Phnom Penh Transportation
Get in Phnom
Penh
By plane
Phnom Penh Airport (PNH), formerly but no longer called Pochentong,
is Cambodia's largest international airport and most flights into
the country pass through there. There are daily flights from all
major regional airports (Bangkok, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore,
Taipei) as well as from Luang Prabang in Laos. Airlines include
Bangkok Airways, Lao Aviation, Shanghai Airlines, Thai Airways,
Silk Air, Dragon Air, among others. Malaysian low-cost carrier Air
Asia has daily flights from Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. The new terminal
is a thoroughly pleasant and modern facility, and features a post
office, bank (including ATMs), restaurants, duty-free shop, newsstand,
tourist help desk, and business center.
Visas are available on arrival at the airport, and the process is
easy if a little cumbersome: queue once to submit passport and visa
application, once more to pay and pick it up, and only then proceed
to immigration. Fees must be paid with USD notes; one passport photo
is required (or else a US$1 surcharge must be paid). Single entry
30 day tourist visas cost US$20 (can be extended once only, to 60
days total). Single entry 30 day business visas cost US$25 (can
be extended indefinitely, and become valid for multiple entries
after the first extension).
The airport is about 11km from the city centre (Sisowath Quay).
Taxis from the public taxi stand at the airport cost a flat US$7.
Pay the fare at the taxi desk inside the door exiting the terminal,
at which point you will be allocated a driver. Alternatively, you
will find plenty of drivers immediately outside the exit from the
terminal building. For visitors on a budget without a lot of luggage,
it's worth catching an official moto for US$2, or walking out to
the main road to save even more.
By bus
There are bus services to Phnom Penh from Poipet (on the border
with Thailand) and from Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam, as well as from
points throughout Cambodia. The two largest bus companies, Sorya
(formerly Ho Wah Genting) and GST, both arrive and depart from the
rather chaotic "station" at the southwest corner of the
Central Market. Advance bookings are advisable, and can also be
sorted out by most travel agents and guesthouses for a token fee.
Many travellers arriving from Thailand break their journey with
a detour to Siem Reap, site of the ruins of Angkor. Most buses depart
from/to Siem Reap in the early morning, a few more follow around
noon; the journey takes about 5 hours. Basic air-con bus fares start
around USD3-4; double-deckers with comfy seats, toilets, drink,
food and bus-hostess charge up to USD10.
By boat
Ferries connect Phnom Penh to Siem Reap; tickets for foreigners
typically cost USD20-30. Many (but not all) of these ferries offer
the option of sitting on the roof, which makes for a much more scenic-
although much less comfortable- ride than the bus - take sunblock
and a hat.
Fast boats leave every morning around 8am from Chau Doc in Vietnam's
Mekong Delta and take 5 hours to reach Phnom Penh. The boats make
the return journey the same day and leave Phnom Penh around 1pm
arriving in Chau Doc in the early evening.
Getting Around Phnom
Penh
Phnom Penh is a fairly easy city to get
around. Though traffic is getting more congested by the day, you
can still travel the length of the city in less than 30 minutes.
Due to rising fuel costs, transportation prices are in flux. See
page 7 for transport from airport.
Phnom Penh's main streets are in good shape; however other
streets and footpaths are often rutted and pot-holed, clogged with
garbage, stagnant water, parked motos, sleeping people, livestock
and building materials. Many smaller streets either lack signage
or bear misleading signs, however, Phnom Penh is logically laid
out (see orientation) and navigating the city is not difficult
if you know where you're going.
- Motorbikes (but not self-drive cars)
are available for rent, however traffic is chaotic and public
transport may be safer for casual visitors.
- Motorbike-taxis (motodops/motodups
in local parlance) are ubiquitous and will take you anywhere for
a small fare. A trip from Sisowath Quay to Central Market costs
about 2,000 riel (50 US cents). Fares are higher at night and
with more than one passenger.
- Taxis are available at a few locations
- most notably outside the Foreign Correspondents Club on Sisowath
Quay. Taxis do not have meters, and fares must be agreed in advance.
Fares vary, due to fluctuating fuel prices; ask hotel/guesthouse
staff for assistance (hotels and guesthouses will organise taxis
on request).
- Tuk-tuks Cambodian-style consist of a
motorcycle with a cabin for the passengers hitched to the back.
They are cheaper than taxis and offer a scenic experience of the
city. Their clientele is exclusively tourists, and most drivers
speak some English.
- Cyclos are three-wheeled cycle-rickshaws.
Considerably slower then a motodop, and gradually becoming less
common in the city, they are still popular with locals and foreigners
alike. The nature of the seat lends itself to a quick and easy
way to transport all manner of goods from one place to another,
even other cyclos and the occasional motorbike as well.
- Walking can be a challenge, as cars and
motos do not stop for pedestrians. To cross safely, judge gaps
in the traffic and proceed with care - give oncoming vehicles
ample time to see and avoid you, or try to cross with the brightly
coloured and revered monks. There is almost no street lighting
off the major boulevards, and walking at night is not recommended.
Motorcycle Taxi (Motodup)
The omnipresent ‘moto’ is the most common and fastest
form of public transportation, but not necessarily the safest. They
are more prone to accidents and robberies than cars. Motos can be
found virtually everywhere in town, just step to the curb and they
will find you. Motos cost from 1500R-4000R for a trip in town and
$6-$8 per day. Prices go up at night and for multiple passengers.
Motorcycle trailers (‘Tuk-tuks’)
Motorcycle trailers and cabs (‘tuk-tuks,’ moto-romauks)
have become quite popular. They are more comfortable than motodups
and are covered, offering some protection from the sun and rain.
Unlike the noisy, two-stroke namesakes common to Bangkok, the Cambodian
‘tuk-tuks’ offer a quieter, more pleasant ride. Moto-romauks
for hire gather in popular tourist areas such as the riverfront
and in front of tourist hotels. $1-$2 for short trips and $10-$15
for the whole day. Prices vary depending on the number of passengers
and where you pick up the tuk-tuk.
Public Taxis and Car Rental
There are a couple of small on-call taxi services. Taxi Vantha (012-855000,
www.taxivantha.com ) is reliable and available 24 hours. More common
are unmetered, unmarked taxis, which can be arranged through your
hotel or travel agent. A car with driver costs $25-$35/day. Shorter
jaunts run a minimum $2-$3. All Destinations offers car and 4WD
rental, with driver. Bodyguards available. Tel: 016-779901.
Public Taxis and Car Rental
Cyclos
The humble cyclo can be a romantic and practical form of transport
though not as safe as a car or fast as a moto. Cyclos are easier
on the nerves than motos and during a rain they offer a drier ride.
Curiously, cyclos often charge twice as much as a motodup.
Buses
There is no regular in-city bus system in Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh
Sorya Transport Co. offers bus service to several provincial destinations
along the National Routes as well as Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City.
Motorcycle Rental
Motorcycles (100cc-250cc) can be rented for $5 - $9/day. Tourists
often rent 250cc dirt bikes, though they are a bit too much bike
for the slow city traffic. For in-city driving, 100cc is recommended.
Chaotic traffic makes cycling in the city challenging in the extreme.
Roads outside the city vary in condition. If you do decide to ride,
drive slowly, stay right, wear a helmet and remember that medical
services are limited.
Angkor Motorcycles
#92Eo, Street 51
Tel: 012-722098
Phnom Penh Bike Shop
#31, Street 302
Tel: 012-851776
|
