The third phase of the 107km Poipet-Phnom Penh rail line, which connects Battambang to Pursat town, began preliminary testing on Tuesday, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport said.
It said the final stage of the line, which will link Pursat to Phnom Penh, is set for completion on July 4 and stretches 166 km.
“Travelling by train from Battambang to Pursat will take about 3.5 hours. The trains will travel at speeds of between 30 and 40km per hour,” Ly Borin, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, said.
The completed Battambang-Pursat route is the third rail line connecting the Kingdom’s northeast with the capital to be upgraded.
Earlier upgrades were lines from Serei Saophoan to Poipet and Battambang town to Serei Saophoan. They were opened for testing on April 4 and April 29, respectively.
Borin said when the latest line is fully operational, it will contribute to Cambodia’s economic growth, and provide safe and cost-effective transportation of goods.
He expressed hope that a Phnom Penh to Bangkok line will begin by the end of the year.
John Guiry, the CEO of Toll Royal Railway, which in 2010 won the 30-year concession to operate and upgrade the Cambodian rail network, said the test passenger service from Battambang to Poipet was running well.
