Getting Around Siem Reap
Siem Reap is a compact, flat city, and most visitors find it easy to navigate using a mix of walking, tuk-tuks, bicycles, and ride-hailing apps. The city centre is fairly compact, with good quality and often wide, paved sidewalks, though in places you'll find them doubling up as motorbike and car parking lots. As the city has grown, many interesting neighbourhoods have popped up further outside the main downtown business district, and these are a bit out of the way for pedestrians.
Rail, Metro and Tram
Siem Reap has no rail, metro, or tram network for visitors to use. Getting around the city and the surrounding area relies entirely on road-based transport, cycling, and walking.
Buses and Other Public Transport
Siem Reap does not have a local public bus network that visitors would typically use to get around town. Long-distance buses are, however, a common way of reaching Siem Reap from elsewhere in Cambodia, with several daily departures and arrivals, especially from Phnom Penh. Premium operators include Giant Ibis and VET Air Bus Express, while companies such as Larryta, Seila Angkor Express, E-Booking, and Mey Hong offer economy options with air conditioning.
If you're arriving by long-distance bus, it helps to know where you'll be dropped off:
- Many buses terminate at an out-of-town bus station to the east of Siem Reap, from where you'll need to take a tuk-tuk into town. This should cost no more than US$2, or perhaps US$3 if you're not keen to drive a hard bargain.
- If arriving from the west, consider getting off the bus as it passes through town on National Road 6, for example as it crosses the bridge over the river, before it reaches the bus station.
- If arriving from the east, you have little choice but to face the touts at the bus station.
Try to book at least the day before travel. Booking online is easier with BookMeBus and Camboticket, as you can board with an e-ticket with either service. Travel agents and guesthouses will also book for you for a US$1–2 fee per ticket. Buses tend to leave in the morning or early afternoon, and there are also night buses on some routes.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Siem Reap has no conventional metered taxi service for getting around town; instead, the main options are motorbike taxis, tuk-tuks, and ride-hailing apps.
Motodops (motorbike taxis) abound and will make sure you know where they are. Rides within town should only cost US$0.50 or 2,000 riel, although prices can double at night or during bad weather. Agree a price first. A full day can be arranged for around US$10. Helmets for passengers are rare, though they may materialise if requested in advance.
Tuk-tuks, or Cambodian-style remorques (two-wheeled carriages pulled behind a motorbike), hang out on street corners, or you can summon one on your phone with Grab or PassApp. A typical short trip within Siem Reap should cost about US$1.25 (5,000 riel) regardless of how many people pile on. Most three-wheeled tuk-tuks can carry two or three people, while a remorque can carry four people comfortably, though the extra weight can make the low-powered bikes go slower.
Renting your own vehicle is another option:
- Motorbike rental is no longer prohibited, and there are plenty of options, from gasoline-driven scooters starting at around US$8 per day, to small electric scooters for one with a top speed of 25 km/h (around US$10), to larger ones for two people going up to 60 km/h (around US$15). Half-day rentals may be possible, in which case you pay only half the daily rate.
- You may need to leave either your passport or US$100–300 as collateral, while some places only take a photo of your passport and don't take any deposits.
- Driving inside the city isn't very stressful, nor is going to Angkor, especially compared with huge Asian cities such as Bangkok or countries with a more chaotic driving approach like Vietnam.
- Wear a helmet, both for your safety and because the police will stop you at checkpoints and fine you US$15 if you don't. Some restaurants will let you charge an electric bike's battery.
Walking and Cycling
The city centre is fairly compact and flat, with good quality and often wide, paved sidewalks, making walking a practical way to cover the downtown area. However, as Siem Reap has grown, many interesting neighbourhoods have popped up further outside the main downtown business district, and these are a bit out of the way for pedestrians.
Cycling is popular in Siem Reap, with some scenic cycle paths painted green, and trails in forests near roads leading to and around Angkor Wat. There is also a green cycle path running alongside the river, often in the shade of large trees, starting at the Hard Rock Cafe and heading north.
- Bicycle rental shops around town mostly don't open earlier than 07:00, so if you want to ride to Angkor Wat early in the morning, rent one the day before.
- Some guesthouses also rent bicycles.
- One-day rental varies between US$1 and US$8, depending on the quality of the bike, with discounts available for longer rentals.
- Guided electric mountain bike tours are also available, offering pedal-assist bikes that make the Angkor circuit more manageable in the heat, with access to jungle trails not accessible by tuk-tuk or bus.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI) opened in October 2023 and is the country's largest airport. It has one terminal and is served by international direct flights from Bangkok (both airports), Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and various airports in Laos (Luang Prabang) and Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Phu Quoc). Cambodia Angkor Air also flies domestic routes from Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville.
The airport is located well out of town, so travel to and from it costs more and takes much longer than was the case with the old airport, which has closed. The main transfer options are:
- Minibus: US$8 per seat.
- Private minivan transfer: US$40.
Because the airport is far from the city, it's worth arranging your transfer in advance or confirming the price before you set off, and budgeting extra time for the journey into town.