Get ready for a long journey if you are planning to travel between Battambang and Sihanoukville. Even though there are a few options available to travelers, each of which is going to take a big chunk of time. Expect to spend a full day traveling to Sihanoukville from Battambang and vice versa. In this post, you will know how to travel between Battambang and Sihanoukville, and weigh the cons and pros of each way. Visit Battambang through tours Indochina Cambodia

Mini-bus

Golden Bayon Express-source: Internet

Offering the best balance of speed and price are express vans and mini-buses. To travel from Battambang, travelers have to get on a mini-bus from Battambang to Phnom Penh before changing to a mini-bus from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville.

Mekong Express, which is one of the most popular companies with foreigners, runs a mini-bus which leaves Battambang at 7:30AM and get to Phnom Penh at 12:30PM, and then gets out of Phnom Penh at 1:30PM and arrives in Sihanoukville at 5:30PM. Although, it takes 10 hours for the whole trip, it also makes a stop in Phnom Penh for guests to have lunch, as well as a few stops en route to go to the toilet. It costs a total of $24 if you choose this route and it is possible to purchase tickets online in advance — but it is a must to book each leg separately. In spite of costing $1, online booking allows travelers to reserve a specific seat in advance, which is really handy. Travel to Cambodia

Mekong Express-source: Internet

Golden Bayon Express also runs a mini-bus leaving Battambang at 7AM and arriving in Phnom Penh at noon, and then another mini-bus that leaving Phnom Penh and arriving in Sihanoukville at 1:30pm. You can also purchase tickets online in advance.

Arrival time for all mini-bus and bus journeys is an estimate. Due to the volume of traffic between Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville, the journey between these destinations can take longer than expected.

Bus

Bus between Battambang and Sihanoulville-source: Internet

You have basically two options: day bus and night bus if you are considering bussing the 485 epic kilometers between Battambang and Sihanoukville. There is no direct bus between Battambang and Sihanoukville, all routes will have to go through Phnom Penh.

There is a night bus from Battambang to Phnom Penh offered by Virak Buntham, and you can catch a connection down to Sihanoukville from there. In spite of being furnished with beds, on the night bus leaving Battambang at 11PM, you will be sharing a pallet with another guest.

Arriving in Phnom Penh at 5AM, the Hotel Bus going to Sihanoukville leaves at 7:30AM. From Battambang to Sihanoukville, the full journey, should take 14 to 16 hours and cost $18. Even though this is a convenient way to do this trip, Virak Buntham, with several night bus accidents, has a pretty dismal reputation, so it is recommended a day bus or mini-bus unless you are in a rush or on a tight budget.

Sorya bus is another day bus option. It costs about $16 total for the first bus leaving Battambang at 6:45AM, transitioning in Phnom Penh in the early afternoon, and reaching Sihanoukville in the early evening or late afternoon.

Flying to Sihanoukville

Fly to Sihanoukville-source: Internet

As the airport in Battambang is closed, your travel plans will still take up most of a day if you want to travel by plane. First, you have to go from Battambang to Siem Reap and then fly from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville.

Despite taking only one hour, flying from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville is not cheap. In Cambodia, flight is by far the most expensive means of travel. Currently, Sky Angkor Airlines, Cambodian Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air are three airlines shuttling between the two cities these days. It costs anywhere between $60 and $150/one- way ticket, or from $120 to $300/ a round trip. Sky Angkor Airlines is by far the most affordable, but a few times each week, only during high season and for the most part, do they only fly this route.

By Taxi

Taxi from Battambang to Sihanoukville-source: Internet

The fastest way to get to between Sihanoukville and Battambang overland is traveling by private taxi. It should take between 10 and 12 hours for the drive. You will get to bypass Phnom Penh, cutting out a huge chunk of travel time and traffic making it the biggest advantage of private taxi. It should set you back about $140 for a private taxi to Sihanoukville.

Travel lovers.

Read more:

• Angkor Silk Farm in Siem Reap
• How to get to Mondulkiri from Phnom Penh
• Let’s go to Vietnam and Cambodia