The underground and overhead railways will be selected one by the state to build in Phnom Penh

Underground and overhead railway systems may be selected by the Royal Government as one of the two railway systems for construction in Phnom Penh to facilitate reducing current traffic con- gestion and traffic accident, especially it will be played an important role to facilitate people’s daily traveling in Phnom Penh city.

Plans for an urban railway in Phnom Penh with feasibility studies having been undertaken by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and Chinese companies in Cambodia.

The most likely routes would be a line from the central market to the airport, and a north-south line that would also cross the central market. There have been no updates on the findings of the studies.

While these studies were going on, Phnom Penh launched an airport railway service by adding a spur line from the mainline that passes near the airport.

In fact, on June 24, 2022, at the Ministry of Public Works, Sun Chanthol, Senior Minister, Minister of Public Works and Transport, chaired a meeting on the preliminary study results on the prepara- tion of the public transportation system, the subway. (Monorail) is an option for construction in Phnom Penh with the direct participation and remote video system from the leadership of the Minis- try representatives Phnom Penh Capital Hall, Representatives of China Road and Bridge Corpora- tion (CRBC), representatives of China Transport and Construction Corporation (CCCC) and tech- nical officers from relevant units.

The Senior Minister expressed a warm welcome to the meeting and informed about the Royal Gov- ernment's study project on the development of public transportation system which is able effectively to reduce traffic congestion in the city to submit to the head of the Royal Government to decide on a public transport system that is appropriate and acceptable for Phnom Penh to deal with the problem of traffic congestion and traffic accidents which are occurring today.

Senior Minister Chanthol said that traffic accidents are the main cause of accidents in Cambodia and an average of five people are killed daily. The daily figures also reveal that 10 people are in- jured daily in a traffic accidents.

According to a study by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Cambodia loses about 2.5 percent to 3 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) per year due to accidents. The 2010- 2020 Annual Road Crash Victim and Information System (RCVIS) stated that the main causes of traffic accidents are speeding, overtaking, disrespecting the right of way, and driving under the in- fluence.

After a presentation by a group of company experts who studied the feasibility of building a railway network that is planned to connect almost all locations in the city, especially in areas with a high population density of Phnom Penh. On that occasion, the meeting discussed in detail the results of this preliminary study. The company studied based on comparing unit costs in the cost of construct- ing a subway or overhead railway (Monorail) Construction time, operating costs and maintenance costs, etc.

In addition, the Senior Minister urged the China Road and Bridge Corporation to conduct more in- depth studies on a number of gaps, such as how to make Cambodia's public transport system devel- opment project comprehensive to contribute to the development of this sector to grow and solve traffic congestion and traffic accident that are occurring daily.