It’s unfortunate that two of Cambodia’s top tourist destinations are on opposite sides of the country. Siem Reap and Sihanoukville are less than 200 miles apart if you fly, but can be a long 350 miles by road. We cover all of the ways you can get from Sihanoukville to Siem Reap and vice-versa, including plane, bus, mini-bus and taxi.
Cambodia Angkor Air flies ATR72s for the one-hour trip between Sihanoukville and Siem Reap.
Plane
Traveling by plane is by far the easiest way to travel between Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, and unsurprisingly, the most expensive. Tickets are ridiculously expensive for a flight that’s less than an hour, but if you’re pressed for time the cost of the flights may well be worth it to avoid traveling 10 to 14 hours by car or bus. There are three airlines that do this route in high season.
Cambodia Angkor Air offers daily, with one-way tickets going for $115 to $150 and roundtrip tickets between $230 and $300. If you’d like more details about Cambodia Angkor Air’s Sihanoukville to Siem Reap flight, we’ve got a more extensive review from a recent flight here.
Sky Angkor Airlines also flies from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville four times a week in high season and tickets cost between $112 and $160 for a round-trip flight. They often reduce the schedule in low season and sometimes eliminate it entirely. We’ve got a review of a recent flight we took on this route here.
JC Airlines is a new airline offering, at the time of writing, daily flights between Siem Reap and Sihanoukville for around $100 to $120 round-trip. Read our review of JC Airlines (it’s a different route but you’ll get the idea).
Bayon Airlines flies from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville during high season but they are overpriced, hard to book, and fly prop planes, so we try not to take them.
It’s important to note that the Sihanoukville airport is 12 miles (20k) outside of town, so once you arrive you’ll need to take a shuttle or taxi into Sihanoukville. Here’s the full scoop on how to get to and from the Sihanoukville Airport.
Travel in style between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap with Giant Ibis’s full size bus, then transfer to a mini-bus.
Bus
Giant Ibis has a great reputation for safety in Cambodia, and they’re going to be running night buses between Siem Reap and Sihanoukville for this coming high season. Giant Ibis uses two drivers for the Siem Reap-Phnom Penh leg of the trip to make sure they don’t have any sleepy drivers behind the wheel. The buses leave at 8:30 p.m. in either direction. Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased online in advance and allow for advance seat/bed reservations. Until these tickets are available, check out the Giant Ibis combo-trip below.
If you want to know more about Giant Ibis, read our detailed reviews of the Giant Ibis Phnom Penh-Siem Reap route, the Giant Ibis night bus, and the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville route.
There’s also a Virak Buntham night bus, which of all of the tourist buses in Cambodia has one of the worst reputations for accidents due to driver error. Although they are very popular, you couldn’t pay me to get onto one of these buses.
Bus and mini-bus combo
There are several companies that go between Siem Reap and Sihanoukville using a full-size bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh and a mini-bus from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville. The total time, including the stop in Phnom Penh, usually takes between 12 and 14 hours, and includes a 1-2 hour stop in Phnom Penh. We cover favorites Giant Ibis and Mekong Express.
Giant Ibis:
Giant Ibis is the expat pick for being the safest bus company in Cambodia. They don’t offer direct service between Siem Reap and Sihanoukville (to be fair, nobody else does either) but it’s an easy transfer at the Giant Ibis office just next to Phnom Penh’s night market. This is a full-size bus, but you’ll then transfer to a mini-bus for the Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville portion of the trip.
Coming from Siem Reap, you can take the night bus which gets in around 6 a.m. This gives you enough time to stretch your legs and get breakfast on Phnom Penh’s riverside (or join in the public aerobics, if you so choose) before getting on the second leg of the trip to Sihanoukville at 8 a.m. Going the other direction, the bus leaves Sihanoukville at 7 a.m. and arrives in Phnom Penh approximately four hours later, which is long enough for a quick lunch before the Phnom Penh to Siem Reap portion of the journey that leaves at 12:30 p.m. (and this bus stops several times, including for a meal).
If you make a reservation online you can book the two legs as a joint ticket for $26 and reserve a seat in advance. Otherwise tickets are available at all local travel agents and guesthouses, but you will need to buy the two legs separately. Total travel time is 12 to 13 hours.
Giant Ibis Schedule:
Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m.
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: 8:45 a.m., 9 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 11 p.m., 11:30 p.m.
Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: 8:45 a.m., 9 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 11 p.m., 11:30 p.m.
Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville: 8 a.m., 9:25 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m.
