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Southeast Asia railways news and reviews
[March 2025] The Japanese train in Cambodia, East Coast Rail Link (Malaysia) to start operations in 2027, Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed rail operational by 2030, Lào Cai-Hà Nội-Hải Phòng railway to start construction in 2025
James Clark
March 06, 2025
Welcome to another edition of the Southeast Asia Railways Newsletter!
It’s been a while since I’ve published here, so a quick refresh about the newsletter. My name is James Clark, I write about train travel at Nomadic Notes, and I report on future railway development at Future Southeast Asia. The Southeast Asia Railways Newsletter is a summary of rail news (such as proposed railways) and it is also a round-up of train travel reviews in Southeast Asia.
This edition includes lots of updates on proposed and under construction railways, so there are many new lines to look forward to over the next decade. Note that some of these lines have been talked about for decades, so it is best to keep your expectations tempered.
James Clark (on the train from Battambang to Phnom Penh).
News
🇰🇭 Cambodia
News
• Cambodia strengthens railway infrastructure with new framework agreement [The Better Cambodia]
"The Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Royal Railway PLC have signed a Framework Agreement (FA) to enhance Cambodia’s railway infrastructure, ensuring sustainable and efficient transport solutions."
Reviews
• The Japanese train in Cambodia: Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville on the KiHa train from Hokkaido [Nomadic Notes]
• Battambang to Phnom Penh by train [Nomadic Notes]
🇮🇩 Indonesia
News
Karawang is a new stop on the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway line.
"The Whoosh high-speed train recorded a new record for the highest number of daily passengers on January 27, 2025. This number surpassed the previous record of July 5, 2024 with 24,132 tickets."
Reviews
• Few have heard of this scenic train journey through Indonesia (and it’s a bargain, too) [CNN Travel]
🇱🇦 Laos
News
• China-Laos Railway transports 43 million passengers in 3 years, acting as a new engine for regional economic development [Global Times]
This figure includes passengers on the 1,035-km line between Kunming and Vientiane
🇲🇾 Malaysia
News
"The overall progress of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, spanning four states -- Pahang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Selangor -- has reached 78.5 per cent as of last month, says Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan."
• Transport Ministry: Putrajaya finalising parameters for private-led development of KL-Singapore HSR [Malay Mail]
• Gemas-JB electric railway tracks set to complete by third quarter this year, says Loke [Malay Mail]
"The proposed Selangor Kita Rail Line connecting Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Sungai Pelek in Sepang and Tanjung Sepat in Kuala Langat is expected to take 10 years to complete once it receives the go-ahead from the government."
• ‘Trans-Borneo Railway project feasibility study will take 12 months’ [New Straits Times]
🇲🇲 Myanmar
News
• Naypyidaw-Yangon route to be operational from February 28 with new trains purchased from Japan [Eleven Media]
• MR introduces express trains, cutting Yangon-Mandalay travel time [Myanmar News Agency]
🇵🇭 Philippines
News
• PNR resumes Legazpi-Naga train trips [Philippine News Agency.]
"The Philippine National Railways (PNR) resumed its Legazpi-Naga operations on Wednesday after a three-month suspension of its passenger service."
🇸🇬 Singapore
News
• Bukit Timah Railway Station receives URA Heritage Award (Distinction) [Grant Associates UK]
🇹🇭 Thailand
News
• B300bn allocated for six double-track railway projects [Bangkok Post]
"The six routes are Pak Nam Pho-Den Chai (281 kilometres, 81.14 billion baht), Chira Junction-Ubon Ratchathani (308km, 44.1 billion baht), Hat Yai-Padang Besar (45km, 7.9 billion baht), Chumphon-Surat Thani (168km, 30.42 billion baht), Surat Thani-Hat Yai-Songkhla (321km, 66.27 billion baht) and Den Chai-Chiang Mai (189km, 68.22 billion baht)."
• High-speed rail project to commence service by 2030 – [Bangkok Post]
“The government has confirmed the Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed rail project, connecting to China’s high-speed railway network, will be operational by 2030.”
• Three-airport rail link work ‘could start in April’ [Bangkok Post]
"A recent meeting of the committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Pichai Chunhavajira, reviewed plans to amend the contract for the high-speed rail project linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-tapao airports."
Reviews
• Train No. 275: Bangkok to Ban Klong Luk Border (train to the Thailand-Cambodia border) [Nomadic Notes]
🇻🇳 Vietnam
News
• Lào Cai-Hà Nội-Hải Phòng railway line to start construction in 2025 [Viet Nam News]
• Vietnam’s high-speed North-South railway to break ground in December 2027 [VietNamNet Global]
"Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport has announced that construction of the high-speed North-South railway will begin in December 2027, with completion expected by 2035."
"Located at the gateway connecting the midland and northern mountainous regions with the Red River Delta and the capital city of Hanoi, Thai Nguyen Province possesses a comprehensive transport system including roads, railways, and waterways."
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