How to travel from Battambang to Phnom Penh by train

In a country with a limited (but growing) rail network, Battambang and Phnom Penh are two of the lucky places still connected by a daily train service.

Until recently, this journey originated/terminated in Poipet at the Thai border but, for political and logistical reasons, it now only goes as far as Battambang. For tourists visiting the country who want to see two of its most enticing regions, the train is the ideal way to travel.

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Route map and details

After slowly (but loudly) leaving Battambang Station, the train is soon out in the open countryside, passing through rice fields and small villages. The only major stop on the route is at Pursat, where the train will pause for ten or fifteen minutes, enough time to buy some food or drinks.

For this first section of the route, the train runs parallel to Tonlé Sap (the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia), but it’s 30km away, just out of sight.

The final leg is through the outskirts of Phnom Penh, arriving into the small main station around 9.30pm.

Timetables

Only one train per day runs on the line from Battambang to Phnom Penh. It’s the same train that arrived earlier in the day from Phnom Penh; after waiting in the station for ninety minutes, it heads back down the line to the capital.

How to buy tickets

The easiest way to buy train tickets in Cambodia is online rather than going to the station. You do pay a very small commission but the ease and convenience makes it worthwhile in our opinion.

Baolau is the best site to use for buying train tickets, they have access to the official Royal Railways booking engine, so you can easily see availability, timetables and prices.

Payment can be made using international credit card and PDF confirmation tickets are sent to your email address within a few minutes. This is the actual ticket you need to board the train, so there’s no need to exchange it at the station before travel. You may prefer to print the pdf out, but it’s also fine to show it on your mobile phone to the conductors and station staff.

Battambang to Phnom Penh train tickets

How much does it cost?

Cambodian trains don’t currently offer many ticket types, typically each service only has a soft seat option. Ongoing improvements to the network mean that more modern air-conditioned carriages will be introduced, likely with different seating classes.

For now, there are only soft seat tickets on the train from Battambang to Phnom Penh. Many travellers enjoy the open windows and fresh air on this train and even on the hottest days, it’s a comfortable ride while the train is moving.