Cambodia - New Rail Service
 

You can now get between Phnom Penh-Kampot- S'ville in relative comfort by rail. Here's a report by someone who tried it out recently...

"We took the train from Kampot to Phnom Penh. The ticket does specify a seat number but when we got on the train, the conductor said those seat numbers did not exist and in any case everyone was just sitting wherever. The conductor spoke very good English. The two carriages were about 40% occupied. They showed silent Charlie Chaplin films on two flat-screen TVs in each carriage (this was the air-con train). The train rattles along nicely and rarely stops. We enjoyed the trip greatly, the views are so nice compared to the roadside scenery. The seats were quite comfortable, nicely padded. The rolling stock was French. Good food was available at each station where everyone seems to get out and stretch their legs. One problem with the new service has been a fair few collisions with road traffic. Cambodian rules of the road permit anyone driving a large truck or expensive SUV to consider themselves deserving of priority over other traffic. It's taking them a while to understand this does not work with trains that cannot stop easily! So far, however, no rail passengers or staff have been injured. The main source of casualties on the new line seems to involve people who get drunk and consider the line to be a good place to take a nap."

Full details, timetable, fares snd booking are on The man in Seat61 website for rail travel in Cambodia

Thanks for posting LL. Seems the train journey to Kampot takes over 5 hours, more than twice the time by car. A much nicer and cheaper way to travel though! Hopefully Kampot won't become too busy. Part of the charm was ten laid back vibe of the place.

Yep, part of the appeal of rail travel in Asia [for me] is that you don't zoom past the scenery. I love stopping at small stations every few miles. And as well as passengers getting om and off there's also the changeover of colourful vendors flogging different types of food and wares. Plus a train will chug slowly through neighbourhoods which are normally unseen by tourists.

I'm really looking forward to February, and getting the early morning 3rd Class train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi, and the Death Railway journey between Nam Tok and the Bridge on the River Kwai.

Thanks LL. Definitely a step up from the Bamboo Express!

Indeed Thursdaysd! My backside took a few days to recover from our trip on that. Apparently the days of the Bamboo train are limited as they are relaying the track from PP to Battambang. I wonder when that will be operational???

Pity - I loved the Bamboo Express - but I wasn't on it for very long.

<<<Thanks LL. Definitely a step up from the Bamboo Express!>>>

Our tuk tuk driver took the padded passenger seat out of the tuk tuk so that our bamboo train could have a 1st Class touch to it. For once my posterior was grateful not to be in 3rd Class.

Thanks, Lad. Sounds great, except for the "fair few collisions with road traffic." !!