Cambodia currently operates two railway lines from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville and Poipet. The lines are single-track metre-gauge railways using diesel locomotives. The services are among the slowest in Southeast Asia, but if the government goes ahead with its modernisation plan it may be among the fastest.
There are plans to upgrade the two current lines, and new lines have also been proposed. While these proposals look extravagant for a country with a small population and low GDP, it’s not implausible after the completion of the Laos-China Railway. Crucially, China would be involved in the construction and the Cambodian government (like Laos) would be willing to let them build it and take on the debt that goes with it.
Future Cambodia railways
Maps of future Cambodia railway lines
Current railways
Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville (metre gauge)
Phnom Penh-Poipet (metre gauge)
Proposed railways
Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville (standard gauge)
Phnom Penh-Poipet (standard gauge)
Phnom Penh-Bavet (standard gauge)
Phnom Penh-Siem Reap-Sisophon (standard gauge)
Phnom Penh-Preah Vihear province (standard gauge)
Cambodia railway resources
Cambodia railway news
Maps of future Cambodia railway lines
This map shows the end destination for each line. This is to give a general overview, and it is not exact locations of future stations.
[Map of future Cambodia railway lines.]
Railway Rehabilitation and Development in Cambodia for the Trans-Asian Railway Network [PDF]
Fifth meeting of the working group on the Trans-Asian Railway Network and Global Smart Rail Conference – Busan, Republic of Korea, 13-15 June 2017.
Current Railways
Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville
The Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Railway (Southern Line) takes 7.5 hours to travel 264 km (35.2 km/h).
Here is my travel review of the Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville train.
Manet calls for Cambodia’s railways to get back on track – [07/11/23]
“Prime Minister Hun Manet has instructed the relevant authorities to expedite studies into upgrades to the Phnom Penh to Preah Sihanouk railway line. He suggested that the maximum speed on the line should be increased to 80km/h, in order to expedite the transportation of goods and promote economic growth.”
Phnom Penh-Poipet
The Phnom Penh-Poipet Railway (Northern Line) is a 386 km line that travels to the Thailand border. The line is connected to Thailand but there are no services operating yet.
Proposed Railways
Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville
The Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville railway is a proposed new standard-gauge railway that would replace the current Southern Line. The government and media have been reporting this as a high-speed railway, but it’s a semi-high-speed railway (160 km/h). This is the same speed as the Laos-China Railway.
Study underway for Phnom Penh-S’ville high-speed rail – [04/07/23]
“A feasibility study is underway on a proposed project to convert the Southern Railway Line that links Phnom Penh with Preah Sihanouk province into high-speed rail to better handle the growing demand for passenger and freight transit, according to Minister of Public Works and Transport Sun Chanthol.”
Phnom Penh-Poipet
The proposed Phnom Penh – Poipet railway would be a new standard-gauge semi-high-speed railway (160 km/h) that would ultimately replace the current Northern Line. This would stop at the Cambodia-Thailand border, but Thailand has not announced plans to upgrade the existing metre-gauge railway to a standard-gauge railway.
Phnom Penh-Poipet news
Cambodian railway regauging study completed – [09/02/23]
“A feasibility study for a further rebuild of the 382 km line from Phnom Penh to Poipet on the Thai border was submitted to the government on January 24.”
Phnom Penh-Bavet
The proposed Phnom Penh-Bavet railway would form part of the Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City railway. The line would be built to Bavet on the Cambodia-Vietnam border, and then it would be up to Vietnam to build the railway from Moc Bai to Ho Chi Minh City.
Read more about the proposed Phnom Penh – Ho Chi Minh City Railway.
Phnom Penh-Siem Reap-Sisophon
The Phnom Penh – Siem Reap Railway is a proposed new railway connecting the capital of Cambodia to the tourism hotspot of Siem Reap (the city near Angkor).
Read more about the proposed Phnom Penh – Siem Reap Railway.
Other plans have shown the railway being extended from Sien Reap to Sisophon. That would effectively create a Bangkok to Siem Reap train service.
Phnom Penh-Preah Vihear province
The proposed Phnom Penh Preah Vihear province railway would be built to connect Cambodia to Southern Laos, which would then be connected to Vientiane. This been proposed has been officially proposed a few times, most recently in 2023.
Phnom Penh-Preah Vihear province railway news
Cambodia-Laos discuss building high-speed rail between two countries – [13/02/23]
“Prime Minister Hun Sen added that the two countries also agreed to connect Champasak province with Preah Vihear province and with Ratanakkiri province in between.”
