PHNOM PENH, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's passenger train services ran on trial Wednesday on the 385-km track between Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, and Poipet city on the border with Thailand after a 45-year hiatus, Minister of Public Works and Transport Sun Chanthol said.
"It's another historic day for our nation," he said during the launching of passenger train services on the last 166-km section of the rail line from Pursat province to Phnom Penh. "From now on, passengers can travel from Phnom Penh to Poipet city by train for the first time in 45 years."
He said in the near future, passengers will be able to travel by train from Poipet city to Thailand and from Thailand to Singapore.
Chanthol said Thai Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith will visit Cambodia and hold talks with him to finalize the negotiations on the rail transport agreement between Cambodia and Thailand.
"When the agreement is signed, we can travel and transport goods from Phnom Penh to Bangkok and Singapore," he said.
According to the minister, this rail line would play a key role in facilitating trade and the movement of people between Cambodia and Thailand, and train fares are much cheaper than those of buses.
He said the train's average speed is 40 km per hour.
Cambodia has two lines of railroads. The 385-km northern line runs from Phnom Penh to Poipet city in Banteay Meanchey province, and the 266-km southern line connects Phnom Penh to the coastal province of Preah Sihanouk.
The two lines, which had been built between 1929 and 1969, were damaged during decades of civil war.
In 2016, the passenger train services between Phnom Penh and Preah Sihanouk province resumed after a 14-year suspension due to poor railway conditions.
Cambodia has officially launched temporary service of the 166-kilometre railway between Phnom Penh capital and Pursat province.
The launching ceremony was held in the presence of Senior Minister and Minister of Public Works and Transport H.E. Sun Chanthol and Pursat Provincial Governor H.E. Mao Thonin.
The service is operated free of charge for passenger until the end of July 2018, according to H.E. Sun Chanthol.
Built at a total cost of US$23.4 million, the national budget, the Pursat-Phnom Penh rail line was launched to resume the full operation of the 386-kilometre Northern Line, after its rehabilitation began in 2009. It was originally built and used between 1929 and 1942 during the French colonial era; Cambodias civil war did not only destroy parts of it, but also led to pause of its operation until now.
The Northern Line is a potential economic route for transportation of Cambodian products to regional markets, H.E. Sun Chanthol underlined, adding that it will also contribute significantly to reducing traffic congestion and accidents and to enhancing the countrys competitiveness in terms of transport.
The Northern Line connects Phnom Penh to Poipet, at the border with Thailand, crossing Kandal, Kampong Speu, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat, Battambang, and Banteay Meanchey provinces. Its renovation cost more than US$83 million, of which some US$70 million is the national budget and the rest is from the Asian Development Bank.
Besides the Northern Line, the Southern Line of over 260 kilometres long from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville of Preah Sihanouk province, passing through Takeo and Kampot provinces, has been already renovated and put into operation.
According to H.E. Senior Minister, Cambodia is looking for investors and partners to build some other rails, including Phnom Penh-Snuol-Stung Treng, Phnom Penh-Siem Reap-Serey Sophorn railways, and another one to Vietnam.
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