After a fabulous few days in Kampot, we were heading off again, this time heading to the far north, to Sen Monorom, but to get there we had to go via Phnom Penh and we had several options for this route. Our route took into consideration that we were going straight out of Phnom Penh, and we had to look at all the options to see which was best. So here are the different ways to go from Kampot to Phnom Penh, how long they take, how much they cost, and what your choices are. Here’s our guide on how to get to Phnom Penh from Kampot.
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Phnom Penh is enormous, so much bigger than when we were first here in 2014. And any form of transport into or out of it will tell you that the time taken “depends on the traffic jams”. Although that doesn’t apply when it comes to using the train, it does for the road transport options. Considerations that you need to look at also include where the bus company offices are in relation to where you want to be in Phnom Penh. In Cambodia, there isn’t the concept of a centralized bus station. Each of the different bus and minivan companies has their own offices, which are not usually near each other. So there’s another point. If you’re taking a van into Phnom Penh to take another one out (like we were), then you should try and go with the same company for both legs of the journey, otherwise, you’ll be trying to get through Phnom Penh’s traffic to get to a different bus company office.
Right. Let’s get on, shall we?
BEST WAY TO TRAVEL
Take a Minivan from Kampot to Phnom Penh
By far the easiest way to go to Kota Kinabalu from Sandakan is to fly. Book early for the best prices.
Phnom Penh is 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Kampot, road transport to Phnom Penh will take around 2.5 hours (for a taxi), about 3.5 hours for a bus, and the train – well that takes a leisurely 4 and three-quarter hours. If you’re staying in Phnom Penh then here’s our Phnom Penh content.
Visiting the Killing Fields of Cambodia
The Best Markets to Visit in Phnom Penh
How to Go from Kampot to Phnom Penh – Transport Options
In this guide on how to go from Kampot to Phnom Penh, we’ll cover the fastest way to travel from Kampot to Phnom Penh, the most convenient way to go to Phnom Penh from Kampot, and the most popular way to get to Phnom Penh from Kampot.
You can take a private transfer, a minivan, or a train from Kampot to Phnom Penh.
How to get to Phnom Penh from Kampot
There are several ways that you can travel to Phnom Penh from Kampot, what’s best for you will depend on what time you can leave Kampot, where you are in Kampot and where you want to get to in Phnom Penh. Buses and minivans leave from and arrive at their own company offices in Cambodia (you can read more about this in our guide to Cambodian transport) and there isn’t such a thing as a centralized bus station. Also if you’re planning to get the train, then you’ll need to plan on how to get to the railway station in Kampot, which is about 3 kilometers from the main downtown area of Kampot. The train station in Phnom Penh is a 20-minute walk from the Phnom Penh Night Market, but you’ll likely want to take a tuk-tuk (use the PassApp to find what price it should be.
You have the choice when it comes to road transport between Kampot and Phnom Penh of taking a large but (Giant Ibis is a great brand and gets super reviews), a minivan, usually about 16 seats, or a private transfer. I’ll start with the vans.
Minivans from Kampot to Phnom Penh
It’s 160 kilometers (100 miles) by road from Kampot to Phnom Penh and taking a minivan from Kampot to Phnom Penh is the most popular way to go from Kampot to Phnom Penh. This is the cheapest way to travel from Kampot to Phnom Penh.
There are 5 different minivan companies that go to Phnom Penh from Kampot. They all depart from their own offices in Kampot and arrive at their own offices in Phnom Penh. Check the map and the details on 12GoAsia as to their location, as they’re usually a way out from where you want to be. Tuk-tuks outside minivan offices tend to be more expensive, especially if you don’t have an idea as to what the price is supposed to be. Use the PassApp to get an idea!
There are more than 14 minivans a day that go from Kampot to Phnom Penh.
Check the times of the minivans from Kampot to Phnom Penh here.
It takes about 3 hours to go from Kampot to Phnom Penh by van, and aside from a private transfer, this is the quickest way to travel.
The first minivan of the day from Kampot to Phnom Penh leaves at 06:30 and the last minivan to Phnom Penh from Kampot leaves at 20:00. Check availability, prices, and book seats on minivans from Kampot to Phnom Penh here.