Giant Ibis
T: 023 999 333
W: giantibis.com
Mekong Express
Mekong Express offers the Phnom Penh to Siem Reap leg of the trip in a full-size bus (their full-size buses are junkers from Japan that are old but safe) and the Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville portion of the trip in a newer Ford or Toyota mini-van for a total of around 12 hours. Mekong Express has a reputation for safety and are a popular choice amongst expats. If you get your ticket online, you can get the two legs as a joint ticket and make a seat reservation in advance.
Mekong Express Schedule:
Siem Reap – Sihanoukville: 7:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m.
Sihanoukville – Siem Reap: 7:00 a.m., 8:30 a.m (joint ticket leaves at 7 a.m.)
Mekong Express
T: 099 933 399
W: catmekongexpress.com
Buy tickets: BookMeBus.com
Mey Hong mini-buses: a faster (and more hair-raising) option to go between Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.
Mini-bus
There are several mini-bus companies that go from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville and vice-versa, all with a 1-2 hour stop in Phnom Penh. the total travel time including the stop in Phnom Penh, usually takes between 11 and 13 hours, although you will see these routes advertised as taking less time. Our favorite of these companies is Mey Hong.
Mey Hong Transport:
Mey Hong is a mini-bus company that is more locally-oriented (ie. it’s not particularly well-known amongst tourists). They drive comfortable Ford mini-buses that are air-conditioned with seat belts. During high season they have mini-buses to go the Siem Reap to Sihanoukville route that connect in Phnom Penh with a one hour break. Total travel time is about 11 hours–they drive fast! Cost is $20 and tickets can be booked at any local travel agent or guesthouse. You can book tickets online in advance.
Mey Hong Transport
T: 099 933 399; 023 589 687
W: meyhongexpress.com
Buy tickets: BookMeBus.com
Taxi
Taxis between Siem Reap and Sihanoukville cost between $120 and $150, and the trip will take about 10 hours, depending on the condition of the road between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Most private taxis are Toyota Camrys and can fit four passengers. For trips this length, though, four may be a tight squeeze depending on how much luggage you have. Most Camrys in Cambodia do not offer a lot of trunk space (it’s almost guaranteed to have packages for delivery in it).
Private taxis can be hired through any travel agent or guesthouse, we’ve used Best Beach Travel in Sihanoukville (T: 015 678 924). Be sure to confirm the price before the trip as misunderstandings happen more often than we’d like. If you want to avoid the hassle, you can make a reservation for a private taxi online in advance.
Mini-van taxis that seat up to 15 people are also available and offer more room for people and baggage. The cost is usually a bit more than double the cost of a regular taxi, at the time of writing we were quoted $300.
Bus tickets purchased through links in this post may generate affiliate sales for us. This does not affect our reviews for specific bus companies or routes! For more about how we deal with advertising, affiliate sales, and stuff like that, you can read more here.
Hi, myself and my girlfriend were thinking of a bus from sihanoukville to siem reap. All we want is an air conditioned bus, we have dealt with rude bus drivers through vietnam but haven’t taken a long bus journey in Cambodia and this will be our first one. Please can you advise us? Thanks guys :)
All the advice I have is in this blog post, Hugh. :)
Thank you soooo much for this information. My friend and I are planning to go this October. We are planning on flying from Siem Reap.
Would you know how far the airport at Sihanoukville might be? Looks like the flight will arrive by about noon (12:05) and the last ferry is at 3:00 PM. We’re wondering if we will make it.
We gathered from the comments that the airport is rather far.
More details here: https://movetocambodia.com/sihanoukville/how-to-get-to-and-from-sihanoukville-airport/
Oops! I found that post shortly after I posted the comment. Thank you so much for your prompt reply though, Lina.
I’m loving this site!
Glad to hear it!
I paid 26 dollars from Sianoukhville to Siem reap with Giant bus. Départure at 1.30 pm arrive un Phnom Penh at 6 pm, sleeping bus at 10.30 pm arrive at 5.30 am. Safe trip BUT : when you arrive they check if you are the owner of your lugguages with a ticket, and they propose to you a tuk tuk , when i sales for the price he said it’s included. Be careful : it is not ! I asked twice for the price before leaving and after the tuk tuk asked me 5 dollars !!! So choose the tuk tuk By yourself and bargain because it doesn’t worth 5 $ !!
Sounds like a misunderstanding. The price from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh is $11 and the price from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is $15, so $26 in total. A tuk tuk ride to your hotel is not included in the price. It’s true, though, that the tuk tuks that wait outside bus stations are extortionate and charge much more than the going rate. The last bus I took to Siem Reap I walked 30 meters away and got a tuk tuk for $3 instead of the $5 that they were asking for.
