If you’re skeptical about getting from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by bus, allow me to assure you that it’s an excellent way to travel in Cambodia! The road from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is sealed now, which means a smooth rode with views of the Cambodian countryside, and the trip takes between 5.5 and 6 hours. Giant Ibis, with its onboard power points and WiFi, offers  the best full-size bus experiences in 2023. In this post, I’ll cover Giant Ibis day buses and night buses between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, both of which I have taken many times.

Giant Ibis table of contents

• Giant Ibis bus schedule
• Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (and vice versa) day buses
• Giant Ibis night buses
• Frequently asked questions
• Buy Giant Ibis tickets online

Giant Ibis Phnom Penh – Siem Reap buses

This schedule is current as of February, 2023.

Phnom Penh to Siem Reap	8:45 a.m.	12:30 p.m.	10:30 p.m.	11 p.m.
Siem Reap to Phnom Penh	8:45 a.m.	12:30 p.m.	10:30 p.m.	11 p.m.

→ Buy a ticket on Giant Ibis now

Giant Ibis Transport

Giant Ibis Transport began operations a decade ago and offers a variety of services that will appeal particularly to visitors. Their fleet of buses is new, the seats recline, they offer free WiFi, power outlets, a bottle of water and a pastry and their staff speak English. They are also the only full-size bus company in Cambodia to offer seat belts. Best of all, they offer online booking and seat reservation, thus eliminating the 30-odd minutes one would usually have to spend at a Cambodian travel agent’s while they call the bus company and laboriously write out a ticket.

This isn’t the only thing that sets Giant Ibis apart from the other bus companies in Cambodia. One of my favorite things about the journey is that it does not involve multiple pickups and dropoffs along the way as many of the mini-bus companies do.

The best thing about Giant Ibis, though, is safety. They have a maximum speed of 95 kph/60 mph, and management is alerted automatically if drivers go over this speed. The company has ten full-time mechanics and their dedication to safety seems very genuine. They are also more reliable than the local airlines that ply this route, who often cancel flights if they deem them not profitable enough, leaving people stranded and with little recourse other than to wait an extra day.

Giant Ibis daytime buses from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

The trip from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap takes about 6 hours give or take about thirty minutes. It’s a nice way to see a bit of the countryside; along the way you’ll see traditional Khmer homes, family gardens, rice paddies, flocks of ducks, and water buffalo being led home. The 38-foot buses seat 41 passengers and while there are no toilets on board, the bus stops at the 1.5 and 3.5 hour mark. The first stop isn’t always the same, but always has a relatively clean Western toilet. Usually, the bus stops at Batheay Res Area on National Road 6, where you can also buy snacks and cold drinks.

The lunch stop is a restaurant on National Road 6 contracted by Giant Ibis called Prey Pros Restaurant. This is much nicer than their former stop, and offers beautiful views over the rice paddies while you eat. Giant Ibis passes out the menu on the bus and has you order in advance, and the food will be ready for you when you arrive. They serve Western and Khmer food, and the Cambodian food is quite good and priced between $3.75 and $6.25. Moreover, the toilets are clean and usually have toilet paper (but bring your own just in case).

On board the Giant Ibis day bus

WiFi is offered onboard, using 3G and 4G. This means that the connection is available when there’s a 3G/4G signal available, which is more than half the journey. It doesn’t work in the more rural parts of the trip, but there’s no avoiding that; this isn’t the fault of Giant Ibis, there is just no mobile service there. The are also individual power outlets on all of the buses between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. They’re international-style plugs that feature inputs for most standard plugs from around the world.

Of course everything on Giant Ibis is not perfect–the seats are narrow enough that it’s unpleasant to sit next to a large stranger, but they have more legroom than any of the mini-buses, and the ride is smoother and more comfortable than on a mini-bus.

Giant Ibis day bus schedule from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (and vice-versa)

Currently, buses run from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap at 8:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., the schedule is the same in the opposite direction, with buses from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh at 8:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. as well. They also have a night bus service in both directions at 10:30 p.m. and and 11 p.m

Tickets on the Giant Ibis Phnom Penh to Siem Reap route cost $18, and prices are the same for locals and foreigners. You can buy tickets online and choose your seats in advance.

Giant Ibis night buses from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

Over the years, I’ve taken more Giant Ibis night bus journeys than I care to admit. When I first moved to Cambodia, I vowed I would never take a night bus in Cambodia.  Since then, I’ve made an exception for Giant Ibis because of their safety record and precautions. I’m now a regular on the Giant Ibis night bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh.

