The attraction of rail travel in Southeast Asia is growing as networks expand, giving travellers a viable alternative to flying

Vientiane to Phnom Penh via Bangkok; Ho Chi Minh City to Luang Prabang by way of Hanoi and Kunming; Hong Kong to Singapore via half of those stations plus Kuala Lumpur – train travel between some of Southeast Asia’s biggest cities is looking increasingly feasible.

Asia is investing heavily in rail infrastructure just as the growing “slow travel” movement in Europe – which sees passengers swapping flights for less carbon-emitting train travel, especially for journeys of just a few hours – is prompting countries there to do the same.

While many of Southeast Asia’s railways are legacies of colonial occupation, most survived in some form into independence and are being upgraded even as new lines are being laid.

“Since [the Asean Connectivity master plan was released] in the late 2000s, Southeast Asian countries have refocused on rail development as a way to boost growth, keep up with rapid urbanisation and enhance regional integration,” says Jessica Liao, assistant professor in the department of political science at North Carolina State University in the US.

Indonesia will eventually have a high-speed railway across its main island, Java (the completion date is currently 2023), complementing the existing network on the island. Malaysia is developing transport infrastructure along peninsular Malaysia’s long-ignored east coast, while upgrading the main north-south link for faster, electric trains. Vietnam’s long-discussed rail upgrade plans are progressing – albeit glacially, rather like the development of a metro system in Ho Chi Minh City – and a long-mooted rail connection with Cambodia is still expected, the government in Phnom Penh having initiated a feasibility study.