KH Cambodia: how to get around

Bus safety is a big problem in Cambodia. On Hwy 5, between Phnom Penh and Battambang, there are dozens of bus crashes annually, many of them horrendous, with multiple fatalities. There are even bus-on-bus crashes. Drivers are untrained, impatient, and (according to those working in roadside gas stations) sometimes drunk. Most of these accidents go unreported, but frequent travellers on Highway 5 can typically observe half a dozen bus crashes in a month. Night buses are particularly risky — again, Giant Ibis and Mekong Express have the best reputations.

Bring along something warm if you don't like freezing air conditioning and earplugs if you don't like Khmer karaoke. There are a few night-time services but most buses leave in the morning and the last ones leave in the afternoon. Among night buses Giant Ibis and Mekong Express are the most comfortable, with nearly flat bunks (though if you're taller than 1.65 m or so you'll have to sleep with your knees bent).

Buses do not generally have an on-board toilet, but do usually have a 15-minute rest stop at the half-way point or every 1½-2 hr.

For short distances, the once-ubiquitous motorcycle taxis have been replaced by tuk-tuks, motorized three-wheeled rickshaws. Anywhere remotely touristy will have plenty of drivers hanging around offering you a tuk-tuk ride. Agree on a fare and make sure the driver knows your destination before you get in the vehicle. Many drivers speak very little English, and some are illiterate even in Khmer, so communicating your destination can sometimes be a challenge. If you want to avoid all that, consider a ride hailing app like PassApp, which can be used to call rickshaws or regular taxis and determines the price automatically (you pay in cash). Even with PassApp, though, pay attention to where your driver is going because sometimes they get confused about the directions. Try to learn the Khmer words for "left" and "right". And if you plan to ride more than 10–15 minutes in a tuk-tuk, consider buying a paper dust mask like a fair number of locals do, to protect you from dirt, dust, and traffic exhaust.

Some believe taxis are safer for inter-city travel, but taxis also often go way too fast, and so are involved in numerous fatal accidents. The front seat in a taxi from Phnom Penh to Battambang should cost you about US$25.

The main ride-hailing apps in Cambodia are Grab and PassApp. Of the two, PassApp is available in more cities and is usually slightly cheaper, but requires you to pay the driver in cash, while Grab gives you the option of paying the driver by credit card.

Ferries operate seasonally along many of the major rivers. Major routes include Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and Siem Reap to Battambang. The Sihanoukville to Koh Kong ferry no longer runs. Boats are slower than road transport, charge higher prices for foreigners, and are sometimes overcrowded and unsafe. Then again, Cambodia's highways are also dangerous, and boats are probably the safer of the two options. The high speed boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap costs US$33 and takes about 6 hours, departing at 07:30, and offers a spectacular view of rural life along the Tonle Sap River.

There are also a few luxury boats operating between Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Saigon. For something around US$150/day including accommodation, food and excursions, it's a good alternative to regular boat service.

The boat trip between Siem Reap and Battambang takes longer (especially in the dry season), and is less comfortable and more expensive than taking a seat in a share taxi, but is favoured by some travellers for its up-close view of subsistence farming (and hundreds of waving children) along the river. Taking the boat late in the dry season (Apr-May) is not advisable as low water levels mean that you must transfer to smaller vessels in mid-river.

Two daily passenger train connections exist with the following schedule and prices:

• Phnom Penh–Sihanoukville (6 hr):

• Phnom Penh (07:00) – Takeo (08:40, US$6) – Kep (10:20, US$8) – Kampot (10:40, US$9) – Sihanoukville (13:00, US$10)
• Sihanoukville (14:00) – Kampot (16:00, US$6) – Kep (16:20) – Takeo (18:00, US$8) – Phnom Penh (20:00, US$10)

• Phnom Penh–Battambang (6½–7 hr):

• Phnom Penh (06:40) – Pursat (10:40, US$7) – Maung Russey (12:00) – Battambang (13:00, US$8)
• Battambang (15:00) – Maung Russey (16:00) – Pursat (17:30, US$4) – Phnom Penh (22:00, US$8)

The train is also supposed to stop at Broteas Lang, Komareachea, Tani, Toukmeas, Kompong Trach, Veal Renh, Holy Hill, and Preak Treng Beach (Sihanoukville leg), and at Batdeung, Tbeng Khpos, Romeas, Kdol, Bom Nak, Beung Khna, and Osalao (Battambang leg) according to the timetable, but it's not clear whether it actually stops there. A leaflet of all stops is available at the ticket office. All information on schedule, travel times, and prices are available on the official ticket website (☏ +855 78888582, +855 78888583). (The website is not encrypted, so it's better to buy train tickets in the station.)

The carriages have fans and windows that can open, but no air conditioning. Toilets are also available. The first stretch west passes through ramshackle camps built along the rail line, and sprawling suburban construction, then a non-descript countryside. The return trip to Phnom Penh gets in very late, and it's difficult to find a tuktuk or taxi. You will probably be exhausted from hours of riding on the train, and worse with a tuktuk driver going in circles at night trying to find your hotel. Probably easier to just walk if you have little luggage and a good map.

While Cambodians do not consider this a reasonable way forward, you will find many interested locals that pickup the odd foreigner at the side of the road for a ride.

While in Vietnam you will be having troubles to even find a car, many well-off people in Cambodia possess a car and seem to identify with the fortunate Westerners and thus invite them for a ride. However, it could also just be the Buddhist mentality that brings people to help out.

Thus, major roads are easy to get forward on. In super remote areas you may have issues, but there even a motorbike driver might stop.

The Cambodian government has upgraded roads throughout the country. Finding an unpaved road is actually quite a challenge and most travellers will not have any horror stories of car-swallowing ruts or wet-season quagmires. For the time being, notable unpaved roads that would be of use to travellers are: Battambang-Koh Kong (a great dirt bike adventure across the mountains or a long detour by bus via Phnom Penh), access to the Banteay Chhmar temples (a high-quality unsealed road, as good as a sealed road during the dry season) and the road between Sen Monorom and Banlung (if there's any remote jungle left in Cambodia, it'll be here). The borders, coast and major cities are all well-connected with good roads.

Roads between the capital Phnom Penh and the tourist resorts of Sihanoukville and Siem Reap are busy and in reasonable condition, and there is an expressway between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville (the default maximum is 100 km/h; minimum 60 km/h). Most of the smaller roads are in poor condition. Road safety is particularly affected by unpredictable driving, poor car maintenance and overloaded vehicles. Accidents are frequent. Travel by road only during the day.

A foreigner needs a local driving licence to drive a vehicle, and without it, insurance may not cover damage in the event of an accident. An international driving licence is not officially sufficient to drive a vehicle in Cambodia. The competent authority for driving licences is the Cambodian Ministry of Transport and Public Works.

Motorcycle rentals are available in many towns, with the notable exception of Siem Reap, which has outlawed the practice. Be careful if driving yourself: driving practices are vastly different from developed countries. Local road 'rules' will also differ from city to city. Moreover, to drive in Cambodia you're required to have a Cambodian driver's license; international driving permits are not accepted. If you're considering traveling alone, it’s worth remembering that English is rarely spoken outside of main towns and cities, and hazards are numerous, including the possibility of land mines. For this reason, guided tours are worth considering.