Hi
I was looking to book a flight from Sihanoukville to Siem Reap on Saturday October 22nd this year, but there seems to be no flights? Do you think they are sold out or are they not offering a flight on this day for some reason? All the other days seem bookable apart from this day
Thanks
Hi,
Me and my friend are looking to go from Sihanoukville to Siem Reap in just a few days. What, of the many options you’ve stated, is the best option for us if we want to save as much money as possible? It’s seems very expensive to pay more than $20 for just a bus in the country. We paid $11 to go from HCMC to PP. Ofc we want a safe option!
Br,
Rebecca
Check and double check if you plan travel this week as many van services can not get drivers to work for the Khmer New Year, hence cancel service.
It’s Khmer New Year so prices are going to be higher than usual and tickets more difficult to secure. You can check out the various options here
Virak Buntham direct night bus: just don’t use!!! Extremely rude staff – the driver was literally pushing the tourists standing in front of the bus by moving the bus towards them, cause he was in a hurry during a stop. Seating is awful, if you travel alone you will end up literally in the same narrow bed with a total stranger, perhaps some find it kinky, but is a matter of luck who you share your bed with. Yup, sounds funny, but give it a better thought… There is NO toilet, (tourists were p**sing on the street during brief stops in markets along the way), no air conditioning, no internet as advertised on their website, there’s just bad behaviour, terrible organization and tons of dust. In the middle of the way the bus travels through a dusty road, and the whole cockpit is filled up, travellers can barely breathe. Everyone is caughing, staff doesn’t give a s**t, they speak no language anyway, they’re just some kids, one would wonder if they have the legal age to drive a bus. At arrival our stored luggage was filthy and full of the same dust we were breathing during the journey. Horrible experience! Please, please be sure to avoid those bastards. They will treat you like cattle. Travelled from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville on February 10, 2016. Worst bus experience ever!!!
Hi,
your post are really helpful!
I couldn’t find how long it takes from Siem Reap to Phnom Phen by Giant Ibis night bus, is it possible to take the night bus and be able to catch 7am Giant Ibis mini bus to sihanoukville?
Cheers,
Kasia
Yes, that’s totally possible. The Giant Ibis night bus now takes around 6-6.5 hours, so even the latest one should get you to the Giant Ibis office in time to catch the Sihanoukville bus. If you’re more cautious, take one of the ones that leaves earlier.
Thank you so much :)
Thanks for researching and writing such a useful, detailed and considered post. You’ve made our trip so much easier. Cheers!
Hi!
Thank you so much for your precious advice. We thought that there were NO safe night buses from SR to PP/SihanoukV and then your blog saved us! We’ve just booked our tickets and we are quite curious about the whole journey (despite I’m not a huge bus fan!!!).
Thank you and congratulations for your great blog!
Regards,
Ana
Thanks, Ana. Have a great trip!
Cant you fly in from Vietnam direct??
Golden Bayon Express has a rather reliable and comfortable mini bus (van) SR to PP and change PP to SV.
About 9-10 hours depending on connection at their office in PP and traffic. Very responsible drivers. 2013 Ford vans. SR office on Wat Bo Road across from Apsara Supermarket.
I have flown Cambodia Angkor Air and they are a great airline. Keep in mind the airport in Sihanoukville is well outside of downtown so figure a $15-20 Tuk Tuk fare. My flight happened to be cancelled and transfered to Vietnam Airlines which is also a good airline (49% owner of Cambodia Angkor Air) which required a change of planes in Phnom Penh. STILL the only way to go if you have the money.
Safe travels!
Thanks, Vincent. I haven’t actually taken Golden Bayon Express, but I’ll investigate it. I have heard they are good. And good point about the Sihanoukville airport, there’s also a $6 mini-bus but it takes about half an hour.
Hi, I am traveling this december and wonder if there are any updates on the reviews above? Specifically I would like to leave Siem Reap at afternoon/ night but need to be in Sihanoukville in good time for the last boat to Koh Rong Samloem which seems to be at 1500. Thank you for great info!
It would be a tight connection. Probably best to fly — check Cambodia Angkor Air’s current schedule. I usually spend a night in Sihanoukville before heading to the islands so I’m not so rushed.
Thank you for your fast response. Unfortunatly it the same problem with the flights- they arrive early afternoon so I will miss the ferry. I read conflicting inf on the busses. This site http://www.canbypublications.com/cambodia/buses.htm claims the route Pnom Phen Sihanoukville only takes four hours with Giant Ibis – and also that there are major roadworks, delaying 1-2 h between Siem Reap and Pnom Phen. Do you know and of this?
Best ebba