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.
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.
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 with the intention of connecting 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
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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