Sooner or later during your trip you will ask yourself what’s the best, cheapest or ideally the best-value-for-money way to get around Cambodia’s capital. Even though most of the sights and tourist attractions are located within easy walking distance in Riverside, as soon as the sun sets you probably wonder how to get to all these naughty places I’ve covered in the Phnom Penh Nightlife Guide.

Well, the first thing you should know is since Cambodia is still a third world country you can’t compare the public or private transport system in any way to that in Bangkok. Means your options on getting around in Phnom Penh are far more limited, however somewhat cheaper than in neighboring Thailand. To be more precise, the following are the different means of transport in town:

• Tuk Tuk
• Taxi
• Motorbike Taxi
• Cyclo
• City Bus

Let’s have a look at each of them in some detail:

Tuk Tuks in Phnom Penh

Unless you have your own vehicle, this is really the number one way to get around Phnom Penh. Tuk Tuks can be found simply everywhere and the fare never gets more than 2 USD per trip to anywhere in the city center. Actually you will usually get quoted 2 USD even for short distance trips so it’s always a good idea to bargain, like saying 1 USD would be fine if it’s really not that far or offer them 5,000 Riel which is about 1.25 USD.

You can also rent a Tuk Tuk for the whole day, for example if you want to visit some places out of the city like the Killing Fields, Shooting Range or Tonle Bati, then a realistic and actually very very fair price is 20 to 30 USD. Don’t accept offers of 40 USD and up as you keep in mind that the minimum daily wage in Cambodia is 6.50 USD.

Taxis in Phnom Penh

Taxis are still very rare in Cambodia’s capital and you usually only see them on the route to and from the airport (see below).

Motorbike Taxis

Just like in Thailand, motorbike taxis are slightly cheaper than Tuk Tuks for the simple reason that they don’t provide the same comfort level and consume less gasoline. Remember to bargain the fare and never pay more than 2 USD for any trip around the city.

Cyclos in Phnom Penh

The cheapest and most “original” way to get around town. If you have never heard of a cyclo, they’re basically pedicabs which look similar to Tuk Tuks with the difference that they’re not powered by a motor but by the driver’s legs – bicycles. The costs are almost the same like for a motorbike taxi. Advantage: More comfortable, Disadvantage: The trip takes longer (you may even prefer that and enjoy the view).

Cyclos are the endangered species among the means of transport in town as anyone who can save up enough money will buy a motorcycle. But since the economic progress isn’t the greatest in Cambodia, odds are that you’ll still see them all around town for at least the next 20 years.

City Busses in Phnom Penh

The only public transport in Phnom Penh these days and obviously the cheapest option in this category: Fares are usually lower than 1,000 Riel (0.25 USD). However, unless you are up for adventures and don’t mind standing in a totally cramped and hot bus (not many are equipped with aircon) then you’d better go with the other transportation options mentioned here.

There is no metro of any kind like Underground or Skytrain in Phnom Penh, and it’s unlikely that they will build any of such in our all lifetime.

Rent your own vehicle

Of course there’s also the option to rent your own vehicle in Phnom Penh. That way you can explore more hassle free and don’t depend on a potentially annoying driver, but it’s also more challenging to find your way, so a smartphone with mobile internet is definitely a must have in this case.

The going rate for car rentals at big companies like Avis Car or Kayak is 50 USD per day – it gets slightly cheaper if you take it for a longer time period. If you rather prefer renting a motorbike you can just look at the different companies listed on Google search or simply ask at the reception of your hotel, they can usually arrange something too. Rental rates are as little as 6 USD a day for scooters.

How to get from Phnom Penh Airport to the City Center and Riverside?

There are two ways to get from Phnom Penh International Airport to the city center. You can either take a taxi, the price is 12 USD at any time of the day or night to anywhere in town.

Option number two are the Tuk Tuks, these don’t have a fixed price like the taxis and are only available until about 9pm, but tend to do the trip for 7 USD.

Actually, there’s even a third option, but for that you will need to walk out to the airport’s main entrance (at the main street) and you might find a motorbike taxi that takes you to Riverside for 3 or 4 USD.

Last Updated on August 22, 2024