Nobody walks far in Cambodia — it's hot, and tuk-tuks are everywhere, cheap and genuinely fun. The only real skill is knowing what a fair fare looks like before someone quotes you three times it. This guide covers the apps that fix the price for you, what rides typically cost in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and how airport pickups work now that both big airports moved out of town.
Last updated: October 19, 2026
Install Grab and PassApp before you arrive and use them as your default: the price is fixed upfront, there's no haggling, and short city rides typically cost $1–3. Hailing a tuk-tuk on the street is fine too — just know the going rate (short hops in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap: roughly $2–4 haggled), and agree the price before you get in, every time. For a day around Angkor, a tuk-tuk driver typically costs $15–20 for the small circuit.
"Tuk-tuk" in Cambodia can mean two quite different rides, and it helps to know which one is coming:
Both are slow by design and neither has air-conditioning. For anything over about 45 minutes — airport runs especially — a car starts to look very sensible.
| Ride | App price (typical) | Street price (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Short hop in central Phnom Penh | $1–2.50 | $2–4 |
| Cross-town Phnom Penh | $3–5 | $4–6 |
| Short hop in Siem Reap town | $1.50–3 | $2–3 |
| Phnom Penh center → Techo Airport (KTI), tuk-tuk | ~$15 | $15–20 |
| Siem Reap town → SAI Airport, tuk-tuk | $20–25 (an hour-plus ride; a car at $25–40 is kinder) | |
| Angkor day hire — small circuit | $15–20 for the day, agreed in advance | |
| Angkor day hire — grand circuit | $20–25 for the day; Banteay Srei adds ~$10 | |
Typical ranges reported in October 2026. Rain, rush hour, festivals and surge pricing move numbers around — treat this table as your anchor for what's fair, not a fixed tariff.
If you flag a driver down on the street, a short negotiation is simply how it works — it isn't a confrontation, and drivers expect it:
Old guides were written when both airports sat at the edge of town. Not anymore:
In Siem Reap, the classic move is hiring the same tuk-tuk driver for your whole temple day — he'll pick you up, wait at each temple, and move at your pace. Typically $15–20 for the small circuit (Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom/Bayon, Ta Prohm) and $20–25 for the grand circuit, agreed in advance; a sunrise start or a detour to Banteay Srei costs a little extra. Hotels and guesthouses can match you with a reliable driver, and keeping the same driver for multiple days — and taking his number — is how regulars do it.
One expectation to set: your driver is a driver, not a licensed guide. He'll know the routes, the photo spots and where's good for lunch, but guides who can walk the temples with you are a separate, officially licensed hire. Both together is the full experience; the driver alone is the budget-friendly classic.
None of this should make you paranoid — Cambodia's drivers are, in the main, friendly and fair, and outright scams are the exception. And a final note for travelers planning to rent their own scooter instead: do it with your eyes open about licenses and helmets, because your travel insurance cares even if the rental shop doesn't.
Yes. Grab operates in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and other Cambodian cities, offering tuk-tuks, rickshaws and cars. The local rival, PassApp, is at least as popular with Cambodians and is often a little cheaper. Having both apps installed gives you a backup when one has no drivers nearby.
On the apps, a short ride across the center typically costs about $1–2.50, and cross-town trips around $3–5. Flagging a driver down on the street, expect to be quoted $2–4 for short hops — the first quote is an opening offer, not the price. A ride out to Techo International Airport (KTI) runs around $15 by tuk-tuk.
Typically $15–20 for the small circuit and $20–25 for the grand circuit, agreed in advance for the whole vehicle (seats up to four). Add roughly $10 for the trip out to Banteay Srei, and a few dollars extra for a sunrise start. Drivers are drivers, not licensed tour guides — if you want the history explained inside the temples, hire an official guide separately.
The app is the stress-free default: the price is fixed before you ride, the route is on a map, and the driver's details are recorded. Haggling on the street is normal and expected — just agree the price (and that it's for the whole vehicle, not per person) before you get in, and never after you arrive.
At Phnom Penh's Techo Airport (KTI), yes — it's about 30 km and an hour or so into the center, around $15 by tuk-tuk or $15–30 by car. At Siem Reap's SAI airport the answer is "you can, but think twice": the airport is 45–50 km from town, so the tuk-tuk ride runs $20–25 and over an hour, open to the weather. Most visitors take a car ($25–40) or the airport shuttle bus (around $8).
Street tuk-tuks are cash only, and both US dollars and Cambodian riel are accepted everywhere — keep small notes in both. Grab lets you pay by card in the app. PassApp rides are usually paid in cash (or local ABA transfer) to the driver at the end.
Traveling between the two cities rather than around them? The Phnom Penh to Siem Reap guide compares bus, minivan, flight and the seasonal boat. More routes and border walkthroughs live in Getting Around, or head back to the homepage checklist.
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