KTI vs the Old PNH Airport: What Changed for Aussie Arrivals in 2026
KTI replaced the old PNH on 9 September 2025 and the trade is real: a longer transfer for a much bigger, calmer terminal. Here is the side-by-side that matters for Aussies in 2026, including what to budget in AUD and how to time your taxi.
How does the new KTI airport compare with the old PNH for Australians flying into Phnom Penh in 2026?
Techo International Airport (KTI) opened on 9 September 2025 and fully replaced the old Phnom Penh International (PNH/POC) the same day. The biggest practical change for Aussie arrivals is distance: KTI is ~30 km south of the city centre vs the old PNH at ~8 km west, so a transfer now runs ~45 minutes in light traffic instead of ~20. Official KTI taxi-rank fares are $25–30 USD (~$38–46 AUD) into central Phnom Penh, with Grab a few dollars cheaper. In return you get a much larger, modern terminal with more international gate capacity, faster Immigration and a calmer arrivals hall. Book a hotel transfer in advance if you are landing tired, and add 30 minutes of buffer to any departure plan you would have used at the old PNH.
نکات کلیدی
- The old Phnom Penh International (PNH/POC) shut on 9 September 2025 when Techo International (KTI) opened the same day. Every Aussie 2026 flight to Phnom Penh lands at KTI, even when the booking still says PNH.
- KTI sits ~30 km south of central Phnom Penh in Kandal province. The old PNH was ~8 km west. Expect roughly a 45-minute taxi from KTI in light traffic vs the ~20 minutes the old PNH ran.
- Official KTI taxi-rank fares into central Phnom Penh sit at $25–30 USD (~$38–46 AUD). Grab is usually a few dollars cheaper. Book a hotel transfer if you are landing late or jet-lagged.
- KTI is a single modern terminal with far more international gate capacity than the old PNH could ever offer. Immigration runs faster despite higher passenger volumes — average 10–20 minute queue for eVisa holders.
- Build an extra 30 minutes into your departure timing vs what you would have allowed for the old PNH. The new highway is well-sealed but afternoon traffic on the approach from the city stretches the run.
- Your Cambodia eVisa, the e-Arrival QR and your printed paperwork all work identically at KTI as they did at the old PNH. The visa stack has not changed — only the airport has.
Why the airport switch matters in 2026
KTI vs old PNH at a glance — the Aussie traveller view
What changed in plain English
Your booking might still show PNH
Some airlines and OTAs continue to display the PNH IATA code because the global airline backends update slowly. If your e-ticket reads PNH, you are still landing at KTI. Do not show up at the old airport site — it is closed and the buildings are being repurposed.
The transfer: how to plan KTI to central Phnom Penh
Option 1 — Pre-booked hotel transfer
Option 2 — Official KTI taxi rank
Option 3 — Grab
Aussie AUD-cash tip for the cab
Take around $40–50 USD in small notes from home for the taxi plus first-night spend. The arrivals-hall ATMs give an honest rate if you need more, but you do not want to be drawing cash while the cab meter is running. Avoid the airport currency-exchange counters — the spread is wider than the ATM.
Inside the terminal: what feels different at KTI
- Immigration hall — Wide, well-lit, bilingual signage. Eight to twelve counters open for foreigners during peak windows vs the old PNH which often ran four. Average queue for eVisa holders is 10–20 minutes (the old PNH regularly ran 20–40 at peak).
سوالات متداول
When did KTI replace the old PNH airport?
Techo International Airport (KTI) opened on 9 September 2025 and the old Phnom Penh International (PNH/POC) closed the same day. There was no transition window — every commercial flight to the Cambodian capital from that date forward has landed at KTI.
My booking still says PNH — am I landing at the old airport?
No. Some airlines and OTAs still display the PNH IATA code because global airline backends update slowly. Your flight is landing at KTI regardless of what the booking confirmation says. The old PNH site is closed.
How far is KTI from central Phnom Penh compared with the old PNH?
KTI is about 30 km south of the city centre in Kandal province. The old PNH sat about 8 km west of the CBD. The new transfer takes ~45 minutes in light traffic vs the ~20 minutes the old PNH ran. Plan an extra 30 minutes both ways.
How much should I budget in AUD for a taxi from KTI?
The official KTI taxi rank charges $25–30 USD (~$38–46 AUD) for the run into central Phnom Penh. Grab usually costs a few dollars less ($20–26 USD / ~$30–40 AUD) but the pickup point is a short walk further into the car park. Hotel pre-booked transfers run $25–35 USD (~$38–53 AUD) and are the cleanest option after a long-haul flight.
Is KTI faster through Immigration than the old PNH?
Yes. KTI averages a 10–20 minute Immigration queue for eVisa holders vs the 20–40 minutes the old PNH regularly ran at peak. The new hall has more open counters, wider lanes and bilingual signage. Bring two printed copies of the Cambodia eVisa PDF in your passport and the e-Arrival QR saved as a phone screenshot.
Has the Cambodia eVisa changed because of the new airport?
No. The Cambodia eVisa stack is identical regardless of which airport you fly into. Tourist eVisa all-in is $80 USD (~$122 AUD), Business eVisa is $90 USD (~$137 AUD), Approved in 3 business days, Delivered as a printable PDF by email. The e-Arrival Card is mandatory at all three international airports — KTI, SAI and KOS.
Does Cambodia have more long-haul gate capacity now at KTI?
Yes — that was the main reason for the airport switch. KTI was built with substantially expanded international gate capacity vs the old PNH, which was running close to its physical ceiling. Aussies see this in 2026 through more Singapore-Phnom Penh frequencies, more Bangkok code-share options and a thicker Kuala Lumpur connection.
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