How do you get from Sihanoukville to Kampot and back again? Ins short with relative difficulty via two options. These are renting a car, or taking the train – both of which have plusses and minuses.
So, should you drive from Kampot to Sihanoukville, or take the train?
Driving from Kampot to Sihanoukville
When we say driving from Kampot to Sihanoukville we can also include Kep to Sihanoukville, with the two former towns being just 1 hours by TukTuk apart.
Kampot and Sihanoukville used to be more closely linked, but then a highway from the coastal town to Phnom Penh was built. This decreased travel between the two from 7 to 2 hours, but also left Kampot a bit out in the cold.
Currently it means renting a car (or having your own) and then driving over some truly dodgy roads thick with enough pot holes to make everyone bring two spare tires.
And it is rather an ugly drive with there being fairly little to stop for, while you fail to fall asleep.
Cost for this ranges from $40-50 with. Most drivers dropping direct to hotel, in our case Legends Hotel and Resort.
Taking the train from Kampot to Sihanoukville
This train leaves Phnom Penh at 7 am and stops at 10.20 in Kampot, 10.40 in Kep, before arriving at 12.40 in Sihanoukville. It then roles around and goes back the other way at 2 pm from where it takes 2 hours to get to Kampot.
You can read about the Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville train here.
This is a crazy quick ride of just 2 hours compared to 3+ on a private car. Technically at least there is also more room on a train, although with increased tourist numbers might struggle to get a place….
Therefore I prescribe to the superior of the train, unless you really need to get out quick….
Young Pioneer Tours offer charter train tours throughout Cambodia.