Cambodia
2.4 Cambodia Railway Assessment
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Cambodia Railways

  • total - 603 km
  • narrow gauge - 603 km 1000 mm gauge

Cambodia has two rail lines, both originating in Phnom Penh of, in total around 600 kilometers of single, one-meter-gauge track. 

The first line was built in 1942 and runs from Phnom Penh to Poipet at the Thai border.The final connection with Thailand has been done by Royal State Railways in 1942.

The second line, running from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville at the southern coast was constructed between 1960 and 1969.

The service between Phnom Penh and Battambang has been reduced from a daily to weekly basis due to the lack of funds to maintain the tracks and rolling stock. Even diesel-electric locomotives cannot run on the tracks due to the dilapidated condition. Derailing of trains in operation is not infrequent.

The Royal Government of Cambodia has outsourced its railway operations under a 30 year exclusive concession for Toll (Cambodia) Co., Ltd (Trading as Toll Royal Railway) to operate the Cambodian Railway Network. The Asian Development Bank and AusAID have agreed to fund US$ 140 million for network and infrastructure upgrade, which includes the southern line (254 km) from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville, the northern line (388 km) from Phnom Penh to Poipet (line rehabilitation) and the missing link (48 km) from Poipet to Sisophon (line reinstatement). It also included the provision for infrastructure including the construction of new inter-modal freight terminal on outskirts of Phnom Penh (Samrong). Toll has a 55% shareholding in the railway concession while the Royal Group has a 45% shareholding in the railway concession. (source http://royal-railway.com/)

The first line to be reopened as part of this project were the 117 km (73 mi) section between Phnom Penh and Touk Meas (http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/rail-revival-to-replace-bamboo-trains.html) and the complete Southern line to Sihanoukville Port which opened, for freight traffic, in January 2012 (http://www.tandlnews.com.au/2012/01/17/article/toll-royal-railway-opens-phase-one-of-the-cambodian-railway/).

The Western line connecting to the Thai rail network via Poipet is currently being reconstructed, and a new railway connecting Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City is in planning, which would complete the rail link from Singapore to Kunming (http://www.voanews.com/content/cambodia-takes-first-step-in-connecting-regional-railways-105662543/166537.html).

China Railway Group is planning to build a 405 km north-south railway across Cambodia, which would support planned expansion of the steel industry in Cambodia (http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/railway-planned-to-link-steel-plant-and-port.html).

Connection to Thai railway is under construction.

 

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Cambodia Government Contact List .

Travel Time Matrix

 

Phnom Penh

Dry Port*

Touk Meas

Kampot

Sihanouk Ville*

Phnom Penh

Dry Port*

 

4hrs

6hrs

 8hrs

* Main stations

Railway Companies and Consortia

As mentioned above, Toll (Cambodia) Co., Ltd (Trading as Toll Royal Railway) has a 30 year exclusive concession to operate the Cambodian Railway Network

For more information on railway company contact details, please see the following link: HQ staff will input a link to section 4.9 Railway Companies Contact List here.

Capacity Table

Rail Operator Capacity

 

Royal Railway

Lines Operates On

1 line (Phnom Penh- Sihanouk Ville)

Max Train Length and / or Pulling Capacity

1000m

Locomotives

9 diesel

Covered Freight Wagons Size (m)

140 wagons, 140 tank-tainers

Flatbed Freight Wagons Size (m)

42 units

High-sided Freight Wagons Size (m)

n/a

Drop-side Freight Wagons Size (m)

n/a

Key Route Information

War and continuing fighting severely damaged Cambodia's transportation system — a system that had been inadequately developed in peacetime. The country's weak infrastructure hindered emergency relief efforts and created tremendous problems of procurement of supplies in general and of distribution.

 

Phnom Penh to Sihanouk Ville

Track Gauge

1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in)

Ruling Gradient

 

Total Track Distance

266km

Type of Rail

 

Type of Sleeper and Fastenings

Concrete

Total Track Travel Time

8hrs

Maintenance

Daily

Companies / Consortiums Operating on Line

n/a

Traffic Frequency

Medium

Security

Good

Main Stations

Phnom Penh, Kampot, Sihanoukville

Key Stations

Key Station Information

 

Station Name

Station Name

Station Name

Location

Phnom Penh

Kampot

Sihanouk Ville

Contact Information

Tith Sam Oeun

Tith Sam Oeun

Tith Sam Oeun

Connections with Other

Transport Means

Road / Waterways / Air (Connect to road only)

Road / Waterways / Air (Connect to road only)

Road / Waterways / Air

(Connect to sea port)

Storage Capacity

(m2 and m3)

3 warehouses storage =3,000m2, Land 16h

Siding loop

Warehouse storage =6,000m2 in Sihanouk Ville station, Rail CY in Sihanouk Ville Port.

Handling Equipment

Cranes 3 units 35mtn, Reach stacker 1 units 40mtn. Crane 1 unit of 70mtn.

As requires

Cooperate with port authority equipment.

Handling Capacity

MT / Hour: TBA
TEU / Hour:25 containers

MT / Hour
TEU / Hour

MT / Hour: TBA
TEU / Hour:25 containers

Other Comments

No

No

No

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