Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital city of Cambodia.
Hitching out
South towards Kampot, Kep by national road 3
From Central Market area take a bus number 3 towards Borey Son Ti Pheap 2. The bus stop is located on the western side of the market on Street 128, not far from the junction with Monivong Boulevard, which is the main thoroughfare of Phnom Penh. Once on the bus you will pass by the airport and Chom Chao Flyover which is a multilevel junction where national road 3 and 4 start. Once there tell the conductor that you want to get off at Total gas station which is on the right hand side. Just before Total there is a PTT gas station on the left. The bus ride is 1500 riel, cash only, no change given. The national road 3 was upgraded to dual carriageway standard in 2022, but it's not a motorway so pedestrians, bicycles and motorbikes are allowed. A few hundred metres behind Total there's a massive advertising banner above the road which provides much needed shadow.
Southeast towards Sihanoukville, Koh Kong by expressway E4
From Central Market area take a bus number 3 towards Borey Son Ti Pheap 2. The bus stop is located on the western side of the market on Street 128, not far from the junction with Monivong Boulevard, which is the main thoroughfare of Phnom Penh. Alternatively you can take a bus number 4B from the same area, the bus stop is located on Charles de Gaulle Boulevard (Street 217). Before covid this bus was going farther west along NR4, unfortunately now it goes south along NR3 and finishes at the same spot as bus 3. Whichever bus you take get off near Chom Chao Flyover which is a multilevel junction where national road 3 and 4 start. The bus ride is 1500 riel, cash only, no change given. From there you have to use Passapp or Grab apps to order tuk tuk which can get you to the expressway entrance. Tuk tuk should cost around 2 dollars. You can hitch just after the roundabout, but there is more traffic further up the road where flyover merges. Toll plaza is less than 4 km away, but pedestrians are prohibited on this motorway.
East towards Ho Chi Minh City
Take bus number one to the last stop Okhna Souy Sophan Bus Terminal. Continue following highway number one.
South East towards Takeo, Cần Thơ
Can take a cheap minivan to the Tonloap Market (ផ្សារទន្លាប់), on the border with Vietnam, at the Caltex Petrol Station of Daeum Kou Market [11.55285N, 104.9037E] or at the Sokimex Petrol Station of Steung Mean Chey [11.5348N, 104.8857E] (which you can take Public Bus number 4B to both). Otherwise, head south on Chamkar Doung Road towards the Killing Fields (ជើងឯក) from the Sokimex Petrol Station, and hitchhike from there.
North towards Siem Reap, Laos, Kratie, Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri
Beyond the four-faced statue across the Chroy Changvar bridge [11.5894N, 104.9271E] following the NH6 is good for hitchhiking.
Northwest towards Udong, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat, Battambang, Poi Pet, Bangkok
Take the Public Bus Line 1 as far north as it goes [11.63527N, 104.8868E], or alternatively take a remorque just north of Chroy Changvar bridge [approx. 11.5872N, 104.91914E], which usually go as far as Udong (about 40km away).
Public Transport
Before covid there were 17 bus lines bringing people to the farthest outskirts. For two years during the pandemic they were all suspended and as of March 2023 only 5 lines are back and running. The vehicles are modern with AC onboard and they run between 5.30am and 8.30pm with an interval of 10-20 minutes depending on the line. One ride costs 1500 riel, cash only, no change given (late 2022).
Unfortunately you can't find Phnom Penh public transport on Google Maps, nor on Moovit app, however all the 17 lines are visible on Openstreetmap and on a related app called Osmand. Lines 1, 2 and 3 have all the stops added and directions will work on these lines in Osmand app in the same way as in Google, showing connections and walking time between stops. Other lines don't work this way. There's also an app provided by the PP City Bus Authority that shows all the 17 lines and most stops as well as live position of the buses from their GPS.
Besides buses there's plenty of three wheeler tuk tuks. There are two apps used by locals to order a tuk tuk: Passapp and Grab. With these apps you will know the price to your destination before ordering, so you don't need to worry about being ripped off. Prices start at 4000 riel (USD 1) for the shortest ride up to 1km and a distance of 10km should cost around 10,000 riel, or 2.5 dollars (late 2022).
Nomadwiki & Trashwiki
Check Nomadwiki for info on accommodation, showers etc. or Trashwiki for dumpsters...and share your wisdom :)
