Royal Railway Cambodia Updates Passenger Trains & Routes - What To Know About Traveling By Train In Cambodia
Royal Railway, which runs passenger and freight services via rail in Cambodia, has recently acquired second-hand trains for domestic passenger services and has announced a new schedule to be launched in June 2024.
The growth of the rail network in the Kingdom has been painfully slow, despite their being promises of an expanded and even international network for more than a decade which have not materialised. The domestic services are popular, especially over the weekends and on national holidays with Cambodians and foreigners and some cargo routes have opened up via the Thailand border.
Passenger and public safety have been an ongoing concern as there have been some recent incidents impacting both cargo and passenger trains and there is a campaign to try and help educate the public on railroad crossings in particular.
While in the region there are massive investments to connect an ASEAN rail network, Cambodia still has no regular international routes.
- Vientiane is connected to China via a Chinese-funded high-speed train which has been operating since 2021.
- Thailand and Laos are preparing to open a railway network connecting Bangkok and Vientiane in 2024.
- In mid-2024 a High Speed Rail (Hong Kong Section) will introduce a new overnight sleeper train service between Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai.
Japanese Trains Purchased For Cambodian Railways
In 2024, Royal Railway Cambodia (RRC), which is part of The Royal Group, procured 11 high-speed locomotives from Japan, and in June a meeting was led by H.E. Peng Ponea, Minister of Public Works and Transport. and Mr. John Guiry, CEO of Royal Railway Cambodia, to discuss the status and technical specifications of the carriages. The price of purchasing the trains has not been announced and will remain confidential information said Royal Railways.
The 11 used diesel trains are the KiHa 183 series and were acquired from Japanese railway company JR Hokkaido. The trains, previously operated on 1067-millimetre gauge lines in Japan and have been adapted for Cambodia’s 1000-millimetre gauge railway network. The testing of these trains on the local network took place in early June 2024.
The trains are capable of speeds up to 110 km/h, but it's unclear what speeds they will travel in Cambodia or if they will be used on the newly announced passenger routes (see below) as the length of the journeys has not been announced (just the departing times).
New Domestic Cambodia Train Schedule 2024
The routes offer services from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville (and vice versa), as well as Phnom Penh to Poipet (and vice versa) and it's best to check the official Facebook page for Royal Railway Cambodia.
The Phnom Penh train station, which was only a few years ago renovated into the Royal Train Square, has again been gutted in 2024 for another re-modelling. The station is a popular art deco building in the Cambodian capital.
John Guiry, CEO of Royal Railway Cambodia said previously that there are plans to expand the national rail network to other regions in Cambodia.
Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville Passenger Trains
The Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville route is commonly referred to as the Southern line.
Departure times from Phnom Penh daily are at 7AM and 4PM
- Phnom Penh » Takeo
- Phnom Penh » Kampong Trach
- Phnom Penh » Kep
- Phnom Penh » Kampot
- Phnom Penh » Field Run
- Phnom Penh » Kampong Som
Departure times from Sihanoukville city daily are at 8AM and 2PM
- Takeo » Phnom Penh
- Kampong Trach » Phnom Penh
- Kep » Phnom Penh
- Kampot » Phnom Penh
- Veal Ran » Phnom Penh
- Kampong Som » Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh - Poipet Passenger Trains
The Phnom Penh to Poipet route is commonly referred to as the Northern line. In April 2024, the Ministry of Public Works said a 382-kilometre high-speed railway project requires an investment of more than USD $4 billion to complete.
Departure time from Phnom Penh daily is at 06:40AM daily.
- Phnom Penh » Kampong Chhnang
- Phnom Penh » Pursat
- Phnom Penh » Mong
- Phnom Penh » Battambang
- Phnom Penh » Thmor Kol
- Phnom Penh » Banteay Meanchey
- Phnom Penh » Poipet
Departure time from Poipet at 07:00AM daily
- Poipet » Phnom Penh
- Banteay Meanchey » Phnom Penh
- Thmor Kol » Phnom Penh
- Battambang » Phnom Penh
- Mong » Phnom Penh
- Pursat » Phnom Penh
- Kampong Chnang » Phnom Penh
How Can Passengers Buy Rail Tickets In Cambodia?
The Japanese carriages are designed to carry 64 passengers and with ticket prices around USD $10 dollars for the full length of a journey (for example Phnom Penh- Sihanoukville one way).
Passengers can buy tickets directly at stations at the stops in Cambodia, or use the online booking portal but there are several times passengers have vented frustrations online at the lack of clarity over when the stations are open to buying tickets and for issues such as unannounced delays of train time departures. Once booked, tickets are strictly non-changeable and non-refundable.
From our experience, many of the stops also don't have full mobility accessibility for those who need ramps or assistance to board and disembark trains which is unfortunate.
The former Royal Railway website no longer is operational which could have been a great source of providing information for local and international guests (the booking site is operational). Instead Facebook Groups such as “Cambodian Trains and Railways” have become a primary source of information - all of which need to be addressed if there are realistic ambitions to grow the trust in the services and the rail network.
Phnom Penh Techno International Airport (TIA) - Terminal-to-central-city Railway
It has been announced that preparations are underway for the new Phnom Penh Techno International Airport (TIA) terminal-to-central-city railway development. The idea has been touted previously, and with the airport, due to be operational as soon as 2025 (first phase), the passenger rail link is due to connect to a logistics hub to assist in moving passengers to and from the city and airport terminals without adding to road congestion.
Charles Vann, Director of Cambodia Airport Investment Co., Ltd. (CAIC) said in June 2024, "We have prepared land for the future development of a railway along the 60 Meter Road that is built from the airport.” The road is also known as Samdech Techo Hun Sen Boulevard.