One thing to settle before comparing anything: the airport moved. The old Siem Reap International Airport (REP), 6-8 km from town, closed to commercial flights on 15 October 2023. Flights now use Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport (SAI), about 50 km east of the city, roughly a 45-60 minute drive.
That reshapes this comparison completely. At 8 km, every option was a few dollars apart and the tuk-tuk was a charming default. At 50 km, the vehicle you pick actually matters.
On price, up front
The airport does not publish its ground-transport fares, and the numbers on travel sites contradict each other — many are just the old airport's prices carried forward. So this page compares the options on everything except invented figures. The rates are posted at the transport counters in arrivals; that is where your real number comes from.
What we can tell you is the order: shuttle bus is cheapest, then a standard car, then a minivan or pre-booked private transfer.
Airport shuttle bus
The airport's own website confirms a shuttle service operates. It is the budget way to cover 50 km, with tickets sold in the arrivals transport area.
Good for: light luggage, flexible timing, solo travellers and couples watching the budget.
Less good for: families, lots of bags, late arrivals, or anyone who wants to be delivered to a specific hotel door.
Taxi / private car from the transport counter
Booked at the counter in arrivals at a fixed posted price, not a meter. You pay first, then staff point you to the vehicle. Air-conditioned, direct to your accommodation.
Good for: most visitors. It is the sensible default — no negotiation, a known price, and a comfortable hour in the car.
Less good for: the tightest budgets, and large groups who will need a minivan anyway.
Grab / PassApp
Both operate in Cambodia and show you the fare in the app before you confirm.
Good for: travellers with working data who want a transparent quote and are not in a hurry.
Less good for: relying on. Coverage at the new airport is less dependable than at the old one — it is 50 km from where the drivers are. Have a fallback rather than walking out expecting a car.
Pre-booked private transfer
Arranged before you fly. Name sign in arrivals, fixed price set at booking, driver tracks the flight.
Good for: late arrivals, families, heavy luggage, first-time visitors, and anyone who would rather not solve a 50 km journey at the end of a long flight. It is also the only option where you can request a child seat in advance — Cambodian taxis and ride-hail cars do not carry them.
Less good for: spontaneity, and the very cheapest end of the budget.
Tuk-tuk: not for this trip
This needs saying plainly, because the internet is full of the opposite advice. The classic Siem Reap airport tuk-tuk belongs to the old airport, a 15-minute hop from town. From the new airport it is a 50 km run on a highway in an open vehicle: hot, slow, wind-blasted, dusty, and not meaningfully cheap once the distance is priced.
Ride a tuk-tuk in town. Around Siem Reap and out to the temples it is genuinely one of the pleasures of the place. It is simply the wrong tool for a 50 km airport transfer.
Comparison
| Factor | Shuttle bus | Taxi (counter) | Grab/PassApp | Pre-booked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Relative cost | Lowest | Middle | Varies | Highest |
| How you learn the price | Posted at the counter | Posted at the counter | In the app | At booking |
| Air conditioning | Yes | Yes | Usually | Yes |
| Luggage space | Limited | Good | Varies | Good |
| Direct to your hotel | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Child seats | No | No | No | On request |
| Dependable late at night | Limited | Yes | No | Yes |
| Negotiation needed | No | No | No | No |
Which should you choose?
For most visitors, the taxi booked at the transport counter is the straightforward answer: fixed posted price, air conditioning, direct to the hotel, nothing arranged in advance.
If budget leads and you are travelling light, take the shuttle bus.
If you are arriving late, travelling with children, carrying a lot, or you just want it handled before you land, pre-book. Over 50 km and an hour, the comfort and certainty are worth more than they were when the airport was fifteen minutes away.
And whichever you choose — get the price from the counter, the app or your booking, not from an article written when the old airport was still open.