In the countryside near Battambang, Cambodia’s third-largest city, a rail journey could mean hurtling down a metre-gauge track on little more than a bamboo-lined trolley.

Born out of necessity, these open-air railroad cars called nori have served for decades as an important mode of transportation and source of commerce in rural Battambang.

The trains came into existence in the early 1980s when resourceful survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime cobbled them together from the wheels and axles of military trucks and tanks.

How it works

Typically, each trolley is made up of a queen-sized bamboo platform balanced atop an undercarriage and a set of wheels. A small engine provides the necessary horsepower to send it down the tracks at speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour.

As these railroad cars operate on a single-track railway line, whenever another one approaches from the opposite direction, passengers of either nori have to disembark and help the driver dismantle and lift the trolley off the tracks to enable the other to pass.

Once the driver sounds the all-clear, the trolley is reassembled and the ride continues.

An efficient transport mode for the locals

This may sound like a lot of work for a rail journey, but it is well worth it as the nori is a cheap and efficient mode of transport for rural folk travelling to a neighbouring town to visit family or to sell their produce.

Each trolley can accommodate up to a dozen people, but it is not unusual to find fowl and dogs aboard for a ride too.

Although once a common sight in the backcountry, the railroad cars that run nowadays are more of a novelty experience for tourists.

A ride on one of these rustic carriages, however, is still recommended as you’ll be able to enjoy panoramic views of the countryside and vignettes of village life.

A new bamboo train route that begins near Phnom Banan was established in 2018, but those seeking a more authentic experience can opt for a 40-minute round trip on one of the old trains that ply an old track on the outskirts of Battambang.

This story by Chitra Santhinathan was originally published on AirAsia. Zafigo republished this story in full with permission from the publisher, simply because good stories should be read by as many people as possible! If you have stories that will be of interest and useful to women travellers, especially in Asia, please get in touch with us at [email protected].