After a 14-year wait, scheduled passenger train services between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville will resume on April 9, according to a statement issued by Royal Railways on Monday.
The company, which holds a 30-year concession to operate the country’s rail network, will inaugurate the 266-km, 8 1/2-hour journey with a service from the capital to the coast departing at 7 a.m.
Over the next eight days—the Khmer New Year holiday period—trains will leave both cities at 7 a.m. each morning.
“The schedule will be part of an initial phase to trial the service to see if it is popular,” Royal Railways CEO John Guiry said. “The train will also stop at passenger-ready stations at Takeo and Kampot.”
The two trains will be able to carry between 130 and 165 passengers each and travel at an average speed of about 30 to 40 km per hour, said Somoeun Tith, commercial manager for Royal Railways.
“We will also offer services to rent out carriages for events and conferences,” he said. A one-way ticket will cost about $7, according to Mr. Guiry.
