Transport in Cambodia

Cambodia’s transport system is mainly road-based and institutionally fragmented. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) handles roads, vehicle registration, driving licences, railways, waterways and transport permissions. The National Road Safety Committee (NRSC) coordinates road-safety work, Traffic Police enforce traffic rules, and the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) regulates civil aviation. Provincial and municipal departments manage local transport matters. Phnom Penh has the clearest formal public-transit system. Phnom Penh City Bus Authority provides city buses with official information about services, stops and live vehicle status through its system and app. Current official information covers services including lines 1C, 2A, 3, 4A, 5, 7 and 12A. Cambodia does not have a documented uniform national bus network. Outside Phnom Penh, private intercity coaches, tuk-tuks, remorques and app-based rides provide much of the practical alternative transport. A water-taxi corridor is identified between Prek Pnov, Phnom Penh and Ta Khmao. The published plan refers to four boats and six stations, with four stations in operation and two under development, and an end-to-end journey of about 45 minutes. Published schedules and fares are partly historical or incomplete, so availability and price should be confirmed locally before travel. Cambodia’s railway has two main lines with a combined length of about 650 kilometres. The Northern Line connects Phnom Penh with Poipet for about 386 kilometres, while the Southern Line connects Phnom Penh with Sihanoukville for about 264 kilometres. Royal Railway Cambodia (RRC) operates passenger services with MPWT involvement. Published Southern Line fares include USD 7 to Sihanoukville, USD 6 to Kampot and USD 4 to Takeo. Carrying a vehicle is listed at USD 14 for a car, USD 5 for a motorcycle and USD 12 for a bicycle. Passenger service is limited and often concentrated on weekends, and departures should be confirmed in advance. Cambodia has no documented operating metro or subway system; Phnom Penh metro and light-rail ideas remain at study, project or development stage. Road travel remains central for regional journeys. Private buses and coaches are widely used for intercity travel. The Phnom Penh–Sihanoukville Expressway is about 190.633 kilometres long, has four lanes and publishes speed limits in the 80–120 km/h range. It is tolled, with charges depending on distance and vehicle type. Motorcycles may use it only when they meet the stated threshold of at least 500 cc or 27 kW and have MPWT permission. The Phnom Penh–Bavet Expressway is a project and construction corridor; no confirmed regular passenger service should be assumed from it. Air travel is regulated by SSCA. Techo International Airport took over Phnom Penh flight operations on 9 September 2025. Flight schedules and fares change, so current airline or airport information is needed for a specific journey. Cambodia also has waterways outside the Phnom Penh water-taxi corridor, but no directly documented regular nationwide mass passenger equivalent has been established. A vehicle used on public roads must be registered. The online vehicle service is vehicle.mpwt.gov.kh. Published registration fees include KHR 125,000 for a car, excluding an optional special plate, and KHR 40,000 for a motorcycle or tuk-tuk. Typical supporting documents include proof of import tax, a purchase or dealer letter, technical-inspection evidence, and an identity document or residence or family book. A technical inspection checks roadworthiness and emissions; appointments can be arranged through techinspection.mpwt.gov.kh. Published family-car inspection fees are KHR 36,000, KHR 42,000 or KHR 48,000 depending on the category. Fees, documents and inspection locations should be checked before applying. Drivers need a valid licence for the vehicle category. Applications and service information are available through driverlicense.mpwt.gov.kh, and online A and B examinations may be available. Applicants for category C generally need proof of driving-school training before the examination. Category A covers motorcycles above 125 cc or above 11 kW, motorcycle trailers and tricycles. Category B covers cars and passenger transport for up to nine people. Category C covers goods vehicles above 3.5 tonnes, category D covers passenger vehicles for 10–20 people, and category E covers trailers above 0.75 tonnes. Categories A and B generally require a minimum age of 18, C and D1 a minimum age of 22, and D2 and E a minimum age of 24. A person aged at least 15 may ride a motorcycle up to 125 cc and up to 11 kW without a driving licence when carrying an identity document. A and B licences are listed as valid for 10 years, while C, D and E licences are listed as valid for 5 years. Published fees include KHR 30,000 for category A and KHR 90,000 for category B for citizens, with higher listed foreigner fees of KHR 100,000 and KHR 180,000; category C or D is listed at KHR 95,000 and category E at KHR 100,000. Converting a foreign licence is listed at KHR 120,000 and requires a passport, visa, residence evidence and a medical certificate. Cambodia drives on the right. Drivers may use a phone only with hands-free equipment. The road-traffic law sets the alcohol limit at 0.25 mg/L breath alcohol or 0.50 g/L blood alcohol. Motorcycle riders and passengers, including children from age three, must wear helmets. Front occupants must use seat belts in built-up areas, and the law also applies to occupants outside dense settlements under its stated conditions. The published general urban maximum is 40 km/h, but signs and specific limits control on individual roads. Expressways have separate rules. After a crash, people should assist injured persons and report the incident without delay to the local authority or Traffic Police. The law provides a complaint pathway for traffic offences. Crash risk is strongly affected by speed, helmets, alcohol, right of way, seat belts and phone use. NRSC publishes daily crash, death, injury and helmet statistics, but the available research does not support a single national conclusion about enforcement or compliance. Walking and cycling remain possible but lack a documented uniform nationwide network of dedicated facilities. Cyclists should keep far to the right. Pedestrians should use a sidewalk or road edge and cross at a zebra crossing or pedestrian crossing where available. A 2022 JICA sample for Phnom Penh recorded motorcycles at 74.0% of observed trips, walking at 12.8%, bicycles at 3.9%, sedans, wagons and vans at 6.5%, and tuk-tuks at 2.6%. These figures describe that Phnom Penh sample and do not represent Cambodia as a whole. Transport affects congestion, local air pollution, greenhouse-gas emissions, noise and exposure to road and climate risks. Technical inspections can limit emissions and non-standard vehicle modifications, but they do not remove all transport impacts. Cambodia’s long-term strategy targets carbon neutrality by 2050. NDC 3.0 targets for 2035 include a 15% urban bus share instead of a 2.5% baseline, electric two-wheelers at 35% of the motorcycle fleet, electric three-wheelers at 5% of the tuk-tuk fleet, electric cars at 5% of the car fleet, and conditionally electric buses at 20% of city-bus fleets. Other targets include a 5% rail share of passenger and freight transport, fuel-efficiency standards for 50% of the vehicle fleet and a 30% efficiency improvement. These are policy targets, not current performance measurements.