Night buses in Cambodia are notoriously unsafe. Giant Ibis, on the other hand, makes safety a priority. Their  buses go slowly, with a maximum speed of 60km (37 miles) per hour. They enforce this by transmitting the speed via GPS to the Giant Ibis office so that management knows if a driver breaks the rules and go faster. Going slowly is not only safer, but allows for a better night’s sleep, because even at at these speeds the bus usually arrives in six or seven hours. Another safety precaution Giant Ibis takes is to always have two drivers on each bus, and they switch half-way through the journey. If one driver feels fatigued he can switch out and take a nap.

On board the Giant Ibis night bus

In addition to offering a safe ride, each seat is equipped with a power socket that accept standard American, Euro, and UK plugs, and most of them usually work. The bus has WiFi (password: giantibis) that is provided by 4G. The lights go off soon after the journey begins, so if you do want to read you will need to bring your own lighting. The buses are air-conditioned and have a toilet on board. Overly cautious types such as myself bring a sweater for the former and tissues for the latter. Passengers are all given a bottle of water, and each bed comes with a pillow and blanket. When you board the bus you’ll be given a bag to keep your shoes in, so as not to get the beds dirty.

There are two Giant Ibis night buses going each way between between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and currently they have the same configuration: 30 angled seats, with 14 on the bottom and 16 on the top. There isn’t always a bed for the driver who may end up sleeping next to you in the aisle. On these buses, there are eight single beds and 11 seats of double beds.

The buses do not have two levels, rather, the seats are designed like bunk beds with one on the top and one on the bottom. All of the Giant Ibis night buses are arranged with one row of two beds next to each other, and a row of single bunks with an aisle in the middle. If you are traveling alone, try to get one of the single beds. I have traveled alone on the Giant Ibis night bus many times and have never felt unsafe as a solo woman, but again, be sure to get a solo bed (if you buy a ticket online, you can make an advance seat reservation).

As on all buses, the toilets are not the nicest in the world (if you are a larger person you’ll have a hard time squeezing in) but at least these ones are usually clean.  I travel between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap regularly, and the trip can be excruciatingly long. Because I save so much time by sleeping through the journey, I’ve become a regular on the Giant Ibis night bus. Despite being pretty highly strung about road safety in Cambodia, overall, I think the Giant Ibis night bus is a safe way to get across the country (here are the other options for this route).

Giant Ibis night bus schedule from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (and vice-versa)

Phnom Penh to Siem Reap night bus	10:30 p.m.	11 p.m.
Siem Reap to Phnom Penh night bus	10:30 p.m.	11 p.m.

→ Buy a ticket on Giant Ibis now

Frequently asked questions about Giant Ibis

Where does Giant Ibis stop in Phnom Penh?

In Phnom Penh, Giant Ibis stops at their office on Street 106, near the night market. This is where they drop-off passengers in Phnom Penh who are coming from Siem Reap.  Here’s a map.

Where does Giant Ibis leave from in Phnom Penh?

If you are going from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, your bus will leave from the Sakura Ave office at Chroy Changvar. This is outside of central Phnom Penh and will take a minimum of 20 minutes to get to from the riverside, and longer from elsewhere in town. Be sure to give yourself enough time to get there before your bus departs. Here’s a map.

Where does Giant Ibis stop in Siem Reap?

Giant Ibis buses leave and depart from their main bus terminal on Khmer Pub Street. Here’s a map.

How long does it take to get from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap on Giant Ibis?

Giant Ibis takes between five-and-a-half and six hours to get from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap during the daytime, depending on traffic when leaving Phnom Penh. The buses at night drive slower, so can take about an hour longer.

How long does it take to get from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh on Giant Ibis?

Giant Ibis takes between five-and-a-half and six hours to get from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh during the day, dependent on how bad traffic is when arriving in Phnom Penh. Because the night buses go slower, they can take about an hour longer.

Which are the best seats on Giant Ibis buses?

Whether you are traveling during the day or at night, the closer to the front is better, in my personal opinion.

How can I get from the Phnom Penh Airport to the Giant Ibis bus terminal?

Download the Passapp or Grab app on your phone and hail a tuk tuk from just outside the gates of the airport. You can also negotiate with a tuk tuk driver inside, but it is usually cheaper to use an app.

Buying tickets on Giant Ibis

Tickets on the Giant Ibis Phnom Penh to Siem Reap route cost $18, and prices are the same for locals and foreigners. You can buy tickets online and choose your seats in advance.

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