News: August 2023

Welcome to the Southeast Asia Railways Newsletter. I was in Sumatra at the start of the month where I rode the main lines of the North Sumatra Railways. I will have a guide for that railway at Nomadic Notes.

The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway didn’t open as planned, so I will include that on my next visit to Indonesia.

Here are the main news stories of the month for railways in Southeast Asia.

News

🇰🇭 Cambodia

There are new airports being built for Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and they are both a long distance from the city centre. Light railways have been proposed for both airports.

• Siem Reap to build light rail line from Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport to Siem Reap city

• Construction of new lightweight railway in Kandal discussed

“Kandal provincial administration and a Chinese firm have discussed the construction project of a new lightweight railway connecting the Techo International Airport in Kandal province with Phnom Penh capital.”

🇮🇩 Indonesia

The high-speed railway project has been delayed again. It now looks like test runs in September and opening in October.

• Jokowi to board the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train in a trial in September

• With Indonesia’s high-speed rail set to launch in September, authorities look to Surabaya for phase two

🇱🇦 Laos

• Laos-China Railway to increase ticket prices by 20 percent this year

• What it’s like to travel the first rail route through Laos

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• KL-SG HSR Project: Malaysia to submit new proposal once initial decision is made, says Anwar

• ECRL construction nears halfway mark, 25 tunnel breakthroughs achieved

• Malaysia working on plans to build Sabah, Sarawak rail link to Indonesia's new capital

• Malaysia's iconic 'Jungle Railway': One of Southeast Asia's greatest train journeys

• Turn KTM route into non-stop shuttle service to reduce congestion’

The Johor Baru-Woodlands cross-border shuttle runs infrequently, and the peak-hour tickets sell out a month in advance. This is the easiest win to immediately reduce overcrowding at the border crossing.

• 8-hour train journey from S’pore to KL costs S$15, admire scenery on the go

🇲🇲 Myanmar

• Northeast to have first international cross-border railway connectivity from India to Bhutan and Myanmar

• The majesty of crossing Myanmar on colonial-era trains

🇵🇭 Philippines

• Albay-CamSur train trips resume after 6 years

🇸🇬 Singapore

• S’pore-KL high-speed rail: No new proposal from Malaysia yet, says Chee Hong Tat

🇹🇭 Thailand

• Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed train expected to enter service in 2027

• More double-track railways to open this year

• Northeast line upgrades to finish in 2024

• CP-led consortium needs BOI certification before work on railway linking 3 airports can kick off 

• Pov: you take an overnight 3rd class train ticket in Thailand

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Da Lat- Thap Cham railway’s restoration to be completed by 2030

• Railway proposed to link Vung Ang to Laos

• Hanoi wants tourists to stop visiting one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions

• Vignette: On the North-South train, a pastiche of the human condition