Getting to and around in Cambodia

Table of contents

Getting there

Main entry points

Airports

There are airports with international flights in both Phnom Pehn and Siam Reap. However, it's often a better choice to travel through Bangkok for more frequent, and cheaper, flights.

  • Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH)
  • Siem Reap International Airport (REP)

Land crossings

It used to be that you could only cross into Cambodia at the Bavet–Moc Bai border crossing with Vietnam. You can now cross at many other borders, including those to Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. These tend to be outside the tourist trails though, and more suitable to drive trucks across them.

Bus

There are bus services from Vietnam and Thailand to both Phnom Pehn and Siem Reap, including an infamous service to the latter from Bangkok.

Cars and motorcycles

Cars and motorcycles need registration papers, insurance documents and an International Driving Licence to enter Cambodia. It is complicated to bring in a car, but simpler to bring in a motorcycle, given that you have a vehicle passport, also known as a 'carnet de passage'.

Trains

There are no passenger train services crossing into Cambodia.

By sea

There is a river border crossing between Cambodia and Vietnam on the banks of the Mekong. There are regular fast passenger boats plying the route between Phnom Penh and Chau Doc in Vietnam, via the Kaam Samnor–Vinh Xuong border crossing. There are also a couple of luxurious river boats ­running all the way to the temples of Angkor in Cambodia. There is also a river crossing on the Mekong border with Laos, although most travellers use the road these days.

Immigration and customs clearance

Ensure that you have at least six months validity past the end of your trip for any trip to Cambodia, or your visa application will be rejected. Also note that Cambodia, as many other Asian countries, have large visa labels, and it will take up a full page in your passport. Get extra pages ahead of your trip, you may need them.

Customs limits for goods

 

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Getting around

By Plane

 

By Train

 

By Bus

 

By Car

 


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