Railway firm eyes Cambodia – [25/04/17]
“In 2010, two Chinese owned-companies, Cambodia Iron & Steel Mining Industry Group and the China Railway Group, signed a joint venture worth $9.6 billion to build a new railway line with 11 stations as well as an iron and steel factory in Preah Vihear province.
The companies, in a joint statement, said the railway will be 405km long, stretching from the mining area of Preah Vihear province through the southern provinces of Kampong Thom, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu and finally Koh Kong province. It will not connect to the existing lines of Toll Royal Railways.”
Cambodia railway resources
Cambodia railways guide – Travel information for trains that are operating in Cambodia.
skyscrapercity.com Cambodia railway forum – News and discussion.
Cambodian Trains and Railways – Facebook group.
Cambodia railway news
$10 billion railway development plan to drive economic growth – [14/11/24]
Government appoints national committee to push railway construction – [19/10/24]
“In response to a call from the Prime Minister to speed up negotiations for railway projects, a committee has been formed to steer the process.”
PM urges railway development (VIDEO) – [15/10/24]
“Prime Minister Hun Manet has called on Peng Ponea, Minister of Public Works and Transport, and Neak Oknha Kith Meng, President of the Cambodian Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Group, to finalise the railway project memorandum of understanding (MoU) by year’s end.”
PM Calls For Swift End to Railway Negotiations – [14/10/24]
“Hun Manet has threatened to remove associated parties from the project if an agreement is not met by the end of the year, calling on tycoon Kith Meng and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport to speed up the process.”
All aboard: Manet urges acceleration of rail improvements – [14/10/24]
“Prime Minister Hun Manet has instructed the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Royal Railway Cambodia to expedite discussions and finalise a memorandum of understanding (MoU), aimed to enhance the Kingdom’s rail infrastructure, by the end of the year.”
Insights into Cambodia’s $36 billion facelift – [17/06/24]
“Additionally, the plan envisions the establishment of a new railway to Vietnam from Phnom Penh through Prey Veng and Svay Rieng by 2030, with three more railways planned for 2050, connecting to Vietnam from Kampong Cham province, Kampong Cham to Laos via Kratie and Stung Treng, and a high-speed train from Kampong Cham to Thailand via Banteay Meanchey.”
Cambodia plans to transform existing railways into high-speed railways and build two more between 2028-2033 – [06/04/24]
“The railway development plan in Cambodia is divided into two phases: the medium phase from 2023 to 2027 and the long term from 2028 to 2033.
According to Peng Ponea, in the medium term, Cambodia has three railway development projects, including: transforming the current two railways (Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh-Poipet) into a faster-than-current railway; the second and third projects are to build a railway connecting Phnom Penh to Techo International Airport and connecting Siem Reap International Airport to Siem Reap.
Separately, for the long term, from 2028 to 2033, Cambodia has five railway development projects, including the construction of the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh-Poipet high-speed rail and the construction of Phnom Penh-Bavet high-speed rail to the Vietnamese border, Phnom Penh to Poipet through Kampong Thom and Siem Reap.”
French company interested in new railway projects in Cambodia – [16/01/24]
“Mr. Philippe Delleur, Senior Vice President of Alstom, an investment company in the field of rail transportation and high-speed rail production, metro monorail and TRAM, has expressed interest in investing in urban planning and transport links and a railway from Phnom Penh to the airport or other areas.”
Chinese Railway Company commits over US$5bn for ambitious Cambodian railway network expansion – [21/10/23]
“China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) is poised to propel Cambodia’s infrastructure development forward with a colossal investment exceeding US$5.3 billion, spanning a total of 53 strategic projects.”
PM emphasises the direction of the development of the Cambodian railway to cover the whole country (VIDEO) – [17/10/23]
“In a meeting with Wang Jianping, Chairman of the Board of China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), Dr. Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, emphasised the direction of the development of the Cambodian railway system to have the capacity to cover the whole country.”
Cambodia-China rail link under government’s radar – [12/07/23]
“The Royal Government of Cambodia aims to transform the country’s current railway system into high-speed railways and connect it with the Pan-Asia Railway Network, facilitating train journeys from the Kingdom to Laos, China, Thailand and Vietnam, said Sun Chanthol, Minister of Public Works and Transport, yesterday.”
Malaysia’s China Railway Group expresses interest in Cambodia’s high-speed rail project – [10/03/23]
China’s Xi announced $44M grant to Kingdom – [10/02/23]
“Chinese President Xi Jinping on February 10 announced a 300 million yuan ($44 million) grant package to support the Kingdom’s railway ambitions, which are expected to improve the livelihoods of many Cambodians, according to National Television of Cambodia (TVK).”
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