Japanese Train Expected to Boost National Rail System
Cambodia is slated to receive an 11-carriage train from Japan that can reach up to 110 km/h, expected to vastly improve the Kingdom’s rail system.
The Royal Railway of Cambodia has acquired a KiHa 183 series train with 11 carriages, which is expected to arrive at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port on April 27, with an expert predicting investment in train transportation will help to reduce poverty.
On April 15, 11 rail carriages were transferred to Cambodia, departing from Hakodate Port in Japan. The Royal Railway will use the KiHa 183 series as future rolling stock on passenger lines throughout the Kingdom, according to RailTravel Station.
KiHa 183
“These 11 train cars are the second batch of KiHa 183s originally destined for Sierra Leone, however, the plan to do so has failed, with the deal subsequently terminated by ARISE IIP, and [they] are now sold to Cambodia instead,” it said.
The train can reach a speed of up to 110 km/h.
John Guiry, CEO of Royal Railway Cambodia, told Kiripost via email that the train will provide passengers with greater flexibility, adding that it will also create opportunities for improved connectivity and logistics within the country.
“It can comfortably accommodate 64 passengers per carriage, and the estimated cost of a train ticket will be $9,” he said. “It can run on existing tracks.”
He said that the train will travel both north and south. In addition, it will bring economic benefits for passengers. “Trains carry more people there [to the provinces]. It is cheaper by train.”
According to RailTravel Station, the KiHa 183 series ceased operations for JR Hokkaido on March 18, 2023. March 17, 2023, was the final day that JR Hokkaido’s KiHa 183 series operations took place.
Guiry said that they decided not to import a new train due to the cost, instead investing in the redundant Japanese train. However, he did not disclose the price as he said it is confidential information.
Cambodia currently has two railroads, Phnom Penh to Poipet and Phnom Penh to Preah Sihanouk province. The railway network is under the management of the Royal Railway Cambodia, a division of the conglomerate Royal Group.
Guiry said that there are plans to expand the network to other regions in Cambodia, adding that the train investment will benefit the economy.
Meanwhile, Hong Vannak, an economic researcher at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that as trains from Japan have never been imported to Cambodia before, this is another step in the nation’s development.
He added that before importing the train from Japan, Cambodia only had a train using coal and firewood to operate, meaning they can only reach speeds of about 40 to 50 km/h. Therefore, this investment is a form of strategy.
“It means more transport and less spending,” he said.
He added that using trains for transportation has less of an impact on the environment in comparison to driving vehicles.
“Cambodia should invest more in trains because it helps to cut down on poverty and save money on road repairs,” he said.
In addition, Vannak said that the new investment puts the nation in competition with neighbouring countries whose economies have long relied on rail transportation.
However, he questioned how fast the new train could move due to the current railway track. “If the railway track isn’t smooth enough, the train won’t reach 110 km/h as we expect,” he said.
“I hope that the Royal Railway Cambodia will develop our railway track to be more modern.”
Source: kiripost 18-Apr-2024 & southeastasiainfra