The railway connection between Thailand and Cambodia was interrupted in 1974 due to the war in Cambodia. Since then there was no direct railway traffic between the two countries. As railroad transportation is an effective, cheap, and safe transportation method, both countries expect that establishing the railway link will boost trade and tourism between Thailand and Cambodia and improve overall connectivity with other Asean and Greater Mekong Subregion countries.
Cambodia also expressed their intention to further develop railway transportation within the country. Now the country has two railway lines – the southern railway that links Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville on the coast, and the northern railway that connects the capital to the border city of Poipet.
Thailand boasts a much more developed network of railway lines. As of 2018, the network serves 47 provinces and around 35 million passengers annually. The passenger count is expected to double by 2027 when expansion plans are realised and the network grows to serve 61 provinces.
Thai and Cambodian Railways Are Now Connected
News in Asia
Hurray, yesterday Cambodian and Thai railroad networks were connected after over 40 years of separation. The heads of the both states, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, attended the inauguration ceremony on April, 22 and embarked on a train journey over the border.