Transportation

Most visitors to Sihanoukville travel from Phnom Penh by bus. There is also an increasing number of visitors coming to Sihanoukville by ferry or road from Koh Kong (Had Lek / Koh Kong border crossing) and by the new and improved road from Kampot. At present, there are no regularly scheduled flights to Sihanoukville. Speaking to tour companies or even your accommodation provider in Cambodia or Thailand is the best way of getting up-to-date information - but be sure to shop around!

The main gateway into the city is by boat as Sihanoukville International Airport has been closed for operations after a fatal plane crash. There is a daily ferry from Thailand which takes approximately 4 hours, 30 minutes, with buses and taxis arriving from Phnom Penh on national route 4 with a journey time of 4 hours.

By Plane

The small Sihanoukville Airport (IATA: KOS | ICAO: VDSV) is located 17km to the east of town, on the edge of Ream National Park. However, the airport's only scheduled service, between Siem Reap and Sihanoukville on PMT Air, was suspended after a fatal crash in June 2007. The runway is very slowly being extended and international flights are still not offered as of March 2009 but may be coming soon.

By Helicopter

Sokha Helicopters [1] offer a VIP charter service from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. They land at their own private helipad at Sokha Beach Resort. Charter rates start at US$1495 per flight hour plus 10% VAT & 10% SPT. They also have optional package holidays in conjunction with Sokha Beach Resort. Helicopters are modern, French-built Eurocopter Ecureuils with luxury leather seating for 5 passengers. Licensed pilots are from Australia and Europe. Flight time from Phnom Penh is 55 minutes and Siem Reap 1 hour and 40 minutes.

By Bus

In 2008, Sihanoukville's bus station was moved about 1 km east from its previous location.

From Phnom Penh: National route 4 from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville is one of Cambodia's best roads. There are regular bus services with Sorya and GST from Phnom Penh (Central Market) which takes about 4 hours at a cost of 16000 Riel, or US$4.50 through a guesthouse. The first bus leaves at 7:15 AM, the last one at 2:30 PM. All buses arrive and depart from the bus station downntown.It's worth reserving the day before or at least a few hours in advance to be sure of a seat. Mekong Express also runs two buses a day for US$6, as does Capitol Guesthouse.

From Koh Kong/Hat Lek (border crossing with Thailand): The road between Koh Kong and Sihanoukville now is paved and generally in good condition, with ferries replaced by bridges, and the trip takes about 5 hours. "Local" and "Tourist" minibuses service this route; they are always jam-packed, and the trip can be uncomfortable. "Local" service price depends on how much space you want (a whole seat, half a seat, or a space on the roof); foreigners can expect to pay around US$6-8. Rith Mony bus co., Bun Thou bus co., and Virak Buntham Express operate daily bus service leaving at 8:30 AM. These are regular air-con buses which offer assigned seats for $6-8. They will also typically have pickup in front of the offices on the main strip in town at 7:30a (at which point they simply drive over to the station to wait until the 8:30 departure time.) You may be offered pickup at your hotel if you book there (usually at a slightly inflated price over what you can get directly at the ticket office.) Sometimes there are buses leaving at 2:00p in the afternoon but the service may be available only with suitable demand and ticket prices may be quite high (around $15.)

By Taxi

A chartered taxi from Phnom Penh's Central Market can do the trip in less than three hours and will cost anywhere from US$25-40, depending on the petrol price of the day and how beat up the vehicle is. You can reduce the price by sharing seats, but be warned that Khmers will squeeze as many as eight people into the car, including two in the drivers seat, so most people will need to buy two seats for comfort.

By Boat

Boats used to run daily from Koh Kong/Hat Lek (the border crossing with Thailand), taking around 4 hours and costing US$20/700 baht. However, the service was suspended in 2008 and it's unclear if it will resume, since travel by road is now cheaper, safer and just as fast.

By Train

There are no longer any passenger services on the Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville railway line. It may be possible to hitch a ride with the freight train security guards - enquire locally for further information