one-day pass at $37, three days at $62 and seven days at $72; the three-day pass is valid for seven days and the seven-day pass for 30. Buy it on the official site, and plan your first temple day for the morning after you arrive.
Angkor Enterprise’s ticket page lists the Angkor park as open from 05:00 to 18:30 and sells passes online through its own ticket site (checked 25 October 2026). Koh Ker, Beng Mealea and Kbal Spean, further out, have separate tickets.
A bus that reaches Siem Reap in the afternoon leaves time to settle in; a sunrise at Angkor Wat the next morning is easier than one straight off a night bus. Our Siem Reap 3-day itinerary and where to stay in Siem Reap guides plan the temple days, things to do in Siem Reap covers the rest, and the Siem Reap destination guide has the overview.
Booking.com lists Siem Reap hotels, and GetYourGuide sells Angkor tours with a guide and transport. Check whether a tour includes the Angkor pass or expects you to buy it.
Booking through these links costs you nothing extra. It funds our independent research, and 10% of our profits go to animal rescue. How we make money
What should you check before travelling from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap?
Link to this answerCheck the departure office and drop-off point, whether your bus has a toilet, the luggage allowance and the arrival time against your hotel check-in. If you fly, check that the ticket says Techo (KTI) and book the long airport transfers. Then compare the final totals, including transfers, rather than headline fares.
Arriving in Cambodia from abroad? The FCDO’s entry requirements say most visitors need a visa, that you can apply for an e-visa at least four days ahead, and that air arrivals must submit a free e-Arrival Card within seven days before landing. Use the official e-visa site, evisa.gov.kh. Coming from Thailand, read our Bangkok to Siem Reap guide first: the land border is closed.
- Boarding office in Phnom Penh and drop-off in Siem Reap
- Day or night departure, and the berth type on sleepers
- Toilet on board and the luggage allowance
- Airport code KTI if you fly from Phnom Penh
- Angkor pass bought online before your first temple day
Evidence note
How we checked this guide
Research basis
8 external references linked in this guide and its resources. Each reference supports only the claims it addresses; a link is not evidence of first-hand testing.
Experience standard
No first-hand test or trip is implied unless the article explicitly states who tested it, when and under what conditions.
Content update date
Content updated on 25 October 2026; this is not an independent verification of every linked source. Time-sensitive prices, rules and eligibility must be checked again before purchase or travel.
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