We took the Kim Seng Express to Phnom Penh from Kampot, we arrived at their Kampot office about 20 minutes before departure time and got front-row seats. The van was comfortable and we had plenty of legroom and the A/C was good. The seats were comfortable, even though they didn’t look that great, and a bonus – the seat belts worked too.
The Kim Seng offices in Phnom Penh are in a good location for picking up onward transport and there’s also a waiting room there too.
Bus from Kampot to Phnom Penh
If you prefer to have more room, then the Giant Ibis that goes from Kampot to Phnom Penh is a good option. There’s a lot more legroom and comfort on this bus than there is in a minivan. It takes a little longer (4 hours compared to 3 hours in a van), but the Giant Ibis terminal in both Kampot and Phnom Penh is in a GREAT location (see the map).
Giant Ibis has a morning departure and an afternoon departure each day, and these seats book quickly, so you’ll want to reserve yours asap.
Check the times of the Giant Ibis bus from Kampot to Phnom Penh here.
Train from Kampot to Phnom Penh
If you prefer to take a leisurely train journey, then you’ll need to check the timetable for the train from Kampot to Phnom Penh, as it doesn’t run every day. The train to Phnom Penh from Kampot takes about 4 and three-quarter hours but arrives right in the heart of Phnom Penh. And there are no traffic jams to get snarled up in!
The train station in Kampot is about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from where most people will stay. Tuktuks in Kampot will cost you US$5 and upwards to get there.
There are only economy (regular) seats available on this train, and you can check availability and book your seats here.
Taxi from Kampot to Phnom Penh
Taking a private taxi to Phnom Penh from Kampot is the fastest way to go to Phnom Penh, as you’ll get transported from your hotel in Kampot to your hotel in Phnom Penh. If there are four or more of you, this is likely a really good deal. This is the most comfortable and convenient way to travel from Kampot to Phnom Penh. You can check prices for Kampot to Phnom Penh taxis here.
Map of Bus Company Offices & Train Stations for going from Kampot to Phnom Penh
You can see the full map of bus company offices and train stations for the route from Kampot to Phnom Penh here
The quickest way to get from Kampot to Phnom Penh
The quickest way to get to Phnom Penh from Kampot is to take a private transfer. It takes about 3 hours to go to Phnom Penh from Kampot from door to door and you can book a taxi from Kampot to Phnom Penh here.
The cheapest way to go from Kampot to Phnom Penh
The cheapest way to get to Phnom Penh from Kampot is to take a minivan – reserve your seats here. Don’t forget to take a look at where the minivan company arrives in Phnom Penh and factor in where you’re staying in Phnom Penh.
The most popular way to go from Kampot to Phnom Penh
The most popular way to get to Phnom Penh from Kampot is to take a minivan.
Popular Routes Around Cambodia
If you’re traveling around Cambodia, then check out these popular routes that we’ve taken and written up. You’ll also want to read our guide to transportation in Cambodia.
- How to Go from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc (Cambodia to Vietnam by Boat)
- Go from Kampot to Phnom Penh
- Going from Phnom Penh to Mondulkiri
- How to Go from Sihanoukville to Kampot
- How to go from Mondulkiri to Siem Reap
- How to Go from Siem Reap to Battambang
- Going from Battambang to Phnom Penh
- How to go from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
- Here’s how to go from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh – Vietnam to Cambodia
Travel Tips for Exploring Cambodia
- Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation, and more.
- Get online immediately with an eSIM for Cambodia
- Download and install a VPN BEFORE you travel to Cambodia > discount coupon here
- Arriving by air? Book your airport transfer with Welcome Pickups here.
- Book the best Cambodia tours and guides on Get Your Guide
- Save money in Cambodia with a Wise debit card
- Read about getting around Cambodia in our guide to Cambodian Transport
- Book Buses in Cambodia with 12goAsia
- Book accommodation in Cambodia with Booking
Final Words on How to Go from Kampot to Phnom Penh
Your first consideration when looking at this journey is to work out where in Phnom Penh you want to get to, as it’s an enormous city these days. Traffic jams are bad and regular and can add considerably to your journey time. Figure out where you’re staying, and then look for the times that the bus company that gets the closest to it – or at least how far it is from where you’ll be staying.
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