ResidentialBusiness Posted January 29 Report Posted January 29 A review of the Japanese KiHa 183 series train that operates between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville. In 2024 the Royal Railway of Cambodia acquired 11 KiHa 183 series train carriages from JR Hokkaido in Japan. The trains were converted from 1067mm gauge to metre gauge, and a test service began on the Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville route in November 2024. This retired train from snowy Hokkaido now has a new life in tropical Cambodia. I rode the service from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville in December 2024, and it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable train trips I’ve taken in Southeast Asia. Here is what to expect. Southern Line Phnom Penh – Sihanoukville Depart Phnom Penh: 7:00 am Arrive Sihanoukville: 12:40 pm Travel time: 5 h 40 m The main stops are: Phnom Penh Takeo Kep Kampot Sihanoukville The official booking site is at https://royalrailway.easybook.com. I use Baolau to buy Cambodia train tickets. Tickets are also available at the station. [Phnom Penh Station ticket counter.] Phnom Penh Station Phnom Penh Station is one of my favourite stations in Southeast Asia. The station is in a good location near the city centre, which is how it should be for the main stations for capital cities. There is a cafe in the station (Coffee Hub Royal Railway) which is advertised as opening at 6:30. The station building wasn’t open when I arrived, so passenger entry to the platforms was via the side of the building. There is a cafe and snack stand in an old train carriage next to the side exit. This was the only place open in the morning. There were also some food vendors selling pre-made meals (pork and egg with rice). There are only two train services per day from Phnom Penh, and they bother depart in the morning. [Battambang and Sihanoukville trains at Phnom Penh.] There is no assigned seating, so arrive early if you want to pick a preferred seat. I arrived at 6:30 so I could get photos of the train, though I discoved there were plenty of seats available on this day. [KiHa train at Phnom Penh Station.] Onboard the KiHa train to Sihanoukville Economy class seats are in 2×2 configuration. Having individual seats is a big improvement from the old trains with bench seats. The seats are generously padded, and I would say they are one of the most comfortable trains seats in Southeast Asia (I would put it in the top 3 with Whoosh and the Laos-China Railway). In addition to the comfortable seats, there is enough legroom to stretch out and not feel guilty about fully reclining your seat. The seats have backseat trays and there are power outlets. There was no food or drink service when I went (I bought the coffee at Phnom Penh Station). The carriages are air-conditoned, so but not set to freezing like some other railway in Southeast Asia do. There was another economy section with red seats. The Business Class seats are arranged in 2×1 configuration. The toilets are what you would expect from a Japanese train. The Japanese labels are still on the toilet instructions. There is also an external wash basin area. The trains can reportedly travel at up to 110 km/h, but they are still limited by the tracks they run on. The Southern Line is mostly a single track, so it still has to stop at passing loops to let other trains pass. Sihanoukville is the main shipping port of Cambodia, so container trains heading to Phnom Penh also use this line. The scenery gets more scenic in Kampot province. For many passengers, Kampot is the main destination. Overall this was an easy train trip, despite the slow train speed and stoppage to let a freight train pass. I have done this trip before on the old trains, and having a comfortable seat with ample legroom in an air-conditioned carriage makes a world of difference. The only downside was there was no food or drink service of any kind. Remember to bring your own drinks and snacks. The train arrived at Sihanoukville at 1:36 pm (56 minutes behind schedule). Delays are to be expected on this service, so don’t book any time-sensitive onward connections if you are using the train. [Kiha train at Sihanoukville.] Sihanoukville or Kampot? There is not much to do in Sihanoukville now that it has been turned into a casino wasteland, so this service is most useful for onward travel to Koh Rong. The downside to this is that the train takes longer than a bus to Sihanoukville, so it is a late arrival to Koh Rong. A better itinerary is to get off at Kampot, which gives you a long enough experience on the train while being a nicer city to stay in. This train travel review is part of the Southeast Asia railways guide. View the full article Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.