News: February 2024

Welcome to another edition of Southeast Asia Railway News.

I spent most of this month in Vietnam where my rail travels were confined to research. I went on a road trip to a neighbouring province of Ho Chi Minh City to follow the path of a proposed railway along a resort coast. This railway is unlikely to happen, but I wanted to see what was happening along the coast.

I’m now in Australia on a short visit, and I am planning rail trips for 6 countries when I return to Southeast Asia.

Here is a summary of news and stories of rail travel in Southeast Asia over the last month.

News

• Eastern & Oriental Express sets off after a four-year hiatus

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• The Bamboo Railway in Battambang is a makeshift trolley railway that runs on the Phnom Penh -Poipet rail line. It has become such a tourist attraction that the concept has been reproduced on a new rail line. It looks more like a theme park ride, but I will check it out the next time I am in Battambang.

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Whoosh train passenger traffic up 50% on Chinese New Year

• BRI's Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway: High costs but high returns

• Jakarta-Surabaya semi-high speed train crossed off national strategic project list

🇱🇦 Laos

• An update on the Bangkok - Khamsavath (Vientiane) service. It was reported last month that this cross-border service would start in April. It is now looking like it will start around 13 - 20 May 2024

• China-Laos Railway's first Spring Festival travel rush boosts cross-border tourism

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• New Malaysian bids to revive KL-Singapore high-speed rail, but govt funding remains missing link

• Transport Ministry says mulling inter-state express train services that operate even outside festive seasons

• RM5 or one-way ticket on KTM's Shuttle Tebrau for M'sians from Aug 1

• Travellers rejoice! Footbridge linking KTM Padang Besar to Thai border has finally reopened!

🇵🇭 Philippines

• Renaissance: DOTr works to bring back the glory days of Philippine railway system

• DOTr eyes fast-tracking rail projects through Japanese aid

• Mindanao Railway Project-Phase 3 feasibility study starts

🇹🇭 Thailand

• SRT approves three double-track routes 

”They comprise the 281km Pak Nam Pho-Denchai route, which costs 81.14 billion baht; the 308km Jira Junction-Ubon Ratchathani route (44.1 billion baht); and the 45km Hat Yai-Padang Besar route (7.9 billion baht).”

• Sino-Thai rail link set for 2-year, B4bn delay

• Incentives extended for EEC rail line builder

"The Board of Investment (BoI) has agreed to extend new privileges to the builder of a high-speed railway linking three airports, in a fresh effort to unlock the 224-billion-baht transport infrastructure project in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC)."

• Hua Hin Mayor engages in talks to revitalize old train station area

• Thailand’s most unusual train ride is chaotic and surreal

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• North-South express railway line project to be submitted to Politburo in March

"The Government’s standing members at a recent meeting assigned the MoT to continue to collect opinions from experts, scientists, and experienced officials in the railway industry to choose an optimal solution for submission to the Political Bureau in March."

• WB evaluates Vietnam’s railway projects before financing

“Some four railway projects that the WB is paying attention to include the eastern belt railway project in Hanoi, the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau railway project, the Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho railway project, and the railway traffic safety project.”

• Ministry to evaluate pre-feasibility study report on HCMC-Can Tho railway

• World-renowned Eastern & Oriental Express train to operate in Vietnam