The fastest train in Southeast Asia (for now)

When you take the airport express train to KL International Airport, you may see this sign declaring the KLIA Ekspres to be the fastest train in Southeast Asia.

I’ve often wondered what are the fastest trains in Southeast Asia, so to answer my own question I’ve made this list. It turns out that the KLIA Ekspres is now the equal fastest, and if all the proposed railways in Southeast Asia get built it will only be half as fast as the future fastest! I’ve listed current and proposed fastest trains in this list.

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Fastest Trains In Southeast Asia

News

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• PM urges ministry to upgrade nat’l railways

He also said that he wants high-speed railways. This is a good time to point out that the term “high-speed railway” is used frequently in this part of the world by people who don’t know the definition. For example, I’ve lost count of how many times the China-Laos Railway is referred to as a high-speed railway. It travels at 160 km/h, which is semi-high-speed (a standard speed for functional intercity trains in Europe). Nothing wrong with that, of course. In fact, this would be the ideal speed, but just stop calling it high-speed.

• Preah Sihanouk plan’s Phase II ‘soon’

• PM Hun Sen rules out skyscrapers near Angkor Wat

• New Cambodia airport in Siem Reap ‘not China landing base’: Hun Sen

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• Longest cross-highway box girder erected in Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway

[Updated: Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway]

• Bogor-Sukabumi train to start operation this weekend

• Transportation agency to add bike lanes to 195 kilometer in Jakarta

🇱🇦 Laos

• Golden Triangle gambling zone the world’s ‘worst’ SEZ, group says

I will visit this place and also review the China-Laos Railway when Laos reopens. Apparently Laos will decide this week if it opens up (like most of Southeast Asia has done by now).

• Laos' logistics vision for ASEAN: All rails lead to Vientiane

• Lao-China railway – an opportunity for more sustainable transport in ASEAN

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Malaysia has one of Asia’s longest coastlines. So why the obsession with artificial islands affecting environment and fisherfolk?

• PPC: Penang tunnel must be at least 23m under seabed

• ECRL project right on track

[Updated: East Coast Rail Link]

🇵🇭 Philippines

• SMC reaffirms commitment to build PAREX sustainably, reports gains in Pasig River cleanup initiative

• Housing readied for Tagum families along rail line

[Updated: Mindanao Railway]

🇸🇬 Singapore

• Construction of Bright Hill interchange station on Cross Island Line to start second quarter of 2022

🇹🇭 Thailand

• PTT-Foxconn EV project eyes Thai production for Chinese automakers

• Some images of the proposed HSR station for Pattaya.

[Updated: Don Mueang–Suvarnabhumi–U-Tapao high-speed railway]

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Capital city Hà Nội to assess feasibility of new metro line

• Aviation authority proposes third runway for Cam Ranh airport

• Consultant for HCMC's 2nd metro line ends contract over fee dispute

• Deputy prime minister maps out two new railway lines

The two lines are Thu Thiem Station-Long Thanh International Airport, and Bien Hoa-Vung Tau. Both lines have been planned for years with no progress.

• Construction of Vietnam's biggest airport reaches passenger terminal phase

[Updated: Long Thanh International Airport]

• Hồ Chí Minh – Cần Thơ railway route project passed

[Updated: Mekong Delta Railway]

• Vietnam to invest $2 billion in a US-based EV factory

While not physically in Southeast Asia, you could soon be driving an electric vehicle made by a Vietnamese company in the US. The news was even Tweeted by Biden.