Siem Reap Airport Transfers Compared: Shuttle Bus, Shared Van or Private Car
5 min read
The short answer: if you arrive alone or as a pair and want a door-to-door ride without haggling, book the Angkor International Airport (SAI) Private/Shared Transfer: from €8.91, 4.8 out of 5 from 2,972 reviews; check on the booking page whether the option you pick is priced per person or per vehicle. The airport shuttle bus costs €7.13 per person, plus a tuk-tuk from the bus stop. Three people travelling together should compare the private car at €26.73 for up to three with three bus seats at €7.13 each; the car takes you to the door.
Siem Reap’s airport, Siem Reap Angkor International (SAI), is about 45 km from the town, and the drive takes around an hour. That changes the decision: this is not a ten-minute taxi ride, so what you want is a driver who is waiting when you walk out, at a price you agreed before you left home.
The four side by side
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angkor International Airport (SAI) Private/Shared Transfers | 45–50 minutes | €8.91 | 4.8/5 from 2,972 reviews | solo travellers and pairs |
| Airport Shuttle Bus Service | about 1 hour | €7.13 per person | 4.8/5 from 560 reviews | the lowest price; you walk or ride a tuk-tuk from the bus stop |
| Private One-Way Arrival/Departure Transfer | 1 hour | €26.73 per group of up to 3 | 4.9/5 from 400 reviews | three people, or a late arrival |
| Airport (SAI): Transfer to or from Siem Reap Hotels | 1 hour | €10.69 | 4.3/5 from 446 reviews | those who want a shared or private choice |
The private or shared transfer: the one to book
The booking page offers three vehicle sizes, an SUV for individuals, couples or small groups, a minivan for mid-sized groups, and a minibus for larger ones. Each passenger may bring one medium suitcase. The private transfer is one-way, between the airport and your hotel in either direction. The shared option is cheaper; the description says it is valid for airport-to-hotel only, but the notes also describe a shared transfer from the city to the airport, so check which direction the option you pick covers.
When you land, look for your name on a welcome sign at the terminal entrance; the drivers wear purple polo shirts. If you cannot find yours, the page says to wait by the SIM card stalls on the right. Do not go with a driver who is not holding a sign with your name. Tips and visa fees are not included, and the page lists wheelchair users and people with mobility impairments as not suited.
Check availability and prices for the SAI private or shared transfer
The shuttle bus: low price, with a catch
It runs between the airport and a central stop on Makara Road, with 10 departures a day each way and about an hour of travel. The route uses National Road 6 and the new 24.5 km Siem Reap–Angkor Expressway. The page says that the stop is a short walk from Pub Street and the Old Market, and that a tuk-tuk from there to your hotel is around 1 US$.
The catch is the timetable. The bus leaves when it leaves, and waits up to five minutes for ticketed passengers. If your plane lands at 23:40, check the last departure before you book. For a hotel on the far side of town, the saving over a door-to-door ride is smaller once you add the tuk-tuk.
Check availability and prices for the airport shuttle bus
The private car for up to three
Here the price is per group, not per person: €26.73 for up to three people, in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking, licensed driver. Day and night services are separate options, and one medium suitcase per person is included. The driver waits at the exit gate of the arrival building with a sign, and for departures he reports to your hotel’s reception desk. You give the flight number and arrival time in advance.
The arithmetic is the reason to look at it. Three bus seats cost 3 × €7.13, plus a tuk-tuk from the stop, against €26.73 for the car to your door. The more of you share it, the better it compares, since the price covers up to three people.
Check availability and prices for the private one-way transfer
The shared-or-private alternative
This listing offers a shared one-way transfer from the airport, or a private one-way transfer in either direction. The driver meets you in the arrival hall with a sign or at your hotel lobby. It costs €10.69 and is rated 4.3/5 from 446 reviews. The page does not allow non-folding or electric wheelchairs. I would choose one of the other three first.
Check availability and prices for the airport transfer to or from Siem Reap hotels
Two things to do whichever you book
Have your hotel name, address and flight number ready: most of the listings ask for them, and the drivers use them to find you. For the way back, the booking pages recommend leaving for the airport at least three hours before departure, and that is sensible given the distance. The airport is far enough that a missed pickup is a real problem, so keep the driver’s WhatsApp number from the booking confirmation.
What I would book
The SAI private or shared transfer from €8.91 for solo travellers and pairs, and the private car at €26.73 for three. Take the shuttle bus only if you are travelling light, are staying near the town centre and are happy to fit your flight to its timetable.
