Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - City Hall expands free holiday bus service to provinces

City Hall expands free holiday bus service to provinces

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
People leaving Phnom Penh for their hometown during Khmer New Year in 2019. CITYBUS

City Hall expands free holiday bus service to provinces

Phnom Penh Municipal hall is preparing 400 buses to transport people to their home provinces for free during the upcoming Khmer New Year, Phnom Penh Municipal Governor Khuong Sreng revealed the plan on March 6.

“We have just received another 200 buses from the Republic of Korea, so we will add more routes this year, especially to Siem Reap and Banteay Meanchey on National Roads 6 and 5, to ease people’s difficulties due to the increase in taxi fares,” he said.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of nearly 2,000 students of the Institute of New Khmer on March 6, Prime Minister Hun Sen used the occasion to offer his advice on the topic.

“Set more routes to Siem Reap... make more buses available so that taxis or buses will not increase their prices. We can give incentives to bus drivers. Let’s get hundreds of buses to transport people for going home for Khmer New Year,” he said.

Keo Channarith, director of Phnom Penh Autonomous Bus Transportation Authority known as Citybus service, said that Citybus was planning to provide buses and implement the plan properly to be ready to transport people from Phnom Penh to some provinces.

He added that the team was studying how many routes and bus schedules as City Hall has just received 200 new buses from Booyoung Group.

“Since we just received the recommendation this morning (March 6), now our technical teams are working on a clear plan to organize buses to transport people to some provinces the same as previous years. But this year there will be more routes and bus schedules and we will inform the public soon,” he said.

Chan Sopheap, an employee of a private company and a temporary resident in Russey Keo district’s Tuol Sangke commune of Phnom Penh, who has experience travelling to his hometown in Battambang province during major national festivals, said that it was no different from last year, he had planned to travel by Citybus once again during the upcoming Khmer New Year. He could save some money this way.

Sopheap added that every time City Hall announced to the public free travel to the provinces, he never missed it. The reason was that it was not only free but the buses are comfortable and the drivers are also very friendly.

“This year, I will take the Citybus again because it is not only saving money on the ticket, but also the bus was new and the ride was easy and safe. All of the passengers were very happy that the government has taken them into account. Otherwise they would spend more money during festivals. I would spend at least $50 during each festival as the ticket prices increase,” he said.

According to the Citybus director, during Pchum Ben 2022 they transported 35,000 people in 175 buses.

Recently, the municipal administration received 200 new buses from the Booyung Group of South Korea. The other 200 buses were donated from China and Japan. The buses are operating on 13 routes in Phnom Penh.

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.

  • Newest horror film showcases unique Khmer culture, identity

    At first glance, the trailer to new horror sensation The Ritual: Black Nun looks like a western-produced feature film. As the story reveals itself to the viewers, it becomes clearer that this is a Khmer film, with a strong Cambodian identity and close links to

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the